
This comprehensive overview examines Mau’s filmography, highlighting her most significant roles across television series and feature films while exploring the trajectory of her career from early independent work to breakthrough mainstream performances.
What Movies and TV Shows Has Nava Mau Been In?
Nava Mau has built an increasingly prominent presence in both television and film over the past several years, with her body of work reflecting a dedication to meaningful storytelling and authentic representation. Her acting credits span multiple platforms, from streaming services to independent film festivals.
Key Career Insights
- First openly transgender woman nominated for Primetime Emmy Award in the Supporting Actress category for her role in Baby Reindeer
- Received BAFTA nomination and Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance in a New Series for Baby Reindeer
- Maintains a multifaceted career encompassing acting, directing, writing, and producing
- Strong presence in independent film, with works screened at Sundance, Tribeca, and Iris Prize festivals
- Demonstrates commitment to trans representation both on-screen and behind the camera
- Background in healing justice informs her approach to storytelling
- Educational foundation in linguistics and cognitive science from Pomona College
Nava Mau Filmography Snapshot
| Project | Year | Role | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby Reindeer | 2024 | Teri | Netflix |
| All the Words But the One | 2024 | Actor/Director/Writer | Film Festival |
| Generation | 2021 | Ana | HBO Max |
| Work | 2022 | Producer | Sundance/Tribeca |
| Hidden Canyons | 2020 | Director | TV Series |
| Waking Hour | 2019 | Sofia | Short Film |
| YOU | 2018 | Marquez | TV Series |
| Femenina | 2019 | Actor | Film/Video |
Beyond Emmy, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit nominations for Baby Reindeer, Mau has also received the NewFest Audience Award and the YoSoy Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, recognizing her contributions to both LGBTQ+ and Latino communities in entertainment.
What Is Nava Mau’s Role in Baby Reindeer?
Mau portrays Teri, the girlfriend of protagonist Donny Dunn, in the Netflix limited series Baby Reindeer. The character appears as a grounding presence in the story, offering viewers a depiction of a healthy relationship within the narrative’s more turbulent emotional landscape. According to Mau, portraying Teri represented an opportunity to demonstrate that trans women exist in authentic relationships with real people, countering harmful stereotypes in media representation.
The performance earned Mau significant critical acclaim and historic recognition. Her nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards marked a milestone as the first openly transgender woman nominated in that category. This recognition from both the Television Academy and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts underscores the impact of her portrayal.
Impact of the Baby Reindeer Role
The series, created by and starring Richard Gadd, drew attention for its raw exploration of trauma and recovery. Mau’s contribution added depth to the ensemble cast, providing a counterweight to Gadd’s character’s struggles while showcasing nuanced trans representation on a major streaming platform.
Mau’s Emmy nomination represented a breakthrough for trans visibility in mainstream television awards, building on earlier milestones while establishing a new precedent for recognizing trans talent in dramatic supporting roles.
Who Is Nava Mau?
Nava Mau identifies as a transgender woman and brings lived experience to her performances, often portraying transgender characters throughout her career. Her background reflects a multicultural heritage, with roots in Mexico City, San Antonio, and Oakland, California. This intersectional identity has shaped both her creative vision and her commitment to authentic storytelling.
Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science from Pomona College, one of the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions. Prior to her entertainment career, Mau worked in healing justice, a framework that integrates social justice work with wellness and community care practices.
Career Beyond Acting
Mau’s professional activities extend well beyond performing. She has worked as a director, most notably on the television series Hidden Canyons in 2020. Her production credentials include serving as a Production Fellow on the Netflix documentary Disclosure, which premiered at Sundance in 2020 and examines trans representation in media.
Her short film Waking Hour (2019) demonstrates her multifaceted capabilities, with Mau writing, directing, and starring in the production. The film centers on a transgender woman navigating romance and safety, themes that reflect her broader artistic concerns. More recently, All the Words But the One (2024) showcased her talents as actor, director, writer, and executive producer, screening at the Iris Prize festival.
Mau has also produced short films including Sam’s Town and Lovebites, both of which stream on the Issa Rae Presents channel, expanding her influence across various platforms and formats.
Does Nava Mau Have Upcoming Movies or TV Shows?
As of available information through 2024, no publicly announced upcoming movies or television projects have been confirmed for Nava Mau. Her most recent listed work remains All the Words But the One (2024), which premiered at the Iris Prize festival and represents her latest completed project as both performer and creator.
The entertainment industry often announces projects well in advance of production timelines, and Mau’s rising profile following her Emmy nomination may lead to future casting announcements. However, verified information regarding upcoming roles has not been published in accessible sources at this time.
Nava Mau’s Career Timeline
Mau’s progression through the entertainment industry reflects a gradual accumulation of credits and recognition, with her profile rising significantly following her work on Baby Reindeer.
