Arsema Thomas

Arséma Angela Adeoluwayemi Hamera Thomas (born June 19, 1994) is an American actress. On television, she played young Lady Agatha Danbury in the Netflix period drama Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Her films include She Taught Love (2024).

Early life and education Thomas was born in Atlanta, Georgia to a Yoruba Nigerian father and an Ethiopian mother, both diplomats, and moved to Kampala, Uganda at two weeks old. She lived in multiple countries growing up, including Tanzania, Benin, Togo and Kenya, as well as the Comoros and India. She speaks English, French, Spanish, Yoruba, Amharic, and American Sign Language.

Thomas completed high school at Linden Hall (Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA), where she was on the tennis team, soccer team, drama club, debate team, student council, and National Honor Society. She initially planned to pursue a "safe career" and go into global public health, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Biophysics from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016 and then a Master's of Public Health (MPH) (studying Health Policy with a concentration in Global Health) from Yale University School of Public Health (YSPH) in 2018 with the goal of promoting health equity. While at the former, Thomas was a member of the Beta Nu chapter of Delta Gamma fraternity.

Thomas worked in a maternal and child mobile health clinic in Northern Kenya and the Kakumah Refugee Camp on the Kenya-Sudan border. She took short courses at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Cours Florent in Paris, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. She began attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), but put her studies on pause when she was cast in Queen Charlotte. After signing with her agent Gary O'Sullivan of Accelerate Management in South Africa and London, Thomas landed her debut feature film role as Rebecca in Redeeming Love, which premiered in 2022.

Also in 2022, it was announced Thomas would play young Lady Agatha Danbury (played by Adjoa Andoh later in life) in the Netflix period drama prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which premiered in May 2023. Thomas learned she had been cast while working as a butcher's assistant in Notting Hill. In preparation for the role of young Lady Danbury, Thomas read anti-racist and feminist literature by authors such as bell hooks, Angela Y. Davis, Zora Neale Hurston, and Assata Shakur, as well as drawing insight from her grandmother, who had an arranged marriage at the age of 7. Thomas also put on an English accent throughout the audition process.

Thomas is set to star opposite Freddy Carter in Poor Clare at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond.

Personal life In August 2017, Thomas said her favorite book was Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, favorite shows were Chewing Gum and Rick and Morty, and three things she couldn't live without would be “a pen, chapstick, and music (any genre).” In interviews for the Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story press tour, Thomas lists Ice Spice, Flo Milli, Megan Thee Stallion, and Little Simz as her favorite female rappers. Thomas also listens to Nina Simone, Diana Ross, Billie Holiday, and FLO.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2018 Nightwatcher Leila Short film 2022 Redeeming Love Rebecca 2024 She Taught Love Mali 2026 Luce Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 2021 One Touch Christie Pilot 2023 Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Young Agatha Danbury Main role; 6 Episodes