Aweng Ade-Chuol

Aweng Ade-Chuol is a South Sudanese model, actress, and artist.

Early life and education

Ade-Chuol was born in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, her family having fled the Second Sudanese Civil War. They moved to Australia when Ade-Chuol was 7 years old.[1] She has 11 siblings, of which she is the eldest.[2] Her father was a child soldier in the First Sudanese Civil War and also fought in the Second, dying as a result of an infected gunshot wound in 2013.[3][4]

Career

In 2017, while working at a McDonald's in Sydney at the age of 18,[3] Ade-Chuol was noticed by an agent from Chadwick Models, who encouraged her to work with them. She signed with the organisation and began her career as a model.[1] She has since modeled for Fenty, Vetements, and Pyer Moss, among others.[1]

In 2020, Ade-Chuol featured in Beyoncé's musical film and visual album Black Is King,[1] and in a Ralph Lauren holiday advert alongside her wife.[5]

Ade-Chuol is studying for law and psychological sciences degrees at the University of New England, from which she will graduate in 2021.[1][6] She hopes to use her law degree to help marginalized people, and would like to found a mental health center in South Sudan.[1] Alongside her degree, Ade-Chuol takes acting classes, and is aiming to become an actor. She cites Lupita Nyong'o and Shonda Rhimes as inspirations for her acting career.[1]

Ade-Chuol was listed in OkayAfrica's 100 Women in 2019.[2]

Personal life

Ade-Chuol met her wife, Alexus, in January 2019.[3] They dated for nine months before becoming engaged. The couple got married in December the same year at New York City Hall, and have matching "XII" tattoos on their ring fingers.[6] Following their marriage, Ade-Chuol received homophobic abuse, particularly from communities in South Sudan, leading to her attempting suicide a few months later.[7] She spent 3 days in an intensive care unit and 6 more in hospital as a result.[3] Aweng and Alexus were featured on the cover of Elle magazine in 2020.[7] The couple now live in London.[3]

References
  1. Okwodu, Janelle (27 August 2020). "Aweng Ade-Chuol Is the Beyoncé-Approved Multi-Hyphenate to Know". Vogue. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  2. "Aweng Chuol - OKAYAFRICA's 100 WOMEN". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  3. Agyemang, Nana (22 September 2020). "The South Sudanese Model Who Always Defies Expectations". The Cut. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  4. Chan, Emily (20 June 2019). "Fenty Model Aweng Chuol On #BlueForSudan And The Crisis In Her Home Country". Vogue. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  5. Gardner, Chris (24 November 2020). "Greg Berlanti, Robbie Rogers Star in Ralph Lauren Holiday Ad". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  6. Macon, Alexandra (7 July 2020). "After Marrying at City Hall, Model Aweng Ade-Chuol and Alexus Ade-Chuol Commemorated the Day With Tattoos and Pizza". Vogue. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  7. Bremner, Jade (30 November 2020). "Model Aweng Ade-chuol Kisses Her Wife On Cover Of Elle UK After Homophobic Abuse". The Independent. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.