Thuso Mbedu
Known for
Born in Pietermaritzburg in 1991, Thuso Mbedu emerged in South African television and drew international attention with the youth drama Is'Thunzi (2016 to 2017), which brought her two consecutive International Emmy nominations. Barry Jenkins cast her as Cora in Amazon's The Underground Railroad (2021), a shattering, career-defining lead performance based on Colson Whitehead's novel. She then joined the ensemble of Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Woman King (2022) opposite Viola Davis. In only a handful of major roles she has become one of the strongest young dramatic leads in English-language film.
Thuso Mbedu
3 Movies
5 Series
Born in Pietermaritzburg in 1991, Thuso Mbedu emerged in South African television and drew international attention with the youth drama Is'Thunzi (2016 to 2017), which brought her two consecutive International Emmy nominations. Barry Jenkins cast her as Cora in Amazon's The Underground Railroad (2021), a shattering, career-defining lead performance based on Colson Whitehead's novel. She then joined the ensemble of Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Woman King (2022) opposite Viola Davis. In only a handful of major roles she has become one of the strongest young dramatic leads in English-language film.
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Children of Blood and Bone
Full Filmography
Children of Blood and Bone
Zelie
2027
Film
Task
Aleah Clinton · 7 episodes
2025
TV
Mufasa: The Lion King
Junia (voice)
2024
Film
Castlevania: Nocturne
Annette (voice) · 16 episodes
2023–
TV
The Woman King
Nawi
2022
Film
The Underground Railroad
Cora Randall · 10 episodes
2021
TV
Is'thunzi
Winnie · 1 episode
2020
TV
Side Dish
Phiwe · 4 episodes
2018
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Thuso Mbedu and where are they from?
Thuso Mbedu is 35 years old, born on July 8, 1991 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
What are the most famous roles of Thuso Mbedu?
Thuso Mbedu is best known for roles in Mufasa: The Lion King, The Woman King, Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3.
How many movies has Thuso Mbedu been in?
Over a 10-year career (since 2016), Thuso Mbedu has appeared in 3 movies and 5 TV shows.
What was Thuso Mbedu's first movie?
The career of Thuso Mbedu began with Lokoza (2016).
What is Thuso Mbedu's most recent movie or series?
Thuso Mbedu's most recent release is Task, which premiered on September 7, 2025.
What TV shows has Thuso Mbedu appeared in?
On television, Thuso Mbedu has appeared in The Daily Show, Task, Castlevania: Nocturne, The Underground Railroad.
Does Thuso Mbedu have any upcoming projects?
Yes, Thuso Mbedu's upcoming work includes: Children of Blood and Bone (2027).
Thuso Mbedu
1991-07-08 · Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu (born 8 July 1991) is a South African actress. She rose to prominence for her performance in the South African teen drama series Is'Thunzi for which she was nominated consecutively for an International Emmy in 2017 and 2018. Mbedu later appeared on the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list.
In 2021, she starred in the Amazon Video limited series The Underground Railroad as Cora, which made her the first South African actress to lead an American television series, and earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series. She then made her feature film debut in the American historical epic The Woman King (2022) in the role of Nawi.Thuso Mbedu, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.