Somizi Mhlongo
- Birth name: Somizi Buyani Mhlongo
- Born: 23 December 1972
- Place of birth: Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Main activity: Media personality, television presenter, actor and choreographer
- Musical genre: Pop
Somizi Mhlongo is a multi-talented and versatile entertainer who has been in the spotlight since he was a teenager. He became famous after he acted and danced in the musical and political film Sarafina! in 1992. He has since been involved in many films and television shows, as well as choreographed many prominent events, such as the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He is also known for being a judge on Idols South Africa and the host of his reality show, Living the Dream with Somizi.
Career
Somizi’s career path can be summarised as follows:
- Scavengers, 1988 - Actor
- Sarafina!, 1992 - Actor and Choreographer
- Kein Himmel über Afrika, 1993 - Actor
- Cry, the Beloved Country, 1995 - Actor
- Tarzan: The Epic Adventures, 1996 - Actor
- City Ses’la, 2005-2010 - Actor (Guest role as Madam Gigi in 2007)
- Dance Your Butt Off, 2010-2012 - Judge
- Ayeye, 2015-2022 - Actor (Role as Baps in 2015)
- Idols South Africa, 2015-2023 - Judge.
- Living the Dream with Somizi, 2016-present - Host.
- Comedy Central Roast of Somizi, 2018 - Roastee
- KZN Entertainment Awards, 2020 - Co-host
- Black Tax, 2020 - Actor (TV Series)
- Dinner At Somizi's: I Am Not A Chef (Cookbook), 2020 - Author/Chef.
- "Ntandane" (song with Vusi Nova), 2021 - Featured artist
- The Masked Singer SA, 2023 - Judge (Season 1)
- Somizi & Mohale the Union, 2023 - Actor
- Sompire Kids, 2023-present - Founder/Entrepreneur.
Children
Together with former girlfriend Palesa Madisakwane, Somizi has one daughter named Bahumi Madisakwane, who was born in 1995. Bahumi is also an actress and has appeared in shows like Keeping Score and Living the Dream with Somizi.
Family
Somizi‘s parents were both actors and comedians. His father was Ndaba Mhlongo, who starred in films like Shaka Zulu and Deliwe. His mother was Mary Twala, who was a veteran actress and received many awards for her work, such as the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver and the Naledi Theatre Award. Somizi also had a brother named Archie, who was killed in 1985.
Net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Somizi’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million. He earns his income from acting, hosting, judging, choreographing and endorsing brands.
Awards
Somizi has received several awards and nominations for his work in the entertainment industry, including:
- Best Choreographer for Miss South Africa (2005), Metro FM Music Awards (2006) and South African Music Awards (2007)
- Best TV Presenter at Feather Awards (2016)
- Best TV Presenter at DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards (2017)
- Most Stylish Performing Artist in Music or Film at SA Style Awards (2017)
- Socialite of the Year at Feather Awards (2018)
- Drama Queen of the Year at Feather Awards (2020)
Dating timeline
Somizi has been open about his sexuality and relationships. He has dated both men and women in the past:
- Somizi dated Palesa Madisakwane, a former actress and news anchor, in the 1990s.
- Somizi dated Thembi Seete, a singer and actress, in the late 1990s. They split up in 2000.
- Somizi dated Mohale Motaung, a businessman, in 2017. They got engaged in March 2018 and had a traditional wedding in September 2019. They also had a white wedding in January 2020. They separated in January 2021.
Somizi is currently single and focusing on his career and happiness.
