{"id":5485,"date":"2019-03-13T00:29:03","date_gmt":"2019-03-13T00:29:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/content.robust.digital\/?p=5485"},"modified":"2021-11-29T19:46:02","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T19:46:02","slug":"15-most-beautiful-african-actresses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/15-most-beautiful-african-actresses\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Most Beautiful African Actresses"},"content":{"rendered":"

We see a lot of actors and actresses around living a lavish lifestyle and seemingly enjoying their moments of fame but the truth is, the film industry is not an easy one to be in. One needs one to have thick skin in order to survive in it. In the past, African actresses did not have too many opportunities on the big stage but a lot has changed in recent times and they are having it better. A lot of new names are making it big in the film industry. Viola Davis in her acceptance speech of her Emmy Award said clearly that women of color are, in front of the camera, equally good, it\u2019s just that they are not given much of a chance in most situations. That said, there is a good number of them making a name for themselves in Hollywood. Here are a few who have managed to get the A-lister status.<\/p>\n

1. Lupita Nyong’o<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: http:\/\/thesource.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The 35-year-old actress has won the hearts of many and has had a dreamy run in Hollywood. She is currently one of the most sought after actresses in the film industry. She was born to Kenyan parents in Mexico but grew up in Kenya, so she holds dual citizenship for both countries. She has starred in a number of films such as 12 Years a Slave, The Jungle Book, Star Wars, Black Panther and Non-Stop. Her role in 12 Years a Slave thrust her into fame for which she won an Oscar. She has had 56 nominations and has won 36 out of those.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

2. Rachel Mwanza<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/afrique.lalibre.be<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The actress endured a tough childhood. Her father sent her family to Kinshasa, promising to join them, which he never did. She and her siblings had it tough over the following years, even having to drop out of school to fend for themselves. Things got even worse when she has been declared a witch and was kicked out to the streets. Her big break came when a film director Kim Nguyen spotted her in a documentary about surviving in the streets of Kinshasa. After that, she was cast in the movie War Witch which came out in 2012. She won numerous awards for her performance at the Berlin Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and Vancouver Film Critics Circle.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

3. Danai Gurira<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.latimes.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She is a Zimbabwean actress as well as a playwright. She is the youngest of four siblings. Her parents moved from Zimbabwe to The US back in the sixties but then they later moved back to Harare, Zimbabwe\u2019s capital after the country had gained independence. She began writing poems and stories and centred them around strong women. Her acting debut was on Broadway in the production, Joe Turner\u2019s Come and Go. She is mostly known for playing Michonne in The Walking Dead, her role in Black Panther and in The Avengers.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

4. Benu Mabhena<\/h2>\n
\"\"
Source: Answersafrica.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She was born in London but her bloodline lies in Zimbabwe. Her family spent most of their time on the move often finding themselves in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. They then ended up in The US which is where she can trace her acting development. She lived in San Francisco throughout her teenage years. She\u2019d been in love with performing arts from her early years. She attended Diablo Valley College where she was a participant in theatre. She thereafter landed a role in Blood Diamonds and has starred in Night Walkers and Princess.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

5. Megalyn Echikunwoke<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/answersafrica.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She was born to a Nigerian father and an English, German and Irish mother. She was discovered and started acting at the young age of fourteen. She is very well known for her role on The 4400 where she played Isabel Tyler. She\u2019s also starred in others such as 24, Vixen, House of Lies and Damsels in Distress. She hit the headlines when it was discovered that she was dating Chris Rock. They\u2019ve been together for some time and there have been rumors of an impending marriage.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

6. Gugu Mbatha Raw\"\"<\/h2>\n

Source: https:\/\/nypost.com<\/span><\/h2>\n

Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha Raw has appeared in many critically acclaimed films but is mostly known for her role as Kelly in Black Mirror. She is a South African actress born to a South African father and Anne Raw, an English nurse. She spent a big part of her life in Whitney, where she developed an interest in acting, which later grew into a passion. She had her first breakthrough playing Juliet in the theatre version of Romeo and Juliet. She has had a number of nominations and won an award for Best breakthrough performance in the Alliance of Women Film Journalists.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

