Thuso Mbedu

Thuso Mbedu

As we begin the month of June, we want to highlight none other than the beautiful and talented Thuso Mbedu. You may recognize her from the recent hit movie The Woman King. Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu, born on July 8, 1991, is an actress that hails from the South African province of Pietermaritzburg, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Thuso Mbedu has not always had an easy life. Due to a brain tumor, Mbedu’s mother, Gladness passed away and at the age of four Mbedu would be raised by her grandmother Thokozile. In 2012, Thuso’s father would pass away followed, by her grandmother in 2013. Despite these family tragedies, Mbedu would go on to star in major TV shows and films. Thuso attended Pietermaritzburg Girls High School in South Africa. At the age of 18, she attended The University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg where she studied Physical Theatre and Performing Arts Management, in which she graduated with honors. Mbedu would then go on to attend The Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York.

Thuso Mbedu

In 2014, Thuso landed a small role in the second season of the Mzansi Magic soap opera Isibaya, before taking on her role as a journalism student in the hit TV show Scandal. Mdebu rose to fame after her performance in the South African teen drama series Is’ Thunzi in which she was consecutively nominated for an International Emmy in 2017 and 2018. In addition to her many accomplishments, Thuso has been featured in Forbes 30 under 30.

Thuso Mbedu

Mbedu would go on to make her international debut in 2021 while playing her role as Cora in the Amazon Prime limited series The Underground railroad. For this series, Thuso would earn a Hollywood Critics Association Award, a Gotham Award, and an Independent Spirit Award. In 2021, Mbedu would also star alongside Viola Davis in The Woman King, which is a historical true story inspired by events that took place in the Dahomey Kingdom of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.

We look forward to all the other amazing films that Thuso Mbedu will go on to star in!