Top 20 Afrikaans actors and actresses worth watching in action
Thousands of films and television shows are produced each year. Several Afrikaans actors and actresses are doing incredibly well in the profession, even landing roles in Hollywood films. Some have been in the profession for a long time and have appeared in several films and television shows.
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Some of the most famous Afrikaans actors and actresses have built their careers over decades. They are both talented and skilled and have succeeded in both domestic and international films. The top 20 South African Afrikaans actors and actresses you should not miss watching are listed below.
Top 20 Afrikaans actors and actresses
Afrikaans is one of South Africa's official languages spoken by a lot of well-known people. Below is a list of the known famous Afrikaans actors and actresses you should know.
1. Jana Cilliers
- Full name: Johanna Wilhelmina Cilliers
- Date of birth: 1950
- Age: 72 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Die Dood Van Elmien Adler
Who is Jana Cilliers? She is the daughter of abstract painter Bettie Cilliers-Barnard and Carel Hancke Cilliers. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pretoria before enrolling in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, where she earned her acting credential in 1973.
She has 29 acting credits, with some of her most recent appearances including Die Boekklub (2017-2021) and Mr Johnson (2020).
2. Ian Roberts
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- Full name: Ian Roberts
- Date of birth: 30 November 1951
- Age: 70 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Rhodes as Johann Colenbrander
Ian is a playwright as well as a vocalist. He is an English native who also speaks Afrikaans and Xhosa. He was born in the Eastern Cape Province's Fort Beaufort and grew up in his father's citrus orchard near the town.
In 1981, Ian debuted as Kassin Jônie in the TV series Dokter Con Viljee se Overberg. In addition, he has directed two movies, Everyman's Taxi (2012) and Honeytown (2013). He is among the old Afrikaans male actors who has appeared in over 90 films and television episodes since his debut.
3. Vinette Ebrahim
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- Full name: Vinette Ebrahim
- Date of birth: 21 February 1957
- Age: 65 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: 7de Laan as Charmaine Meintjies
Ebrahim is the sister of South African-British actor Vincent Ebrahim. She began her career as a stagehand, actor, and other theatre positions until obtaining her first prominent role as Fanny Bees in the 1989 film Barney Barnato.
Ebrahim has also devised a one-woman performance on her life, Praat Die Storie Smaak Kry (Let's Spice It Up), which she has performed in Afrikaans and English throughout South Africa as part of National Women's Day celebrations.
4. Arnold Vosloo
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- Full name: Arnold Vosloo
- Date of birth: 16 June 1962
- Age: 60 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: 24 as Habib Marwan
Vosloo is among the famous Afrikaans male actors who grew up in Pretoria. He began his acting career in South African theatre, receiving multiple Dalro Awards for performances in plays such as Don Juan and Hamlet. Strange World, Chuck, and Cape Town are some of the other popular TV shows in which he has appeared.
5. Shaleen Richards
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- Full name: Shaleen Surtie-Richards
- Date of birth: 7 May 1955
- Age: 66 years (at the time of her death)
- Famous film/TV show: Egoli: Place of Gold as Ester (Nenna) Willemse
Surtie-Richards was born in Upington, Cape Province, South Africa's Union. Her father was the principal of a school, and her mother was a teacher.
She began her career appearing in several South African television shows, including the soap operas 7de Laan, Villa Rosa, and Generation. Surtie-Richards died on 7 June 2021.
6. Vincent Ebrahim
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- Full name: Vinette Ebrahim
- Date of birth: 6 December 1951
- Age: 70 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: The Kumars at No. 42 as Ashwin Kumar
Vincent Ebrahim is a comedian as well as an actor. He studied drama at the University of Cape Town before moving to England in 1976 to begin his acting career. His prominent performances include Bobby in After You've Gone, Tughrul in The Physician, and Hashim Elamin in Coronation Street.
7. Amalia Uys
- Full name: Amalia Uys
- Date of birth: 14 October 1984
- Age: 37 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: 7de Laan as San-Mari van Graan
Uys was born in the Northern Cape town of Springbok. In 2005, she received her first major acting role as Sunshine in the TV series Gabril. She has since appeared in several TV movies, including Foto's Teen die Muur, Op Straat, and Meisies Wat Fluit.
