Trevor Noah: Dating in Quarantine, Making Hollywood Films in isiXhosa, & Conning Billionaire Bill Gates
Trevor Noah's not just the hunkiest comedian in Mzansi. While his ground-breaking international achievements have always made headlines, there's so much more to this local funny man.
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Here's a look at some lesser-known facts about The Daily Show Host. Find out who Trevor's dating, why he once paid employees from his own pocket, and how he confidently conned his way into a tennis match with Bill Gates.
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Love is in the air: Trevor and his sweetheart go Instagram official
According to Wonderwall.com, Trevor's time in quarantine wasn't all that bad. In August 2020, Noah was linked to actress Minka Kelly who he'd reportedly been snuggling up with in his New York City apartment.
The couple made things public in January 2022 while on a luxurious Cape Town getaway with some of Trevor's oldest friends, including fellow radio hosts Anele Mdoda and Sizwe Dlomo.
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Minka posted a picture of them while on holiday, going Instagram official and crushing the hopes and dreams of Noah's millions of female admirers.
"They're making plans for a future together, and it's a very stable relationship," a source told People magazine.
Marvel meets Mzansi: Noah lends his voice to the Marvel cinematic universe
Fans of Trevor Noah may be surprised to learn about his brief cameo in the Black Panther film. It was a dream come true for the comic from Soweto, who grew up emulating the characters in big-time Hollywood movies.
A social media sleuth made the discovery while rummaging the blockbuster film's end credits. Trevor Noah is listed as the voice of the character “Griot”—better known as the sleek, Shuri-invented A.I. system, Vanity Fair reports.
Also speaking with the publication, Noah praised the film for its use of his home language, isiXhosa. Many of the movie's performers, including late actor Chadwick Boseman, can be heard speaking the South African language throughout the film.
“It was extra special for me because the people speak Xhosa in the movie. There were subtitles, and I was like, I don’t need your subtitles! I don’t need your subtitles! This is just for me right now! Nobody else listen! This reminds me of my mom," he told the publication back in 2018.
He's paid his staff from his own pocket
The coronavirus pandemic hit everyone hard, even Hollywood's most elite. When lockdowns and new social distancing restrictions put pressure on The Daily Show team, Trevor Noah stepped up and paid his staff from his own pocket.
In 2020, the comic used his own earnings to pay the salaries of 25 retrenched crew members during the most difficult times of the pandemic, Variety reports.
Explaining Trevor's amazing generosity, a source told the publication that Trevor felt it was simply the right thing to do:
"These are the people who have been on the show with Trevor from day one and help him put on the show...He respects his crew tremendously and feels it's only right that they get through this together," the source shared.
LMAO: Trevor Noah vs a tennis ball
Another fun fact about Trevor Noah? He's a good sport, if not in the usual sense. Back in 2020, the unathletic Noah shared the hilarious story of how he got to play alongside world tennis champs, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in Cape Town.
It seems he'd made friends with billionaire tech-entrepreneur, Bill Gates who'd unknowingly invited the clumsy sportsman:
“I don’t know how this happened, but I think I’ve become friends with Bill Gates… I’ve just met him many times, and we have conversations.
"And then one day he phoned and he said: Hey, do you want to play tennis with me? And I was like: Yeah," he once told The Ellen Degenerees Show.
However, Trevor forgot to mention he did not actually play tennis.
Two months later and things got sticky when Federer’s people called and asked Noah to send them a video of himself playing the sport. Goofing around with a friend, the comedian soon learnt he could hit a ball- just not in the right direction.
Not to worry though, The Daily Show host was spared the inevitable humiliation when a tennis coach was hired:
“That’s when he hired a coach and started playing two to three hours a day to learn! “It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” said Noah about the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Trevor Noah's charm, generosity in the face of adversity and unbelievable humour come through in all of these amazing stories. They're just a few of the reasons he will be a forever favourite in Mzansi.
Source: Briefly News
