Biography of Nava Mau
The striking brunette gained fame for 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 this and the bullying she endured as a young Mexican, she chose to highlight the lives of transgender individuals. Mau selected such roles in films, and these themes became central in her directorial and documentary work.
Early Years
Nava Mau was born on May 14, 1992, in Mexico City. At birth, she was a boy named Mauricio Navarro. Her mother was a Spanish teacher, and her father was an accountant.To improve their lives, the family moved to the United States in 2000. They settled in San Antonio, Texas. There, Mauricio attended a high school specializing in medicine.
Her interest in creativity awakened 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 had doubts about his future on screen, believing that queer culture representatives would struggle to make a name for themselves in cinema.
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, majoring in linguistics and cognitive sciences. It was there that he first identified as non-binary and later as a transgender woman, adopting the name Nava Mau.
During the day, Nava attended lectures, and in the evenings, she rushed to acting classes. She also wrote scripts for comedy sketch shows for the college theater troupe and performed in the play "Drawing Shadows," dedicated to survivors of sexual violence.
Mau earned a living as a legal assistant, specializing in helping immigrants who had experienced violence. She also assisted LGBT individuals in similar situations.
First Roles
In 2019, Mj Rodriguez decided to create a short film called "Waking Hour." She not only directed and produced the project but also played the lead role. Nava portrayed a transgender girl who met an ordinary 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 served as a consultant for the Netflix documentary project "Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen." The film focused on the impact of transgender people on Hollywood culture. Rodriguez 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 information about her personal relationships secret. In a few interviews, she has talked about unsuccessful relationships with men who were ashamed of her.On social media, the actress mainly posts photos from film sets or photoshoots. In her free time, the star enjoys horseback riding.
Nava Mau Now
In 2024, the mini-series "Baby Reindeer" premiered, with Mau in the lead role. The plot focuses on a comedian who accidentally becomes the victim of a stalker. The protagonist tries to build a relationship with a trans woman named Teri. Nava played this role.The characters' romance seemed doomed from the start, as the man insisted on keeping it a secret. "It was very familiar to me to be in the situation of a woman dating a man who hadn't overcome his shame," Nava said about this experience.
After the success of "Baby Reindeer," Nava intended to continue her acting career, although she mentioned having an interest in directing. "I love directing, and it's something I see for myself in the long term," she stated.
In May 2024, Mau presented her short film "All the Words But the One." She directed and wrote the screenplay. The film premiered at the Baltimore Film Festival.
Interesting Facts
- In 2011, Mau had to undergo therapy to overcome anorexia nervosa. She battled the eating disorder for 10 years.
- Nava initially didn't believe it when she was invited to audition for the series "Generation." The casting offer came through social media and even had a typo. However, Mau decided to respond to the agent and got the role.
- Mau admitted that there is a deleted scene with her character in the series "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.