Betty Gabriel
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Betty Gabriel (born January 6, 1981) is an American actress. For her work in
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...
s, particularly
Blumhouse Blumhouse Productions, LLC, doing business as Blumhouse (; also known as BH Productions or simply BH), is an American independent film and television production company founded in 2000 by Jason Blum and Amy Israel. Blumhouse is known mainly fo ...
films, Gabriel has been established as a
scream queen A scream queen (a wordplay on ''screen queen'') is an actress who is prominent and influential in horror films, either through a notable appearance or recurring roles. Scream king is the equivalent for men. Notable scream queen examples include ...
. She has been nominated for two
Black Reel Awards The Black Reel Awards, or BRAs, is an annual American awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in film (FAAAF) to recognize excellence of African Americans, as well as the cinematic achievements of the Af ...
, an
NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
and a
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
. Gabriel began her career in musical theater. She made her screen debut with the
short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...
''In Memoriam'' (2011), and played Laney Rucker in the
action film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...
'' The Purge: Election Year'' (2016). She earned critical acclaim for starring as Georgina in the horror film ''
Get Out ''Get Out'' is a 2017 American psychological horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb ...
'' (2017), a performance which ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' called one of the best of 2017. She has portrayed Nari in the horror film '' Unfriended: Dark Web'' (2018), Detective Cortez in the
cyberpunk film Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting said to focus on a combination of "low-life and high tech". It features futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyberwa ...
''Upgrade'' (2018), Deeks in the drama film ''Adopt a Highway'' (2019) and Joyce in the horror film '' It Lives Inside'' (2023). On television, Gabriel has played Denise in the period drama series ''
Good Girls Revolt ''Good Girls Revolt'' is an American period drama television series. It is inspired by Lynn Povich's 2013 book '' The Good Girls Revolt'' and based on real-life events. The show was released on October 28, 2016, on Amazon Prime Video. On Dece ...
'' (2016), Maling in the dystopian series ''Westworld'' (2018), Naya Temple in the science fiction series ''Counterpart'' (2018–2019), Pam Duffy in the
miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...
''Defending Jacob'' (2020), Sophie Brewer in the drama miniseries ''Clickbait'' (2021), and Elizabeth Wright in the series '' Jack Ryan'' (2022–2023).


Early life

Gabriel was born January 6, 1981, in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, and grew up in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
, and in
Hyattsville, Maryland Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It is an urban suburb of Washington, D.C. The population was 21,187 at the 2020 United States census. History Before Europeans reached the area, the upper Anacostia ...
. In 2002, Gabriel received a
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
degree in
Animal Science Animal science is described as "studying the biology of animals that are under the control of humankind". It can also be described as the production and management of farm animals. Historically, the degree was called animal husbandry and the ...
from
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
. After college, Gabriel relocated to Chicago, studying modern dance and working as an actress in the Chicago theater community. In 2014, she graduated with a
Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...
in drama from
Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named aft ...
.


