- Arsema plays young Lady Danbury.
- Arsema was born in Atlanta.
- Queen Charlotte is her breakout role.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is the royal event of the season. Arsema Thomas, whose pronouns are she/they, is a member of the ensemble cast, playing the whip-smart younger version of young Lady Danbury. Over the course of the season, out on May 4, Arsema shines as Lady Danbury grows closer to the Queen and forges her own path.
So, who is Arsema Thomas? Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is definitely the actor’s breakout role. HollywoodLife has 5 key things you need to know about Arsema.
1. Arsema plays young Lady Danbury.
Arsema stars as the younger version of Lady Agatha Danbury in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The older version is played by Adjoa Andoh. In the prequel, Lady Danbury is very much married to Lord Danbury. “She’s also been married off by her parents in a way. For her, it’s very much about how to survive a world in which you have no power,” creator Shonda Rhimes told Netflix.
Arsema told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that she’d be down for a Lady Danbury-centric spinoff. “Yes, I would. I think working with this crew has been such a massive blessing that I think if they make that decision then I trust them,” Arsema said.
2. Arsema grew up in different countries.
Arsema, born Arséma Angela Adeoluwayemi Thomas, is the child of two diplomats. Arsemba was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but her family moved to Kampala, Uganda, when she was two weeks old, according to Cosmopolitan.
3. Arsema initially planned to pursue a career in public health.
Arsema earned a degree in biophysics from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016. Arsema’s father wanted them to be a doctor. After living in Kenya, Arsema decided to pursue public health. They got their master’s in public health from Yale University.
4. Arsema’s first role was in 2021.
Arsema may be a Hollywood newcomer, but the actor has a bright future ahead. Arsema’s first onscreen role was in a 2021 episode of One Touch. Her first film role was in the 2022 film Redeeming Love.
5. Arsema is a passionate activist.
“It’s the one thing you can fight for and know you’re on the right side [of history],” Arsema told Cosmo. “The exact point of racism is to strip people of their humanness and uniqueness. When I recognized that, it became a necessity to make [activism] part of whatever I do for the rest of my life, because it fulfills me.”