These African jewels have been showcasing great acting skills on screen and deep soul ties to their homeland. In television and film, most recently, multi-faceted talents like Pearl Thusi and Nomzamo Mbatha have given mind-blowing performances, bringing African actors much-deserved attention.
Pearl Thusi
Sithembile Xola Pearl Thusi is known for her portrayal of Patricia Kopong in the comedy-drama seriesThe No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and Dayana Mampasi in the ABC thriller Quantico . The South African star later landed a lead role in the critically acclaimed Netflix series Queen Sono. The streamer’s first African original series was renewed for a second season.
Thuso Mbedu
Thuso Mbedu has been labeled ‘the first South African to lead an American series’. The 29 year old was cast as Nora in the upcoming Amazon Prime Video’s Underground Railroad, produced and written by Barry Jenkins. Mbedu was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in the telenovela Thunzi, “one of the most compelling television programmes on South African television”(The Guardian).
Yvonne Orji
Yvonne Orji is a Nigeria-born American actress and comedian, known best for her performance in the hit television series Insecure on HBO, which earned her Emmy and NAACP Image Award nominations. Orji’s comedy special, Mama, I made it is currently streaming on HBO.
Sibongile Mlambo
Sibongile Mlambo is best known for her role in Netflix’s series Lost in Space, Starz’s Historical thriller series Black Sails, MTV’s Teen Wolf , and Freeform’s series Siren. The Zimbabwean actress’ film credits include Honey3 and The Last Face.
Wunmi Mosaku
Wunmi Mosaku is a force! The Nigerian-born British actress gave a fantastic performance as Ruby Baptiste in award winning HBO series Lovecraft Country. She was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Actress and also won the 2020 British Independent Film Awards for Best Actress for her role in His House.
Nomzamo Mbatha
Nomzamo Mbatha is another talent proudly representing South Africa. The human rights activist, TV personality, actress, and business woman is fresh on the nation’s mind as she played Mirembe, one of the major characters in Coming 2 America.
Lupita Nyong’o
Although Lupita Nyong’o was born in Mexico city, both of her parents are Kenyan. Her accomplishments expand all the way from winning an Academy Award for her debut performance in 12 Years a Slave (2013) to publishing a children’s book on self-love. Nyong’o has starred in several box office hits such as Queen of Katwe, Us, and Marvel’s record-breaking Black Panther.
The 37-year-old shared the exciting news via Instagram earlier today with a caption that reads, “An answered prayer.”
According to his bio, Leslie’s now-fiancé, Nana-Yaw Asamoah, is a New York native and a sports and entertainment executive. He currently serves as the Chief Commercial Officer of AMB Sports and Entertainment.
While the couple’s romantic relationship has not been public until now, Leslie has been open about being bisexual. In fact, she is the first Black and queer woman to play the aforementioned DC’s superhero.
During an interview on E! News’ Daily Pop, the actress shared that her role in the CW series inspired her to come out to her mom. “For me, I never felt like I had to hide anything,” Leslie said. “That wasn’t really where I was coming from. I just hadn’t had a conversation, so I just wanted to talk to my mom about it because I was living my life. I just wanted to be able to talk to her so she didn’t have to be told through the media.”
Javicia Leslie as Batwoman/ CW
According to the shared Instagram post, Asamoah proposed to Leslie in Napa Valley, at what appears to be a winery, in front of a beautiful mountain backdrop. Friends, family, and fans flooded the comment section with congratulations and best wishes to the couple. We are joining in as well!
Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Cameron Hamilton, beloved stars of Netflix’s Love Is Blind Season 1, have announced they are expecting their first child, a milestone following a four-year fertility journey. The couple, who charmed millions of fans with their love story, shared the joyful news earlier this week, via an Instagram video and an exclusive People interview, revealing their baby is due in fall 2025.
The Hamiltons’ path to parenthood was marked by challenges, including multiple rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Cameron, 34, described the emotional moment they saw “pregnant” on a Clearblue test: “We were counting down the days… it was a huge moment.” Lauren, 37, shared that she “fell to her knees and cried,” calling the news a “relief” after years of anxiety-inducing tests. The announcement came shortly after the loss of Lauren’s father in December 2024, making it a bittersweet “light in the darkness” for their family.
Love Is Blind’s Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Cameron Hamilton / People magazine
The couple, married since November 2018, has been open about their fertility struggles on their podcast, The Love Seat.
Lauren, now in her second trimester, is navigating cravings for cheese and fruit, with Cameron as her steadfast supporter. They look forward to reliving childhood through their baby, with Lauren excited for “Disney on Ice and the zoo.” As they prepare for parenthood, the Hamiltons continue to inspire with their love and resilience, proving that their Love Is Blind connection remains unbreakable.
Taylour Paige-Angulo shared that she is expecting her first child with her husband, fashion designer Rivington Angulo, earlier today.
The announcement, made official through a captionless Instagram post, featured Paige-Angulo in a white dress that beautifully highlighted her baby bump. This milestone comes after a deeply personal journey, including a decades-long battle with endometriosis, which the ‘Zola’ actress openly discussed on social media.
Paige-Angulo’s pregnancy reveal follows her first public hint at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards on February 27, where she debuted her (hidden) baby bump in a chic brown dress. A TikTok video captured her chatting with fellow actors Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors.
Behind Taylour’s joyful announcement lies a challenging history with endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, often causing severe pain and fertility issues. The actress has been candid about her struggle, which went undiagnosed for 20 years. In an emotional Instagram post on March 4, 2025, during Endometriosis Awareness Month, she described it as a “lifelong journey of healing” and a “really violent illness” that brought “agony and turmoil.” She recounted debilitating symptoms—pain so intense it made her “see stars,” monthly vomiting, and times she couldn’t drive.
In fall 2023, Paige-Angulo underwent a four-hour surgery to remove endometrial tissue. Reflecting on the experience, she wrote, “So many women are going THROUGH it okay. Be gentle with us.”
Taylour Paige and Rivington Angulo/ Instagram
The Angulos tied the knot on October 5, 2022, on Paige’s 32nd birthday. Their intimate ceremony unfolded at the Wattles Mansion in Los Angeles. The couple’s romance had blossomed quickly after meeting during the pandemic at a party hosted by a mutual friend. Paige-Angulo later recalled how Angulo’s energy felt like “home” from the start. For the occasion, she wore a custom sheer white gown designed by her then-fiance. The event was attended by close friends, including a notable appearance by Rihanna, adding a touch of star power to the heartfelt affair. Paige-Angulo described the day on Instagram as “the greatest day of my life.”