Born in Grinnell, Iowa, she was raised in Zimbabwe before returning to the United States. She pursued a degree in psychology at Macalester College and later studied acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She gained prominence for her role as Michonne in the TV series "The Walking Dead." Transitioning to film, she starred as Okoye in Marvel's "Black Panther" and its sequels. An accomplished playwright, her work often explores themes of identity and displacement.