Meet Thandiwe Newton's Three Children
Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker are parents to three beautiful kids. They are Ripley Parker, Nico Parker, and Booker Jombe Parker. As the children of two well-respected celebrities in the entertainment industry, was it only a matter of time before they followed in their parents' footsteps? Ripley and Nico have pursued showbiz careers and are rising stars. While the future is still undecided for their younger brother, it's possible that the entire family will work together on a project one day. "My mom and I keep coming up with these crazy ideas for TV shows and movies that we always launch at him at dinner that he isn't always loving," Nico told Variety in 2020 of how they pitch to her dad. "But sometimes, he finds one interesting. It's just a matter of time. If not, I will write something for me and my mom."
Motherhood has had a tremendous impact on Newton's life. "I didn't really feel beautiful until I had my first child," she told The Telegraph in 2014. But it's not just about how her kids changed her life; she has also raised them to be outspoken and independent. "I think as a mom, it's important to teach your children that they're extraordinary, powerful beings. Your job is to keep the path clear, so there is nothing they can trip up on," Newton told Hollywood Life (via HuffPost). It's time to meet her three kids!
Ripley Parker inspired her dad's script
Ol Parker is the director of "Ticket to Paradise." He is also a father, and his eldest child, Ripley Parker, inspired his work. "The movie came out of a conversation I was having about Ripley, who was 18, I think, at the time and starting to make her own decisions — all of which are clearly brilliant and not necessarily the ones I'd have made for her — so it was just that thing, how much do you nudge along?" he told ComingSoon of the inspiration for the film. "How much do you try and be wise and say what you absolutely know and how much do you just lean back and give it up to them and watch the next generation rule? That was the genesis of the movie."
Ripley was born on December 17, 2000. "I named my kid Ripley after Sigourney Weaver in 'Aliens,'" Thandiwe Newton told Vulture in 2016. For Ripley, having famous parents has pros and cons, which she has navigated regarding her success. "Do I think I'm here because I'm good at what I do? Yes. Do I think I would have had the opportunity to do what I do on a professional scale without my parents' success and influence? I have no idea," she said in an interview with Glamour in October 2023. "It would have taken much longer and been much harder — if it had happened at all."
She is also a writer herself
Ripley Parker is following in her father's footsteps with a passion for scriptwriting. She is represented by the Knight Hall Agency, which describes her as "a young upcoming writer based in London" on their website.
Parker wrote the Netflix show "Everything Now," which centers around body image, mental health, and eating disorders, and her work was inspired by aspects of her own life. "It was something that I struggled with a lot as a teenager, and they say you should start off writing drawing heavily from what you know, and it was an area that I felt I could speak on with some authority and that I might have something useful to impart to people," Parker told Glamour in 2023. She also discussed how they consulted with experts to ensure the result was "as truthful and heartfelt a way as we were able to." She was impressed with how the series turned out. In an interview with BAFTA, Parker discussed that she had put her "heart and soul" into the project and was "very lucky in that my expectations were so, so, so surpassed by the cast. They are absolutely bloody magnificent."
In 2019, Thandiwe Newton celebrated her daughter's writing skills and informed fans of her work. "Deeply proud of phenomenal @ripley.parker. Her first published writing is a breathtaking piece in @penguin #It'sNotOKtoFeelBlueandotherlies," she captioned a photo on Instagram of herself and her eldest daughter and posted another of her book.
Ripley Parker has expressed her political views
Ripley Parker is an outspoken young woman and has been vocal about her disdain for U.K. former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. As a teenager, she referred to Johnson as a "c***" after seeing him at a show in London. Thandiwe Newton recalled the story on an appearance on "The Late Late Show With James Cordon." "I just went over, and I said, 'Hello, Mr. Johnson, my name is Ripley Parker, and I just wanted to tell you that you're a c***,'" Newton said of her daughter's conversation. "And then she said, 'Enjoy the show.'"
This was a decision Ripley did not regret. "It was a rogue move, but it was one I would make again," she told Glamour in 2023. But Ripley's interest in politics may have begun before she even realized it because, together with her mom, she met former South African president and political activist Nelson Mandela. The "Westworld" actor discussed the meeting years later in an Instagram post in 2021. "We were in line to have a 'photo opportunity' with the great man. He was so gracious and patient. One after the other posed with him for a photograph," Newton wrote. She recalled how Mandela had engaged in conversation with her daughter and its impact. "He passed something on to her. He looked into her eyes. She was too young to really understand the magnitude of that moment. But she knows now. And I've witnessed it."