7. Azie Tesfai<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.spoilertv.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She is an only child of Eritrean immigrants. She got acceptance letters from some amazing institutions under the Ivy League such as Yale, Brown and Columbia but instead, she opted to study business administration from UC Berkeley, where she started going for acting classes. Her first appearance on the silver screen was on FOXs Wicked Wicked Games. She also starred in a number of others such as Melrose Place, Franklin and Bash, Law and Oder and Royal Pains. She also does humanitarian work.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

8. Charlize Theron\"\"Source: https:\/\/www.newbeauty.com<\/span><\/h2>\n

The South African beauty doubles as a film producer as well. Her breakout performance was in The Devil\u2019s Advocate back in the 90s and since then, she has landed roles in films such as Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, Monster, Snow White and Huntsman, among other movies that she went on to star in. She has won awards on her work, including an Academy Award for her stellar performance as Aileen Wuornos, the serial killer in Monster.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

9. Liya Kebede\"\"Source: https:\/\/daughtersofafrica.org<\/span><\/h2>\n

Liya was born and raised in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. She started out as a model, then a clothing designer as well as an advocate for maternal health. She made it to the Forbes list of the most paid models, landing the eleventh position. She\u2019s had appearances in Lord of War, The Good Shepherd, Desert Flower and The Best Offer, but has made a name for herself mostly as a model.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

10. Michelle Van Der Water<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.darlingafrica.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She was born in Cape Town, South Arica but soon after her family relocated to a small town near Sydney in Australia. She studied there and for her undergraduate, taking a degree in Creative Arts in Graphic Design in New Media. She\u2019s been on a number of films among them, Teeth and Blood, We are Love, Crosshairs and many more. She started out as a model but then moved to Los Angeles and started her career in acting in 2000. She\u2019s also been in a number of other movies such as Minotaur where she played Queen Raphaella.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

11. Ella Thomas<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.imdb.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She is Eritrean-American. She developed a love for the arts and to be more precise, performing arts while she lived in Germany, where she spent most of her early life. After her studies, she went into acting where she successfully carved a niche for herself. One of the roles she is most famous for is Viveca in Entourage although she has appeared in others such a Mistresses, Ten Days in the Valley and also appeared in CSI, Castle and Parenthood. Ella has also graced the cover of magazines such as Glamour, Elle and American Vogue.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12. Kandyse McClure<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.hypehair.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She is also a South African born star. She actually wanted a career in medicine and had never thought of acting. Her acting career started in the least expected way. She went to audition for a friend\u2019s play in Canada but then got called back to audition for an even bigger role. From there, she decided to stick to acting. She has starred in, among many others, Romeo Must Die, Seventh Son, Mother\u2019s Day and Carrie.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

13. Elize Du Toit<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.femalefirst.co.uk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She was born in South Africa but got her education abroad. She studied at Wellington College and the University of Edinburg where she was active when it came to theatre. Her professional career has spanned almost twenty years now and she is most famous for her role in Hollyoaks, where she played Izzy Davies. After being thrust into the limelight, she went on to star in many other productions including Coronation Street, Material Girl, Walking the Dead, The line of Beauty, among others. She may have not won any major awards but Elize still manages to get cast in roles that are talked about in society. She currently lives in London.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

14. Chipo Chung<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.pazimbabwe.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

She was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania but is actually half Zimbabwean half Chinese. Due to the instability in Zimbabwe, her first two years of life were hard and she ended up staying at a refugee camp in Mozambique. She moved to The US when she turned 18. She attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, United Kingdom, which was a stepping stone for her. She landed roles in productions like Dr. Who, Loop, Proof, Sunshine, Camelot, Sherlock and Last Enemy. She is also a well-known activist and has done humanitarian work in Kenya.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

15. Thandie Newton<\/h2>\n
\n
\"\"
Source: https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Her full name is Thandiwe Nashita Newton. She\u2019s had roles in a number of Hollywood Blockbuster releases. Her debut was in the film Flirting in 1991. Her most memorable roles include Sally Hemings in Jefferson in Paris, Nyah Nordhoff-Hall in Mission Impossible, among others. She has won many accolades because of her work.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We see a lot of actors and actresses around living a lavish lifestyle and seemingly enjoying their moments of fame but the truth is, the film industry is not an easy one to be in. One needs one to have thick skin in order to survive in it. In the past, African actresses did not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":5486,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,79],"tags":[154,156],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5485"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5485"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97371,"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5485\/revisions\/97371"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/womentales.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}