Ruby Wax
Ruby Wax | |
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.jpg) Wax at the 2016 Hay Festival | |
| Born | Ruby Wachs 19 April 1953 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Education | University of California, Berkeley Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (BA) Regent's College (PgDip) Kellogg College, Oxford (MSt) |
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| Years active | 1970–present |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 3 |
| Website | rubywax |
Biography
Ruby Wax is an American-British comedian, writer, mental health advocate, and performer known for her sharp wit, bold interview style, and groundbreaking work in raising awareness around mental health. Born Ruby Wachs on April 19, 1953, in Evanston, Illinois, she moved to the UK in the 1970s and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Wax first gained fame in the 1980s and 1990s through a series of acclaimed television programs, including The Full Wax and Ruby Wax Meets..., where she conducted unorthodox and often hilariously candid interviews with high-profile figures such as Madonna, Donald Trump, and O.J. Simpson. Her fearless and offbeat approach made her a standout figure in British broadcasting.
Despite her public success, Wax struggled privately with depression, eventually becoming one of the UK's most prominent advocates for mental health awareness. She earned a Master’s degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy from the University of Oxford, using her academic background and personal experience to help destigmatize mental illness through talks, performances, and books.
Her bestselling memoir Sane New World (2013), along with follow-ups like A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled, blends neuroscience, humor, and practical advice. These works have been praised for making complex mental health issues accessible and relatable.
In 2015, she was awarded an OBE for services to mental health and continues to campaign, speak, and perform across the UK and internationally.
Ruby Wax's career spans acting, comedy, television, authorship, and advocacy. Her ability to tackle serious subjects with humor and honesty has made her an influential voice in both entertainment and public discourse, helping countless people better understand and manage their mental well-being.
Music (likes)
BBC's Desert Island Discs (2005)
- People are Strange - The Doors
- Never Never Land - Kathy Nolan and Mary Martin
- A Day In The Life - The Beatles
- Quintet - The Cast of West Side Story
- Night On The Bare Mountain - Modest Mussorgsky
- A Mind of Winter - Sir George Benjamin
- Symphony No. 8 in F major - 4th movement - Ludwig van Beethoven
- Concerto for Two Violins in D minor - 1st movement - Johann Sebastian Bach [1]
Literature (likes)
Miscellaneous
- The Magic Mountain - Thomas Mann [1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ruby Wax". Desert Island Discs. 26 June 2005. BBC.