Thandiwe Newton says she is "taking back" the correct spelling of her name

Actor Thandiwe Newton has announced that she will go by the Zulu spelling of her name from now on.

In a new interview for British Vogue, the actor said all future work will credit her with the correct spelling, Thandiwe (pronounced "tan-dee-way"), which means beloved.

“That’s my name. It’s always been my name. I’m taking back what’s mine," she told the publication.

The actor became widely known as Thandie Newton after her name was misspelt in the credits of her first film back in 1991 – something that has stuck for almost three decades. 

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"The director of my first film asked to use my actual name for the character - because it was authentic and beautiful," she wrote on Twitter. "I felt flattered and agreed.

"And then in the credits they used my 'nickname' to differentiate from the character name. They stole my name. And I'm taking it back."

The actor's mother, Nyasha, is princess of the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe, meaning both Thandiwe Newton and her two daughters are also princesses.

During the interview, the Westworld star also discussed the Me Too movement and opened up about the abuse she suffered when she was 16.

“Even though people know they can speak out now, there is still the fear of losing their job," she explained. "I mean literally, people still say, ‘There’s someone else who could take this position, if you’re not happy’, that kind of shit. I do think studio heads need to take much more responsibility.

"I have a seventh sense for abuse and abusers, which I believe is one of the reasons why I was rejected a lot in Hollywood," she added. "I’ll talk about it until the cows come home, because I know I’ll be helping someone."