Nico Parker is an actor
Nico Parker is Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker's second child, born on December 9, 2004. Parker and Newton share an interest in acting and had a special moment at the Hollywood premiere of "Reminiscence" in 2021 — Newton plays the role of Emily "Watts" Sanders, and Parker has a smaller part as the character Zoe.
Newton posted a photo on Instagram from the premiere and discussed its importance in the caption. "Sharing an event like last night with my daughter @nicoparkerofficial was one of the highlights of my professional life," Newton wrote. "I cannot tell you how wise and cool and grounded she is. Her Dad and I have always said she is the BEST hang ever."
Parker has been fortunate to have successful showbiz parents, but she hasn't asked them to give their opinions about her career. "They do give me advice like, 'Learn everybody's name and always be nice' and things like that, but when it comes to acting, they kind of steer clear of it because I think they want it to be my own experience for me to learn about things in my own way," she told Variety in a 2020 interview. Her star is rising fast, but things just sort of fell into place after her role in "Dumbo." "It more just happened and now they're kind of forced to accept it. But they are incredibly supportive," she said of her parents.
She's been involved in The Last of Us
Nico Parker's role in "The Last of Us" has done more than show off her skills as an actor; it has also been an opportunity to address the importance of inclusivity. Her casting created a backlash, with some fans criticizing her casting because they believed it was an inaccurate portrayal of the video game on which the series was based. But this criticism also started a meaningful conversation. "I hope they can look past it and still enjoy the show," Parker told Yahoo! Entertainment. "But I think inclusivity is incredibly important. If young kids watch the show and feel they're represented through race or hair or anything, that's 10 times more important than anyone who doesn't like it because they don't like to see different people on their screen."
The game — and later, the series — have both been incredibly popular, and Parker spoke about the challenges of taking on a project with that sort of reach. "There's definitely a pressure to meet expectations and to stay true to existing material whilst also not emulating exactly what's seen in the game. So there was the pressure of wanting to do it justice," she told Glamour in 2023. She is proud of the work she has done on the series and posted about it on Instagram; this includes a screenshot from the announcement of her casting from Deadline.
She's got a positive view about being a nepo baby
The talk of "nepo babies" has been hotly debated in recent years, and Nico Parker is not shying away from it. "I think it's incredibly important to recognize that with your parents being prevalent in the industry, it's way easier to get in the room," she told The Cut in 2023. "It's so important to know how many people would dream of being in that room and how lucky you are to be there."
Parker also discussed nepotism in an interview with Glamour and acknowledged her privilege. "[W]hen you're being called all these things, and it feels like it's a tagline to discredit you from when you get an acting role, and it's just like, oh, '[S]he only got that because of their parents' ... Then there's another version of it where it's incredibly important to comprehend and be entirely aware that with your parents being in the same industry as you, there's a real privilege that comes with that," she said. Parker is a talented actor, having landed roles in "The Last of Us," "Suncoast," and "Reminiscence," but she's aware some people may feel she's famous only because of who her parents are. She's earned it, but at the same time, she admits she is "very lucky and very grateful" to be acting.
Nico Parker is a big fan of other celebs
Nico Parker has her own fans, with almost 500,000 followers on Instagram alone, but she has immense respect for a select few other famous people. "I'm probably the world's biggest fan of Ariana Grande ... I even wear her perfume," she told Vogue.
In her January 2023 Glamour interview, Parker admitted other celebrities have inspired her. "Oh my God, Zendaya followed me on Instagram! I mean, for any mixed race kid, that's amazing. For an entire generation of young kids, when she was on Disney, I always thought, 'Wow, she's someone that kind of looks like me!' I wanted to be her so badly when she was on 'Shake it Up,'" she said.
In the same interview, the star discussed being impressed with Cher, Meryl Streep, and Beyoncé. "I also look up to Beyoncé; I don't think I could meet her because I think I would faint," she said. In addition, Parker has a close relationship with her "The Last of Us" co-star, Pedro Pascal. She posted a sweet photo of them on Instagram in January 2023, which she captioned with a purple heart. "I always feel when I say this, people don't believe me because he has so many best friends — but I really think he is one of my best friends," Parker told People of Pascal. "He's so lovable that anyone could get on with him anytime ... he's just the best."
She's spoken with pride about her race
Nico Parker discussed her racial identity in an interview with Glamour in 2020 and credited Thandiwe Newton as a role model. "[S]he is a Black actress, and she's incredibly proud of that," she said. "She's always, always shown my family how proud of it she is, the world, the media and she is incredibly proud of where she comes from. That, of course, affects me, and I am incredibly proud of where I come from because of her."
