Nadia Nadarajah
{{short description|Deaf Sri Lankan-British actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Nadia Nadarajah is a deaf British actress. She has labelled herself as English South Asian woman with dark skin. She uses the British Sign Language.{{Cite web|title=Nadia Nadarajah|url=https://www.dadafest.co.uk/artist/nadia-nadarajah|access-date=2020-12-29|website=www.dadafest.co.uk}}
Early life
Born to Sri Lankan parents, Nadarajah grew up in Luton. Her older brother is also deaf. After attending a mainstream primary school with support, Nadarajah boarded at Mary Hare Grammar School in Berkshire. She began her studies at the University of Hertfordshire.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/article/2024/aug/04/we-need-to-be-seen-nadia-nadarajah-on-portraying-shakespeares-greatest-heroines-as-a-deaf-actor|title='We need to be seen': Nadia Nadarajah on portraying Shakespeare’s greatest heroines – as a deaf actor|journal=The Guardian|first=Michael|last=Segalov|date=4 August 2024|accessdate=24 August 2024}}
Career
At 21, she moved to Australia, where she joined the committee of the SAAD (South-Australian Association of the Deaf) and campaigned on several issues. She worked as a teacher of the Deaf.{{cite news|title=Close up (BSL Zone)|url=https://www.bslzone.co.uk/watch/close-up-series-1/close-nadia-nadarajah}}
She trained as an actress at the International Visual Theatre in Paris in physical and bilingual acting. After spending three years teaching Sign Language on Reunion Island, she returned to the UK. She has appeared in Deafinitely Theatre productions including Shakespearean plays such as Love's Labour's Lost and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and other plays like Grounded.{{cite news|title=Parktheatre|url=https://www.parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/grounded/cast}}{{Cite web|last=Globe|first=Shakespeare’s|date=2018-06-28|title=Michelle Terry & Nadia Nadarajah in conversation|url=https://medium.com/@shakespearesglobe/michelle-terry-nadia-nadarajah-in-conversation-64d97562e84|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Medium|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Nadia Nadarajah|url=https://royalcourttheatre.com/cast/nadia-nadarajah/|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Royal Court|language=en-US}}
Other credits include Can I start again Please,{{cite news|title=Edinburgh festival 2015 review: Can I Start Again Please – devastatingly good|publisher=Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/06/edinburgh-festival-2015-review-can-i-start-again-please-summerhall}} Tanika's Journey and A Christmas Carol.{{cite news|title=Nadia Nadarajah on the Limping Chicken|url=https://limpingchicken.com/category/nadia-nadarajah/}}
In 2018 she played Guildenstern in Shakespeare's Globe production of Hamlet.[https://player.shakespearesglobe.com/productions/hamlet-2018/ Shakespeare's Globe Hamlet (2018)]
Personal life
Nadarajah lives in Peterborough. She was previously married to a Frenchman, whom she divorced in 2009.
She is fluent in five sign languages (British, French, Australian, American and French Creole).{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|nm3981543}}
- {{twitter|nadianadarajah}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nadarajah, Nadia}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Hertfordshire
Category:British actors with disabilities
Category:English people of Sri Lankan descent