“Nobody’s Died Laughing” is a brilliant new theatrical-action-documentary telling the story of the life of one of South Africa’s most beloved performing artists and activists, Pieter-Dirk Uys… often better known as Evita Bezuidenhout. In the documentary Uys jokes that he “had to create a character called Pieter Dirk Uys. Otherwise I would never have the courage to […]

In an interview with Playboy magazine in the USA, Trevor Noah has revealed he has a fan crush on fellow South African, Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron; how his mom made him laugh after she was shot in the head, and that he listens to Otis Redding every day. The 32-year-old South African comedian, who replaced […]

As predicted, South African-born and raised Margaret Sixel won the Best Film Editing Oscar on Monday evening for ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. This was the first Academy Award nomination – and (obviously) win – for Sixel, who studied film editing in Australia, and now lives in Sydney with her husband of over 21 years, George Miller… who happens to […]

If the Los Angeles Times has its way, South African-born Margaret Sixel will win the Academy Award tonight for her brilliant editing of the Charlize Theron movie “Mad Max: Fury Road”, Sixel’s first action pic. “Margaret Sixel’s Herculean effort cutting together the massive amount of footage shot by her husband, George Miller, is the favorite,” […]

A UK-based production company has announced that it will begin filming a documentary about the circumstances leading to the murder of Reeva Steenkamp by Oscar Pistorius. The shooting of Steenkamp through the locked bathroom door of Pistorius’ house took place on 14 February three years ago, and Pistorius later claimed he thought he was shooting an intruder. […]

If you are upset that South Africa’s Charlize Theron didn’t get nominated by the Academy Awards for her brilliant performance in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, that’s nothing compared to the racial furore that’s been caused by people of colour having been overlooked, with two well-known movie industry members saying they won’t attend the 2016 Oscar awards in […]

Stunt woman Olivia Jackson has revealed that her arm is to be amputated after crashing badly during a high-speed motorbike stunt on the South African set of ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’. Whilst filming a chase scene in September, Olivia (32) crashed into a metal camera arm. She spent the following two weeks in a medically-induced coma. At […]

Congratulations to 24-year-old Liesl Laurie from Eldorado Park in Johannesburg who has been crowned Miss South Africa tonight…living up to her motto that she will “never fit in because I was born to stand out!” Liesl was crowned at the ceremony this evening, 29 March, at Sun City Superbowl.  Her first and second princesses are Refilwe […]

Evita Bezuidenhout is fed up (or is she?). Well ahead of Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, she not only launched a Twitter campaign but also a video, both of them intent on getting South Africa back on track – or at least less bleak about the future. Satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys’s […]

Fans of the ‘Mad Max’ series are going mad for the latest official trailer for ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ which stars South Africa’s Charlize Theron and was filmed in Namibia. Filming of this fourth Mad Max movie was moved to Namibia, from its usual location in Australia, after heavy rains turned the desert-like vegetation around Broken Hill into […]

His jewellery has been worn by actress Charlize Theron, and has been showcased on the international market at $16-million. Jewellery designer Kevin Friedman produces one-of-a-kind pieces that have won him awards. UPDATE June 2021: Queen Elizabeth II wears South African jewellery designer Kevin Friedman’s brooch. Theron modelled his bead and diamond choker at the 2012 […]

A South African movie director has created a romantic marriage proposal for his Trekkie boyfriend with the help of legendary British actor Sir Ian McKellen! And the video is now going viral around the universe. Brett Lotriet Best turned to McKellen for help in making his proposal after McKellen’s frequent co-star and best friend Patrick Stewart was unavailable. […]

Here it is – the official trailer for Mad Max: Fury Road – starring South Africa’s Charlize Theron and filmed in Namibia. We all saw the photos of Charlize during the filming of the movie, hanging out in Camps Bay on her off-days, with her hair shaven off. Now we can see the results that […]

In April 2013 South African journalist Rowan Philp, who was based in Boston USA at the time, wrote an article for the Mail & Guardian about the very many successful South African expats in the USA and their incredible contribution to the rest of the world. The article was popular and before you could say ‘social […]

U2’s ‘Ordinary Love’, which they wrote for “Nelson Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom”, lost out at the Oscars last night in the Best Original Song category to ‘Let It Go’ from “Frozen”.  (And John Travolta couldn’t figure out how to pronounce Idina Menzel’s name when introducing her ‘Let It Go’ performance.) So South Africa’s […]

Unfortunately there will be no big South African winners at the Oscars tonight, but Charlize Theron will be on stage as a presenter …and U2’s ‘Ordinary Love’ (which they will perform this evening) could win the Best Music award for “Nelson Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom”. Previous South African Winners (and those who almost […]

Foreigners can ask the strangest questions about South Africa (but then we probably ask foreigners the strangest questions about their lands!). Here’s a list of some questions expats have been asked (from ‘The Expat Confessions‘): “I was once asked if I was black.” – white engineer, Munich “I work on news and once had a […]

South African President Zuma gave his State of the Nation address in Cape Town this evening. Here’s the full transcript (we’ve put some things in bold so you can skim!). Good evening, sanibonani, molweni, dumelang, riperile, ndimadekwana, goeienaand. I wish to thank the Presiding Officers for this opportunity to speak to the people of South […]

Former Capetonian Stelio Savante is making history in a lead role filmed in Equatorial Guinea. This is the first feature film to ever be shot in the small African country that’s usually more famous for its despotic regime than its movie-making industry.  Savante, one of South Africa’s top acting exports, stars in “Where the Road […]

Johannesburg-born make-up artist Lana G has become one of South Africa’s hottest exports in the make-up field with a list of bumper-to-bumper celebrity clients in the USA. As a child and teenager in Johannesburg, Lana modelled for Killarney Film Studios, until 1971 when she moved, at the age of 19, to New York City to […]

After weeks of speculation, the Monaco Palace has finally confirmed today that Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II will definitely attend tonight’s 84th Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. UPDATE: Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II have arrived at the Oscars. The statement read: The Princely couple, invited by M.Robert A. Iger, […]

Yislaaik! America’s in for a treat tonight. South African zef rappers Die Antwoord will be appearing on The David Letterman Show! Although Die Antwoord have already attracted a cult following in the USA, this will be their first appearance on the popular US talk show which is syndicated around the world. The Capetonian band – […]

South Africa is filled with personalities who have won prestigious awards for various achievements. Just think of Oscar winner Charlize Theron or Nobel laureates Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Sydney Brenner and Nadine Gordimer. Now the country can again count Helen Zille among that number. The award recognises the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader’s contribution to South Africa’s […]

Jann Turner South African hit movie White Wedding is now showing in the US to rave reviews. Jann Turner, who directed and jointly wrote and produced the film, writes about the place that inspired it – South Africa. Are there lions in the streets? Do you live in a mud hut? How come you ain’t […]

Over 600 football fans missed the World Cup semi-final between Spain and Germany because of chaos at Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. A spokesman for Durban airport, Colin Naidoo, blamed the air-traffic chaos on the large number of private planes jetting in carrying celebrities like Hollywood star Charlize Theron and the King and Queen of […]