Career

After doing a bit of theater at
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
, Gabriel got her start working as an actress and dancer in Chicago theater, first as part of her further studies, and then in various productions. Gabriel's first film role was in the 2011 drama ''In Memoriam''. She began her career as a television actress with minor recurring roles in ''
Good Girls Revolt ''Good Girls Revolt'' is an American period drama television series. It is inspired by Lynn Povich's 2013 book '' The Good Girls Revolt'' and based on real-life events. The show was released on October 28, 2016, on Amazon Prime Video. On Dece ...
'' and ''
Westworld ''Westworld'' is an American science fiction dystopia media franchise that began with the Westworld (film), 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild West, Wild-West-th ...
'' before landing her first major film role in the 2016 horror sequel '' The Purge: Election Year.'' Gabriel's character allows viewers to consider whether "the American dream" has become "the American nightmare" for many African-Americans, much as in her 2017 film ''
Get Out ''Get Out'' is a 2017 American psychological horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb ...
''. Gabriel was on vacation when she was invited to audition for ''Get Out''. To prepare for the role, Gabriel watched the
TEDx TED Conferences, LLC (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an American-Canadian non-profit media organization that posts international talks online for free distribution under the slogan "Ideas Change Everything" (previously "Ideas Worth Sprea ...
talk of Martin Pistorius to get insight into the feeling of being trapped inside one's own body. She also watched ''Bride of Frankenstein'' and talked to her own grandmother, who was raised in
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
, about racial tensions from her era. The film was a critical and commercial success, and Gabriel earned critical acclaim for her performance. Her role was discussed as a contender for Best Supporting Actress for the 2018
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
by ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' and ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
.'' ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' cited her role as Georgina as one of the best performances of 2017. Gabriel starred opposite
Logan Marshall-Green Logan Marshall-Green (born November 1, 1976) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his roles in the television series '' 24'', ''The O.C.'', '' Traveler'', '' Dark Blue'' and ''Quarry'', as well as his roles in the films ''Devil'', ...
in the sci-fi action horror film ''
Upgrade Upgrading is the process of replacing a product with a newer version of the same product. In computing and consumer electronics, an upgrade is generally a replacement of hardware, software or firmware with a newer or better version, in order to ...
'' (2018), written and directed by
Leigh Whannell Leigh Whannell (; born 17 January 1977) is an Australian filmmaker and actor. He has written multiple films that were directed by his friend James Wan, including ''Saw (2004 film), Saw'' (2004), ''Dead Silence'' (2007), ''Insidious (film), Insid ...
, and shot on location in Melbourne, Australia. In 2017, Gabriel joined the cast of ''
Westworld ''Westworld'' is an American science fiction dystopia media franchise that began with the Westworld (film), 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild West, Wild-West-th ...
'' as the character Maling. In February 2018, it was announced she would join the second season of '' Counterpart'' playing an FBI agent. In March 2021, Gabriel had a role in the animated horror film '' The Spine of Night,'' written and directed by
Philip Gelatt Philip Gelatt is an American screenwriter, film director, producer and video game writer. He is best known for his work on the animated film, '' The Spine of Night'' and the Netflix animated series, ''Love, Death & Robots''. Life and career Gelat ...
and Morgan Galen King. Later in August 2021, she continued her career in the horror genre by playing the role of Sophie Brewer in the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
miniseries ''Clickbait'' (2021), co-written by Christian White and
Tony Ayres Tony Ayres (born 16 July 1961) is an Australian showrunner, screenwriter, director in television and feature film. He is most notable for his films '' Walking on Water'' and '' The Home Song Stories'', as well his work in television, including ...
, and despite the miniseries receiving a 59% on
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, it received 1.46 billion minutes of watchtime in one week following its debut. Gabriel also appeared in the
Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription over-the-top streaming service owned by Apple. The service launched on November 1, 2019, and it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service w ...
limited series ''
Manhunt Manhunt may refer to: Search processes * Manhunt (law enforcement), a search for a dangerous fugitive * Manhunt (military), a search for a high-value target by special operations forces or intelligence agencies Social organisations * Manhun ...
'', as well as having a recurring role in the TV series '' Jack Ryan'' for its third season in 2022.


Filmography


Film


Television


Theater

* 2004: ''
Black Nativity ''Black Nativity'' is an adaptation of the Nativity story by Langston Hughes, performed by an entirely black cast. Hughes was the author of the book, with the lyrics and music being derived from traditional Christmas carols, sung in gospel sty ...
'' by
Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. An early innovator of jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harl ...
at
Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the ...
(Chicago, Illinois) * 2008: ''Space'' by Laura Jacqmin at Side Project Theatre (Chicago, Illinois) * 2008: ''Pluto Was a Planet'' by Laura Jacqmin at Around the Coyote Gallery (Chicago, Illinois) * 2009: ''
The Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play ...
'' by
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
at Chase Park Theatre (Chicago, Illinois)


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gabriel, Betty 21st-century American actresses Iowa State University alumni Juilliard School alumni Actresses from Washington, D.C. Actresses from Pittsburgh People from Hyattsville, Maryland Living people 1981 births 21st-century African-American actresses 20th-century African-American actresses 20th-century American actresses