Irish actress Ruth Negga graces cover of ‘Vogue’ magazine

Actress Ruth Negga has become the first Irish person to appear on the cover of US fashion bible Vogue in at least 60 years.

A picture of the 34-year-old, taken by renowned photographer Mario Testino, will adorn the cover of the January 2017 edition of the magazine, which heralds Negga as a ‘star of our time’ following her lead turn in the critically acclaimed film Loving.

The film, due for release in Ireland in February, was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

It recalls the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple who took a landmark civil rights case to the US Supreme Court which resulted in the striking down of laws that prohibited interracial marriage.

The couple had left their native Virginia to get married in Washington, only to be arrested and convicted of violating the State’s ‘racial integrity’ laws.

They received a one-year prison sentence which was suspended on condition that they leave Virginia.

Ruth Negga stars on the cover of our January issue! Read the full cover story: https://t.co/DZrisYDl65 pic.twitter.com/Eu5pbFtGc1

— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) December 7, 2016

Speaking to Vogue, Ms Negga said the film “is reminding us that there’s a conversation that we need to be having still” when it comes to race relations.

Born in her father’s native Ethiopia, where she lived until she was four, Ms Negga was then raised in Limerick by her Irish mother.

In the interview with Vogue, she discusses her own sense of identity.

“I’m always very careful to say I’m Irish-Ethiopian because I feel Ethiopian and I look Ethiopian and I am Ethiopian.

“But there are 81 languages in Ethiopia, and I don’t know any of them,” she said.

Next year, Ms Negga will resume her role as Tulip O’Hare in the second season of TV comic book adaptation Preacher.