South African Celebrities Who Built Big Careers in the United States
- South Africa has produced a remarkable number of globally recognised entertainers who went on to conquer Hollywood and American television
- From an Oscar-winning actress born in Benoni to a Soweto-raised comedian who hosted a major US late-night show, the list spans many industries
- Several of these stars earned Emmy nominations and became household names in the United States
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South Africa has long punched well above its weight in the global entertainment industry, with a steady stream of homegrown talent making serious waves in the United States. Here is a look at some Mzansi-born stars who crossed the Atlantic and made it big.
Oscar winners and late-night legends
Charlize Theron, who grew up in Benoni, Gauteng, became the first South African to take home an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Monster. She has since become a fixture in Hollywood blockbusters, appearing in Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, and the Fast & Furious franchise. Away from the cameras, she runs the Africa Outreach Project.
Soweto native Trevor Noah stepped into Jon Stewart's shoes at Comedy Central's The Daily Show in 2015, holding the position for seven years. Noah has also hosted the Grammy Awards on multiple occasions and published the internationally bestselling memoir Born a Crime.
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Pietermaritzburg-born Thuso Mbedu earned back-to-back Emmy nominations for the South African drama Is'Thunzi before landing a starring role in Barry Jenkins' Amazon series The Underground Railroad, which earned her an Independent Spirit Award. She later appeared alongside Viola Davis in The Woman King.
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Hollywood heavyweights from Mzansi
KwaMashu's Nomzamo Mbatha made her international breakthrough in Paramount's Coming 2 America alongside Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. She also serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR.
Pretoria-born Sharlto Copley burst onto the global scene with his debut role in the Oscar-nominated District 9, going on to feature in The A-Team, Elysium, Chappie, and Maleficent after relocating to the US.
Bonnie Mbuli, celebrated for her roles in Gaz'lam and Invictus, moved to the US to pursue broader opportunities, landing parts in the Peacock series Vampire Academy and the BBC/HBO Max thriller The Girl Before.
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Another Pretoria native, Arnold Vosloo, cemented his Hollywood status as the villain Imhotep in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. He has sustained a steady US career through television roles in 24, Bosch, and Jack Ryan.
Cape Town-born Lesley-Ann Brandt found mainstream American success playing Mazikeen in the fantasy drama Lucifer and more recently joined The Walking Dead universe in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
Rounding out the list, Johannesburg-born Sasha Pieterse relocated to Los Angeles as a child with her acrobat parents and went on to play Alison DiLaurentis in the seven-season hit Pretty Little Liars, becoming a recognisable face in American teen television.
Mzansi's most iconic female TV villains
In an earlier report, Briefly News explored a list of some of South African television's most memorable female villains.
Fans were reminded of the scheming, manipulation, and unforgettable chaos these characters brought to their screens.
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Source: Briefly News
