NOMZAMO NXUMALO MBATHA
ACTRESS BUSINESS WOMAN
Nomzamo Nxumalo Mbatha (born 13 July 1990), is a South African actress, accountant, television personality, businesswoman, human rights activist.
She portrayed the character of Thandeka Zungu on Mzansi Magic Sopie era Isibaya which she starred in from 2013 to her exit in 2020. Her exit from the soap opera introduced her to Hollywood where she was cast as Mirmbe in Eddie Murphy’s sequel to Coming to America, which was stylized as Coming 2 America.
In April 2021, it was announced that she was cast in Saban Films new movie Soul Assassins alongside Bruce Willis which was later filmed under a new name Die Like Lovers but was released as Assassin and became Bruce Willis’s last movie. In 2022, Mbatha revealed she has been cast as Nandi on the Mzansi Magic biopic TV series Shaka Ilembe, which she also co-produced.
Early life
Nomzamo Mbatha was born on 13 July 1990 in KwaMashu Township, approximately 21 kilometres (13 mi), by road, north-west of the city of Durban, in KwaZulu Natal Province and is of Zulu ethnicity.
She attended Rippon Primary School in Durban and Bechet High School, where she obtained her High School Diploma. In 2018, she graduated from the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Commerce degree specialising in accounting
Career
Key: Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released.
Mbatha auditioned for a television show in July 2012. She has also started acting on Isibaya in 2013 and also became the main character, this marked her acting debut and was praised by critics for playing Thandeka Zungu. The search, which was held at Cape Town, attracted over 600 contestants. She placed in the top 70 and later the top 10. She was one of the three top finalists. In 2015, she made her film debut in Tell Me Sweet Something with Maps Maponyane, which was released on 4 September that year, and also appeared in the television show Umlilo from 2015 to 2016. That same year, she began hosting a reality travel show called Holiday Swap, on South African Broadcasting Corporation.
In 2015, she was selected to represent Neutrogena, being the first South African in that role.
In 2021, she appeared in the film Coming 2 America.
The previous year, Mbatha signed with talent management agency Creative Artists Agency. Mbatha starred as Alexa in Assassin, an American sci-fi thriller film, in May 2023.
In September 2022, Mbatha took the role of Nandi and also as an executive producer of Shaka iLembe aired on Mzansi Magic.
Filmography
Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released.
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Jake’s are Missing | Page | Film debut role |
| 2014 | Tell Me Something Sweet | Muratiwa | |
| 2017 | All About Love | Vivian | Romance |
| 2017 | A Hotel Called Memory | Tina | Drama |
| 2021 | Coming 2 America | Mirembe | Comedy / Music |
| 2023 | Assassin | Alexa | Action / Crime / Thriller |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013—2020 | Isibaya | Thandeka / Thandeka Zungu | 7 Seasons |
| 2017 | Umlilo | Khwezi Simelani | 4 episodes |
| Holiday Swap | Host / Herself | Television documentary | |
| 2023 | Shaka iLembe | Nandi | 12 episodes |
Other achievements
In 2018, Mbatha was recognized as one of the OkayAfrika 100 Women 2018 Honorees, by OkayAfrica Digital Media.
In 2018, she spent time touring Kenyan refugee camps, in her role as UNHCR Ambassador.
She received an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress nomination for playing “Moratiwa” in Tell Me Sweet Something (2015).
In January 2019, she was appointed a UNHCR goodwill ambassador. In October 2019, she was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society as one of its honorary members.
In December 2024, she received GQ South Africa Woman of the Year – presented by Nungu Diamonds.