Biography of Nava Mau
The talented actress broke through with her role as Teri in the 2024 series "Baby Reindeer." The story of her character—a transgender woman whose partner felt ashamed and preferred to hide their relationship—resonated deeply with the actress. In real life, Nava Mau often faced similar behavior from her boyfriends.Despite facing bullying as a young Mexican, she chose to spotlight transgender lives. Mau gravitated toward these roles in films, making these themes central to her directorial and documentary work.
Early Years
Nava Mau was born on May 14, 1992, in Mexico City. She was born Mauricio Navarro. Her mother was a Spanish teacher, and her father was an accountant.Seeking better opportunities, the family moved to the United States in 2000. They settled in San Antonio, Texas. There, Mauricio attended a medical magnet high school.
Her creative spark ignited early. As a teenager, she eagerly participated in theatrical productions despite the bullying she faced. "My bully said many things, but most often repeated that I was a girl," the actress later recalled.
In high school, Mauricio came out as part of the LGBT community. However, she still doubted her screen future, believing queer actors would struggle to break through in Hollywood.
In 2010, Navarro graduated from high school and studied in Paris for a while. She also conducted some research in Guadalajara, Mexico. Four years later, Mauricio enrolled at Pomona College in California, studying linguistics and cognitive sciences. There, she first identified as non-binary and later as a transgender woman, taking the name Nava Mau.
Nava attended lectures during the day and rushed to acting classes in the evenings. She also wrote comedy sketches for the college theater troupe and performed in "Drawing Shadows," a play about survivors of sexual violence.
Mau worked as a legal assistant, helping immigrants who'd experienced violence. She also assisted LGBT individuals in similar situations.
First Roles
In 2019, Nava created a short film called "Waking Hour." She not only directed and produced the project but also played the lead role. Nava played a transgender woman who meets a man named Isaac at a party. Her character had to choose between a relationship and her own safety.The film won the Audience Award at NewFest and the YoSoy Award from the Latin American Heritage Foundation.'Waking Hour' was inspired by my personal experience, but I wanted it to end differently than many of my own stories.
In 2020, Nava consulted on the Netflix documentary "Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen." The film focused on the impact of transgender people on Hollywood culture. Nava also produced short films "Sam's Town," "Love Bites," and "Work." The latter was shown at the Sundance Film Festival.
In 2021, Nava landed a role in the HBO Max series "Generation." She played Ana, the aunt of one of the teenagers, who was one of the main characters. Her character was transgender. "I was very drawn to Ana's honest relationship with her niece Greta. I felt that this connection was unique," the actress said.
Personal Life of Nava Mau
Nava keeps her personal relationships private. In interviews, she's opened up about past relationships with men who were ashamed of her.Her social media is mostly filled with behind-the-scenes shots from film sets and photoshoots. When she's not working, she loves horseback riding.
Nava Mau Now
In 2024, Mau landed a starring role in the hit miniseries "Baby Reindeer." The show follows a comedian who finds himself being stalked. He attempts to navigate a relationship with a trans woman named Teri. Nava played this role.Their romance was doomed from the beginning—he insisted on keeping it secret. "It felt very familiar to me—being a woman dating a man who hadn't overcome his shame," Nava said about the role.
Following "Baby Reindeer's" success, Nava plans to keep acting while pursuing her passion for directing. "I love directing, and it's definitely something I see in my future," she said.
In May 2024, Mau premiered her short film "All the Words But the One." She both directed and wrote the film. The film premiered at the Baltimore Film Festival.
Interesting Facts
- In 2011, Mau entered therapy to overcome anorexia nervosa. She fought the eating disorder for a decade.
- Nava couldn't believe it when she got an audition invite for "Generation." The casting call came via social media—complete with a typo. But Mau responded anyway and landed the part.
- Mau revealed there's a deleted scene featuring her character in "Baby Reindeer." Five months after breaking up with Donny, Teri recorded a voice message for him:
This is what comforted me, knowing they found peace in their relationship. Teri got a happy ending, you know? She found a new man, didn't lose friends, didn't lose her job, didn't lose her smile. She's okay. And I think that's wonderful because we often see stories about transgender people ending in crisis.