- 2018 — Appeared as Marquez in the Netflix psychological thriller series YOU
- 2019 — Starred in and directed the short film Waking Hour, premiering her multifaceted creative capabilities
- 2020 — Directed episodes of Hidden Canyons television series; worked as Production Fellow on documentary Disclosure at Sundance
- 2021 — Cast as series regular Ana in HBO Max’s Generation, portraying the aunt of a main teenage character
- 2022 — Produced the short film Work, which premiered at both Sundance and Tribeca Film Festival
- 2024 — Delivered breakout performance as Teri in Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, earning Emmy, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit Award nominations
- 2024 — All the Words But the One screened at Iris Prize, demonstrating continued growth as a filmmaker
What Information Remains Unclear About Nava Mau?
While substantial information exists regarding Mau’s professional accomplishments and public statements, certain details remain either undocumented or unavailable through verified sources.
| Established Information | Unconfirmed or Unknown Details |
|---|---|
| Born May 14, 1992; age 32 as of 2024 | Specific details regarding upcoming projects beyond 2024 |
| BA in Linguistics & Cognitive Science from Pomona College | Complete detailed filmography beyond listed credits |
| Primetime Emmy nomination (2024) for Baby Reindeer | Full interview content beyond brief quoted statements |
| Heritage: Mexico City, San Antonio, Oakland | Specific dates for television or film projects currently in development |
| Active in healing justice prior to entertainment career | Extent of camera department work across productions |
| Work with Issa Rae Productions on streaming content | Details regarding potential directing opportunities on larger productions |
The Significance of Nava Mau’s Work in Entertainment
Mau’s career trajectory illustrates the growing opportunities for transgender performers and creators in mainstream entertainment, while also highlighting the continued importance of authentic representation in media. Her roles consistently feature transgender characters portrayed by a transgender actress, a practice that remains uncommon in the industry but that Mau prioritizes in her career choices.
Her success with Baby Reindeer brought wider recognition to her capabilities as a dramatic performer, building upon earlier work in series like Generation that also centered LGBTQ+ narratives. The combination of on-screen work with behind-the-scenes directing and producing demonstrates an artist capable of shaping stories rather than merely inhabiting them.
Mau joins a small but growing number of openly transgender performers receiving major award recognition, reflecting gradual shifts in both industry practices and audience expectations regarding authentic casting and representation.
Sources and Industry Recognition
“It seemed really important to show people that trans women exist in real life and in relationships with real people.”
— Nava Mau, discussing her role in Baby Reindeer
Mau’s professional profile draws from multiple authoritative sources, including her official biography website at navamau.com/bio, where she maintains direct control over biographical information. Additional verification comes from the Wikipedia entry on Nava Mau, industry databases, and festival records.
The Transgender Media Portal documents her contributions to on-screen representation, while platform-specific sources like the YOU TV series fan wiki provide details on her guest appearances. Her credits also appear on TV Guide and Mubi, confirming the breadth of her work across different formats.
Summary
Nava Mau has established herself as a multifaceted talent in contemporary film and television, with her career marked by both artistic achievement and meaningful representation. From early work in independent shorts to her Emmy-nominated performance in Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, Mau demonstrates consistent dedication to authentic storytelling. Her combination of acting, directing, producing, and writing positions her as a significant voice in entertainment, particularly within discussions of transgender representation in media.
For readers interested in exploring other performers’ filmographies or understanding industry patterns in representation, the Sienna Miller Movies and TV Shows – Complete Filmography Guide provides context on how actresses have built diverse careers across platforms. Similarly, examining Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Plot, Cast, Meaning Explained illustrates how iconic roles shape performers’ trajectories over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nava Mau best known for?
Nava Mau is best known for her role as Teri in the Netflix limited series Baby Reindeer (2024), which earned her Primetime Emmy, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit Award nominations.
When was Nava Mau born?
Nava Mau was born on May 14, 1992, making her 32 years old as of 2024.
What TV shows has Nava Mau appeared in?
Nava Mau has appeared in Baby Reindeer (Netflix), Generation (HBO Max), and YOU (Netflix). She also directed the TV series Hidden Canyons.
Did Nava Mau win any awards for Baby Reindeer?
Nava Mau received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award, BAFTA Television Award, and Independent Spirit Award for her performance in Baby Reindeer. She won the NewFest Audience Award and YoSoy Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.
What is Nava Mau’s educational background?
Nava Mau holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science from Pomona College in California.
Has Nava Mau directed any projects?
Yes, Nava Mau has directed several projects including the TV series Hidden Canyons (2020) and the short film Waking Hour (2019). She also directed, wrote, and executive produced All the Words But the One (2024).
Where is Nava Mau from?
Nava Mau is a mixed-race trans Latina with heritage from Mexico City, San Antonio, Texas, and Oakland, California.