Déja J Bowens

Last updated
Déja J. Bowens
BornDecember 1997 (age 26)
Education
OccupationActress
Years active2022-
Television Champion

Déja J Bowens is a British actress and singer.

Career

Bowens attended Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, graduating in 2021. [1] Her stage work has included playing Mamie in Marys Seacole by Jackie Sibblies Drury at the Donmar Warehouse in London in 2022 [2] [3]

Contents

Bowens made her television debut playing the lead role of singer-songwriter Vita Champion in the 2023 Candice Carty-Williams television series Champion for BBC One. Prior to the series, Bowens had only previously publicly sang as part of her church choir. [4] She told The Evening Standard she was not fully prepared for how much music she would have to perform on the show, [5] but Hollie Richardson in The Guardian described it as “an exciting screen debut” for Bowens, [6] and Anita Singh in The Daily Telegraph notably singled out Bowens for praise from a “talented cast”. [7] Morgan Cormack writing for The Radio Times said “You wouldn't think Champion was the TV debut for leading actress Déja J Bowens” adding “she artfully manages to capture the audience's sympathy while also pulling off the performance of someone who has had to embody years of conflicting feelings”. [8] The song My Girl, sung in show by Bowen’s character Vita with Ray BLK’s character Honey, written by Ray BLK, was released as a single on 30 June 2023. [9]

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References

  1. ↑ "Deja J. Bowens". Mountview.org. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  2. ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe (April 5, 2022). "Photos: Inside Rehearsals for MARYS SEACOLE the Donmar Warehouse". Broadway World.
  3. ↑ "Marys Seacole at the Donmar Warehouse". The Theatre Playbook. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "Interview with Déja J Bowens who plays Vita Champion in Champion". Press Party. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  5. ↑ Jessop, Vicky (27 June 2023). "Behind the scenes of Candice Carty-Williams' new show Champion". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "TV tonight: Champion is a juicy south London drama about sibling rivalry". The Guardian. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  7. ↑ Singh, Anita (1 July 2023). "Champion, review: for all its talents, this slick rap drama is too low-key for BBC primetime". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  8. ↑ Cormack, Morgan (30 June 2023). "Champion review: Music, family and authentic storytelling collide in this relatable drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  9. ↑ Day, Harvey; Lawton, Megan (1 July 2023). "Why BBC One's Champion will be 'a huge cultural moment'". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
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