8. Steve Hofmeyr
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- Full name: Steve Hofmeyr
- Date of birth: 29 August 1964
- Age: 58 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Guillam Woudberg as Lt. Valkenburg
Steve Hofmeyr is a South African singer-songwriter, author, actor, and former television host. He is also an outspoken Christian who completed the two-year military duty mandated in South Africa at the time. Some of his acting credits include Treurgrond, A Case of Murder and Kampus: 'n Varsity-Storie.
9. Charlize Theron
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- Full name: Charlize Theron
- Date of birth: 7 August 1975
- Age: 47 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Arrested Development as Rita
Charlize Theron one of the most popular Afrikaans female actors who was born in Benoni, in Transvaal Province. She has won several awards, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award. She has been in several commercially successful action films such as The Italian Job, Hancock, Prometheus, and Atomic Blonde.
10. Frank Opperman
- Full name: Frank Opperman
- Date of birth: 8 June 1960
- Age: 62 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Tarzan: The Epic Adventures as Lyle Drake
Frank Opperman is one of the best South African Afrikaans male actors who doubles up as a musician. He began studying law in 1979, and in 1980, he joined the South African Defence Force. He later developed an interest in performing and pondered making a career out of it. He has since been in a number of TV movies and series, including Pandjieswinkelstories, Nobody Dies, and G.I.L.
11. Alice Krige
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- Full name: Alice Maud Krige
- Date of birth: 28 June 1954
- Age: 68 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Strauss Dynasty as Olga
Krige was born in Upington, South Africa's Cape Province. She is the daughter of Patricia, a psychology professor, and Louis Krige, a physician. In 1979, Krige made her professional debut as Lucie Manette in the television film A Tale of Two Cities. She has since appeared in several films and television shows.
12. Wikus du Toit
- Full name: Johannes Lodewikus Du Toit
- Date of birth: 18 June 1972
- Age: 50 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Proesstraat as Wikus
Wikus du Toit is a producer, actor, comedian, composer, and director. He has appeared in many Afrikaans and English theatrical productions, films, and television programmes. He has produced over 50 television movies and series, including Black Tax, G.I.L, Hotel, and Lui maar op, Belinda.
13. Embeth Davidtz
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- Full name: Embeth Jean Davidtz
- Date of birth: 11 August 1965
- Age: 57 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Citizen Baines as Ellen Baines Croland
Davidtz was born in the Indiana town of Lafayette. She is the daughter of South African parents, John and Jean. At age 21, she made her stage debut as Juliet in a rendition of Romeo and Juliet. She has appeared in several local productions, including Stille Nag and A Chain of Voices, in both English and Afrikaans.
14. Gérard Rudolf
- Full name: Gérard Rudolf
- Date of birth: 20 April 1966
- Age: 56 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Transito as Priester
Rudolf is an actor, photographer, and poet born in Pretoria, South Africa. He published his first collection of poetic writings in 2009, titled Orphaned Latitudes. Some of his acting credits include Bloedbroers, Swartwater, and Spoorloos 2: Heksejag (Witch Hunt).
15. Lea Vivier
- Full name: Lea Vivier
- Date of birth: 15 January 1992
- Age: 30 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Dam as Yola
Lea was born to Adri Troksie Vivier, a drama teacher, and Pieter De Bruin Vivier, a senior attorney. Her movie acting career began in 2017 with her role in Wonderlus. Trix Vivier, her elder sister, is an actress best known for her part in the 2019 television series Trackers.
16. Jarrid Geduld
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- Full name: Jarrid Geduld
- Date of birth: 13 January 1990
- Age: 32 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Black Sails as Crisp
Jarrid is one of the popular young Afrikaans actors who debuted as an actor in 2004 with the role of Twist in Boy Called Twist. He appeared in The Flyer and Interrogation Room the following year. He rose to prominence after appearing in 13 episodes of the TV series Dwaalster. Jarrid has directed 133 Arendsvlei episodes.
