Thuso Mbedu
Acting Born Jul 8, 1991 Pietermaritzburg, South Africa 13 credits
Biography
Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu is a South African actress born on 8 July 1991. She gained prominence for her performance in the South African teen drama series Is'Thunzi, receiving consecutive International Emmy nominations in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, she was included on the Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list. Mbedu starred as Cora in the 2021 Amazon Video limited series The Underground Railroad, becoming the first South African actress to lead an American television series. This role earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series. In 2022, she made her feature film debut as Nawi in the American historical epic The Woman King.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Children of Blood and Bone
Task
Mufasa: The Lion King
Castlevania: Nocturne
The Woman King
The Underground RailroadSavage X Fenty Show Vol. 3The Gaze
Is'thunzi
Side Dish
Lokoza
The View
The Daily Show
Full filmography
- Children of Blood and Bone (2027) as Zelie
- Task (2025) as Aleah Clinton
- Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) as Junia (voice)
- Castlevania: Nocturne (2023) as Annette (voice)
- The Woman King (2022) as Nawi
- The Underground Railroad (2021) as Cora Randall
- Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 (2021) as Self
- The Gaze (2021)
- Is'thunzi (2020) as Winnie
- Side Dish (2018) as Phiwe
- Lokoza (2016) as Khanya
- The View (1997) as Self - Guest
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self