Thuso Mbedu

Early Life and Education

Thuso Mbedu was born on July 8, 1991, in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She grew up in Durban and attended Durban Girls’ High School. After completing high school, Mbedu went on to study at the University of Witwatersrand, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts.

Early Career

After graduating from university, Mbedu began her acting career in South Africa. She appeared in a number of local productions, including the TV series “Isibaya” and the film “The Adventures of Supermama”.

Breakthrough Role

In 2017, Mbedu landed the lead role of Winnie in the TV series “Is’thunzi”, which follows the lives of a group of young women in Johannesburg. Her performance in the show received critical acclaim, and she was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in 2018 and 2019.

International Career

Following the success of “Is’thunzi”, Mbedu began to receive international attention. In 2018, she was cast in the lead role of Cora Randall in the Amazon Prime Video series “The Underground Railroad”, based on the novel by Colson Whitehead. The series premiered in May 2021 and Mbedu’s performance was once again highly praised by critics.