The actress formerly known as Thandie Newton is taking back her original name, Thandiwe.

Thandiwe informed the public of the spelling of her name during an interview with British Vogue.

It is a Zimbabwean spelling with Thandie being an anglicised version of the name which excludes the "w".

The actress's full name is Melanie Thandiwe Newton, and she'll be credited as Thandiwe Newton in all her future projects.

"That's my name. It's always been my name. I'm taking back what's mine," she told Vogue.

Her name means beloved in Zulu, and is pronounced "tan-DEE-way".

Thandiwe Newton is known for her roles in 'Westworld', 'Crash', 'Mission: Impossible II' and 'Solo: A Star Wars Story', among other credits.

In the Vogue interview, she also spoke about being "grateful" that representation of ethnic minorities has improved across film and television.

"The thing I'm most grateful for in our business right now is being in the company of others who truly see me," she said, "And to not be complicit in the objectification of black people as 'others', which is what happens when you're the only one."

Thandiwe Newton was born in London to a white British father and a Zimbabwean mother.