Thuso Mbedu

Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu is a South African actress who gained recognition for her role in the teen drama series Is'Thunzi, earning consecutive International Emmy nominations in 2017 and 2018. She was listed in the Forbes Africa 30 under 30 in 2018. In 2021, Mbedu became the first South African actress to lead an American television series, starring as Cora in the Amazon Video limited series The Underground Railroad. Her exceptional performance in the show earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series. Mbedu made her feature film debut in The Woman King (2022). Born in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Mbedu was raised by her Zulu grandmother after the loss of her parents at an early age.