8 Black South Africans who acted internationally.
These are 8 Black South Africans actors who appeared on Television internationally. Most people are not aware that some South Africans are also going abroad to act. With so many foreign nationals appeared on their local TV, it hurts them so badly. In this article we gonna search about some of South Africans who made it internationally. There are lot of them who are acting abroad but we managed to let you know of these 8 Black South Africans.
1. Thuso Mbedu
Thuso Mbedu is a South African actress who is currently making waves internationally. The actress was born 8 July 1991 in Pietermatzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. She lost both her parents when she was very young and was raised by her grandmother. Unfortunately her grandmother also passed away. Most people recognized Thuso Mbedu from Scandal as Kitso Medupe. Also she acted on Isibaya as Nosisa, Saints and Sinners as Boni Khumalo and Is’ Thunzi.
Mbedu made her international debut in the 2021 Amazon Video historical limited series The Underground Railroad, which was directed and executive produced by Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins and based on Colson Whitehead’s novel of the same name. For the series, Mbedu received a Hollywood Critics Association Award, an Independent Spirit Award, and a Gotham Award.
It was announced in April 2021 that Mbedu would make her film debut opposite Viola Davis in The Woman King, a historical epic film inspired by true events that occurred in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of Africa’s most powerful states in the 18th and 19th centuries. Gina Prince-Bythewood directed from a script written by Fatherhood cowriter Dana Stevens. The movie was released in 2022 and also available in cinemas.
2. Connie Chiume
Connie Temweka Gabisile Chiume is a South African actress and filmmaker who was born on June 5, 1952. She is well-known for her roles in the films Black Panther, Black Is King, and Blessers. She appeared on television in Zone 14, Rhythm City, and Gomora.
Chiume was born in the South African town of Welkom. Her father Wright Tadeyo Chiume was from Usisya, Nkhata Bay, Malawi, and her mother MaNdlovu was from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ephraim Mganda Chiume, her cousin, is a Malawian politician.
She is best known for her role as Mamokete Khuse on Rhythm City. Chiume was cast as Mam’Sonto Molefe in the drama series Gomora in 2020. She first appeared on Black Panther in 2018. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Panther, Chiume portrayed the Mining Tribe Elder.
Also read: Full detailed biography of Tsholo Mashishi.
3. Tony Kgoroge
Tony Kgoroge (born 21 April 1974) is a South African actor. He is best known for his performance as Jason Tshabalala in Invictus.
He also stars as Zimele “Ngcolosi” Bhengu on e.tv‘s soap, Imbewu: The Seed.
He is married to actor Sthandiwe Kgoroge and they have 3 children. When faced with debt recovery in 2018, he asked that people ignore him and his wife’s Instagram pages. They were only “ordinary people”. He was facing loss of earnings because he was not being paid for repeat fees by some broadcasters.
Tony Kgoroge’s most notable Hollywood performance was in the 2006 German-American film Black Diamond. He played alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou. Actor Kgoroge has performed in several international and local movies like Invictus (2009) as Jason Tshabalala, Black Sails (2014) as Julius, and Lord of War (2005) as Mbizi.
4. Leleti Khumalo
Khumalo was born 30 March 1970 in KwaMashu township, north of Durban, South Africa. Showing an interest in performing from an early age, she joined a youth backyard dance group called Amajika, mentored by Tu Nokwe.
She was married to Mbongeni Ngema and were divorced. Currently she is married again and has two children. Also she is the co founder of Imbewu and she also potrays a character as Nokubonga Bhengu or MaZulu.
Actress Leleti Khumalo featured as Mary alongside Morgan Freeman (played the role of Nelson Mandela) in Invictus, a 2009 American-South African drama. She is also known for her leading role in the Sarafina! (1992) movie and stage play and Fedens in Hotel Rwanda (2004), Yesterday (2004) as a village woman.
Also read: Who is Motshabi Tyelele?
5. Zethu Dhlomo
Zethu Dlomo-Mphahlele (born 31 March 1989), is a South African actress. Zethu is married to her longtime partner Lebogang Mphahlele. Her husband is also an actor known for Durban Poison (2013). The couple exchanged their marital vows in September 2018. She acted on different drama series which includes Scandal. Where she potrayed a character as Lerato.
Internationally, she is best known for the role ‘Madi’ in the American television serial Black Sails. In 2014, she also featured in Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and BET International (BET)’s Book of Negroes where she played the role of the pregnant slave ‘Sanu’.
6. Fana Mokoena
Fana Mokoena was born on 13 May 1971 in Kroonstad, Free State, South Africa. He was raised in Kroonstad and later schooled in Johannesburg by his mother and stepfather, along with his three siblings. He is a member of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Internationally, In 2004, he portrayed the Rwandan general Augustin Bizimungu in the film Hotel Rwanda. In 2012, he played a small role in the thriller Safe House with Denzel Washington. Mokoena appeared alongside Brad Pitt in the role of Thierry Umutoni in the zombie blockbuster World War Z in 2013. He also portrayed the anti-apartheid fighter Govan Mbeki in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom with Idris Elba.
7. Pearl Thusi
Sithembile Xola Pearl Thusi (born 13 May 1988) is a South African actress, model, and presenter. Thusi is from the Durban township of KwaNdengezi and Hammarsdale. She has two sisters. She attended Pinetown Girls’ High School. She began her studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, but pulled out to make time for her career. In 2020, she resumed studies at the University of South Africa.
She is known for her roles as Patricia Kopong in the BBC/HBO comedy-drama series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Dayana Mampasi in the ABC thriller Quantico and Samkelo in the romance film Catching Feelings. In 2020, she starred in the titular role of Netflix’s first African original series, Queen Sono. Thusi was the host of Lip Sync Battle Africa on MTV and e.tv, as well as the talk show Moments, on EbonyLife TV.
8. John Kani
Kani was born on 30 August 1943 in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth In the Eastern Cape province. Kani’s work has been widely performed around the world, including New York. His son Atandwa is also an actor, who made his debut on U.S. television on the CW series Life Is Wild, and played a younger version of Kani’s character T’Chaka in Black Panther.
He is known for portraying T’Chaka in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Black Panther (2018), Rafiki in the 2019 remake of The Lion King and Colonel Ulenga in the Netflix film Murder Mystery (2019).
