On March 30 2015, Mzansi woke up to the best news ever – then novice SA export Trevor Noah was to replace American late night TV titan Jon Stewart as host of Comedy Central’s Daily Show.
International media had a field day asking how relatively unknown Noah, who had appeared on the show as a contributor, got to succeeded such a gigantic name? They even dug up his old problematic tweets about Jews and women.
But back home, Noah’s appointment marked a new day on the horizon for a generation that had yearned for the Hollywood dream. So in true SA celebratory style, there were ululations, dancing and I can only guess that in some part of the country someone slaughtered.
Noah put the spotlight on SA like never before, doors were kicked open and so Mzansi occasionally woke up to many more great news from Tinseltown in years that followed.
On June 12 2016, it was Pearl Thusi’s turn when she was cast alongside Priyanka Chopra in season 2 of espionage drama Quantico. She kicked ass playing series regular Dayana Mampasi. Unfortunately, the show was canned.
But that never stopped Thusi, and with the arrival of video-on-demand platforms such as Netflix and Showmax, she became every casting director’s dream leading lady.
Subsequently, on December 10 2018, news broke that Thusi will lead Netflix’s first original African series Queen Sono. Then there was Black Panther the same year that featured local stars Connie Chiume, Atandwa and John Kani. John also joined Jennifer Anniston and Adam Sandler in Netflix’s 2019 comedy Murder Mystery.
It was the morning of April 16 2019 when Thuso Mbedu was chosen as the lead star of Barry Jenkins’ anticipated Amazon Prime show The Underground Railroad. Mbedu was fresh off double International Emmy Award nominations for her career-defining portrayal of Winnie Bhengu in Mzansi Magic TV series Is’thunzi. She will next appear opposite Viola Davis in The Woman King.
The River, created by television duo Phathutshedzo Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon, cleaned up at the SA Film and Television Awards (Saftas) in 2019 and later that year earned a nod at the International Emmy Awards.
Nomzamo Mbatha got her big Hollywood break on August 22 2019 when she was cast in Coming 2 America, the sequel to the 1988 Eddie Murphy cult classic. Last year, Beyoncé’s Black is King featured Nandi Madida, Nyaniso Dzedze, Nambitha Ben-Mazwi and Warren Masemola.
Bonnie Mbuli and Masali Baduza made a huge splash at the beginning of the pandemic as key cast of British series Noughts + Crosses filmed in Cape Town. Another international show recently filmed there is Ridley Scott's Raised by Wolf starring Mthatha-born Litha Bam.
Local stars have not only done well in front of the camera, but also behind the scene. Nigerian-born and SA-based filmmaker Akin Omotoso was enlisted last year to direct Giannis Antetokounmpo biopic Greek Freak for Disney+. As an actor, Omotoso appeared opposite Lupita Nyong’o in Queen of Katwe in 2016.
Since his feature directorial debut Necktie Youth received international acclaims in 2015, Sibs Shongwe-La Mer has had a wild Hollywood ride. Soweto-born Tebogo Malope is currently spearheading docu-series about the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Mmabatho Montsho is one of the most exciting SA filmmakers to watch. After helming short films Joko Ya Hao and The Award Ceremony, she’s currently in Seattle, Washington, directing Desmond’s Not Here Anymore. The award-winning screenplay is by Lindiwe Suttle Müller-Westernhagen – the daughter of veteran talk show host Felicia Mabuza-Suttle.
The arrival of streaming services and demand of African content has solidified that all dreams are valid.
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