17. Antoinette Louw
- Full name: Antoinette Louw
- Date of birth: 9 May 1975
- Age: 47 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Binnelanders as Sandy
Antoinette Louw has won numerous awards as an actress. Her debut role was as Inge in the TV series 7de Laan in 2000. She also appeared as an estate agent in one episode of Jacob's Cross. She won an ATKV-mediaveertjie Best Actress Award in 2018 for her portrayal in the drama series Swartwater.
18. Pieter-Dirk Uys
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- Full name: Pieter-Dirk Uys
- Date of birth: 28 September 1945
- Age: 77 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Kootjie Emmer as P.P. Levine
Pieter-Dirk Uys is also a writer, satirist, and social activist. One of his best-known roles is as Evita Bezuidenhout, a white Afrikaner socialite, and self-proclaimed political activist.
Uys has earned various honours, including the TMSA Naledi Lifetime Achiever Award, the Reconciliation Award, and the Cape Tercentenary Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award.
19. Anneline Kriel
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- Full name: Anneline Kriel
- Date of birth: 28 July 1955
- Age: 67 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Someone Like You as Roelien Allman
Anneline Kriel is a South African beauty queen, model, and actor. In 1974, she was nineteen years old when she was crowned Miss World. She appeared in films between 1975 and 1990, including Reason to Die, The Tangent Affair, and Kill and Kill Again. She has appeared on the cover of Huisgenoot magazine 33 times.
20. Deon Lotz
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- Full name: Deon Lotz
- Date of birth: 20 July 1964
- Age: 58 years (as of 2022)
- Famous film/TV show: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom as Kobie Coetzee
Deon Lotz is a South African actor who has appeared in films, television shows, and plays. He has appeared in projects in both English and Afrikaans. Lotz has received numerous honours, including Best Supporting Actor for Die Seemeeu. He now lives in Cape Town and works as a full-time actor.
Who is the most famous South African actor?
John Kani is one of South Africa's most well-known actors. He has worked as a dramatist, actor, novelist, and director. His work has been performed worldwide, especially in New York. He has appeared in several films, including The Lion King as Rafiki (voice) and Black Panther as T'Chaka.
Who is the richest actor in South Africa?
Charlize Theron is a well-known fashion icon, actor, and film producer. According to Celebrity Net Worth, she is one of South Africa's richest actors, with a net worth of $170 million. She has appeared in various Hollywood films, including The Devil's Advocate and The Cider House Rules.
Who are the most popular voice-over actresses in South Africa?
Some of the best-known voice-over artists include:
- Adrienne Pearce
- Bianca Amato
- Kgomotso Christopher
- Bonné de Bod
- Ashley Gardner
- Glynis Johns
- Kandyse McClure
- Charlize Theron
Who are the most popular voice-over actors in South Africa?
The most popular male voice-over artists include:
- David Bateson
- John Kani
- Daniel Bonjour
- Chilu Lemba
- Donald Gray
- Jonathan Pienaar
- Carel Trichardt
Who is the most popular celebrity in South Africa?
South Africa is home to some of the best and most well-known musicians, politicians, actors, dancers, comedians, and influencers. Among the notable ones are Cassper Nyovest, Somizi Buyani Mhlongo, Caster Semenya, Julius Malema, and Sho Majodzi.
How many languages does Trevor Noah speak?
Noah is fluent in English, Afrikaans, Southern Sotho, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Tsonga, and some German.
Various Afrikaans actors and actresses have had successful careers and are well-known among moviegoers. The actors and actresses listed here are among the top talents to witness in action.
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Source: Briefly News
Peris Walubengo (Lifestyle writer) Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 5 years of experience writing articles, researching, editing, and proofreading. She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019. The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course. She covers bios, marketing & finance, tech, fashion & beauty, recipes, movies & gaming reviews, culture & travel. You can email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
Adrianna Simwa (Lifestyle writer) Adrianna Simwa is a content writer at Briefly.co.za, where she has worked since mid-2022. She has written for many periodicals on a variety of subjects, including news, celebrities, and lifestyle, for more than three years. She has worked for The Hoth, The Standard Group and Triple P Media. Adrianna graduated from Nairobi University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 2020. In 2023, Adrianna finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her through her email: adriannasimwa@gmail.com
