T O N G A Y I C H I R I S A
The Resilient One One role at a time is the goal of US based Zimbabwean actor , Tongayi Arnold Chirisa . In a throwback , the actor started off on the local small screen , in the early 2000s . From the first Zimbabwean soapie ' Studio 263 ' to starring in the South African hit , ' Mr . Bones 2 ', Tongayi has come a long way . In 2006 , he moved to Johannesburg , South Africa , where he enrolled at The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance ( AFDA ). Having worked within the country , he pursued his dreams in the United States of America . For the past decade , Chirisa has built an impressive resume . Some of his roles include television roles in Crusoe , NCIS : Los Angeles , American Horror Story , and ' The Jim Gaffigan Show '. In 2015 , he starred as Whitney Houston ’ s brother Gary Houston in the Angela Bassett directed biopic ‘ Whitney ’. In the same year , he won ‘ Best Actor in a Series ’ at the 2015 African Entertainment Awards . Despite the global lockdowns , 2020 and 2021 have so far been a great time in Tongayi ' s career . He starred alongside Janelle Monaé in the thriller , ' Antebellum '. In addition , he also featured in ' Palm Springs '. This role earned him his first Golden Globe nomination . He was nominated for Best Picture , Musical or Comedy for " Palm Springs ". Chirisa is all set to begin filming season 2 of the Netflix series ' Another Life ’.
THUSO MBEDU
The Student Thuso Mbedu is breaking into the American and international scene like a gentle breeze . Of course , this has come with years of commitment to her craft . The 29-year-old KwaZulu Natal native has always had her eye on acting . Not defined by her circumstances , Mbedu attended the University of the Witwatersrand , where she studied Physical Theatre and Performing Arts Management . After graduating with honours , she attended the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York , in 2012 . After graduating in 2013 , Thuso began scoring supporting roles on South African soaps and series . Some of her roles included shows such as Scandal !, Is ’ Thunzi , MTV ’ s Shuga , and Generations : The Legacy . Her role in Is ’ Thunzi earned her two International Emmy nominations . Thuso will make her international breakout as she stars in Amazon and Barry Jenkins ' ‘ The Underground Railroad .’ Her role as Cora , makes her the first South African actress to lead a US / International series . In addition , Thuso landed a new role opposite Hollywood superstar Viola Davis , in the upcoming film The Woman King . She made her first US cover in Emmy Magazine . She ' s also featured in Vogue Magazine . Thuso was named to Porter magazine ' s list of " Names You Need to Know in 2021 ."
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