Newton is the daughter of a British man and a Shona princess from Zimbabwe. She grew up in Cornwall and experienced racism. "There were the usual cruel names: big ears or big nose," she told Daily Mail in 2009. "And none of the boys wanted to go out with me. I don't remember any overt racism, but my mum and I have talked about this, and I now know my parents kept us safe from a lot of stuff." Like her mother, Parker has dealt with racism, with some fans of "The Last of Us" criticizing her casting because of her race. In the series, Parker also shows off her natural hair, but it took her years before she was comfortable with it. She told Glamour that she struggled to care for her locks and wanted them straight. "I think it was really sad for my mum," she said of altering her hair texture.
Booker Parker's older sisters took on a mothering role
Booker Parker is Ol Parker and Thandiwe Newton's third child and only son. He was born on March 3, 2014. Newton announced the birth of her son on X (formerly Twitter). "Our baby boy is finally here! Booker Jombe Parker. Born joyously at home yesterday," she wrote.
Booker is younger than his older sisters, and they were incredibly attentive and helpful. "I think he thinks he's got three mummies. He's got a 13-year-old, a 9-year-old, and a (cough, cough) 27-year-old," Newton joked to "Today" in 2014 — she was 41 when her son was born. Despite this, Newton was in good health. "It's a busy time, but even though I have just had a baby, I feel really energized and in the prime of my life," she told Daily Mail in 2014. "I felt the same after having my first two children. I think one of the reasons is because, during pregnancy, I have been eating healthily and living really well."
The "Crash" actor has discussed the initial concerns she had raising her son. "Wow, what a handful," she told Harry Connick, Jr. about her toddler in an appearance on his talk show "Harry" in 2018. "When I realized I was having a boy, I was nervous. I just thought, how am I gonna, how am I gonna bring a man up in this world ... to be a man, whatever that means."
Booker Parker and his mom love lizards
Booker Parker and Thandiwe Newton share a love of lizards. The "Norbit" actor posted on Instagram in 2021 showing herself and her young son with a lizard. In the caption, she gave a glimpse into Parker's interests and personality. "My kid came across this cute blue bottom lizard (I love lizards) on the sand," she wrote. "We picked it up to find a safe spot for it — it wound up spending a full hour on my chest! We had to take it ('Brooch') off to release it into some brush. I loved it for a while. But then let it go. Of course."
Parker may also share his mother's love of animals when he grows up. Newton proudly supports the nonprofit organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Her own experience as a mother has also influenced the campaigns she helps. "As a mother, I can't imagine what it would be like to have my children taken away from me, but this is what happens to cows on dairy farms every single day," she told PETA U.K. about the dairy industry. Newton has also urged other mothers to choose a dairy-free lifestyle and consider plant-based alternatives.
All three children were delivered at home
Motherhood has been a beautiful experience for Thandiwe Newton from the beginning. All her children were born at home, and this decision empowered her. "Every fiber of your being is alive," she told The Times Online (via People) in 2008. "It's like you are conducting electricity ... literally creating something ... I'd like to give birth every year if I could, just for that experience." This is not the only time she's discussed her birthing experience. "So for me, it feels normal, but there was a time when everybody had their babies at home, and it wasn't such a big deal," she told "Today" in 2014 after her third birth.
But why was the "Mission: Impossible II" actor drawn to home birth? "I didn't feel ill when I was pregnant and I knew that it was going to be the most extraordinary feat of courage and I needed to feel uninhibited," she told Us Weekly in 2018. "I didn't feel I would get there if I was in an environment that didn't feel safe to me." She acknowledges that she would have sought medical care if there had been a problem. A midwife also assisted her. With each birth, she's been determined to be a good mother. "I hope I earn the right to be called Mama every day because you don't get to just be called Mama — you have to earn it," she told "Extra" in 2022.
The Parker girls were raised to be strong and independent
Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker raised their daughters to be confident and to speak their truths. "My parents always instilled in me and my siblings that our voice always matters and if we have something to say, we should say it," Nico Parker told Glamour in 2020.
Newton has had tough conversations with her girls to protect them; she's also given great consideration to their education. "No uniform, you use the teachers' first names, so you don't create this fear and mindless ... what's the word? ... To authority. We're big on 'No'. [The teachers] have to earn your respect," she told The Guardian in 2016 of her daughters' school. The actor has a responsibility as a mother raising daughters and has not pushed her children to adhere to gender stereotypes. "They're not into going to stores and buying dolls. Ripley is not a girlie girl. If I bought her an American Girl doll, the hair would be cut off in a week," she told Hollywood Life (via HuffPost). "Moms shouldn't force their girls to be too girlie. If they don't like dolls, then let it go. Let them find their own creative outlets." Her comments suggest her kids were raised in an environment where they were free to express themselves for who they are, not for what others want them to be.