We start our list of the Top 10 South African Americans you probably didn’t know about with a disclaimer … Charlize Theron, Elon Musk, Neil Blomkamp and Trevor Noah – come on – their links back to the Rainbow Nation are all too obvious. And please no jibes about President Trump’s Afrikaner refugees either …
TOP 10 SOUTH AFRICAN AMERICANS
South Africa’s fingerprints are all over the world, but here we’re looking for Mzansi magic that runs deep like still water. Some on this list were born on SA soil and some have parents who once called SA home. Nevertheless, here are the top 10 South African Americans you can feel proud of …
DOJA CAT
Born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, this Grammy-winning rapper and pop phenomenon carries one of South Africa’s most recognisable surnames for a reason. Her father, Dumisani Dlamini, is a South African actor and dancer best known for playing Crocodile in Sarafina! (1992). The two have a complicated relationship, but there’s no denying the bloodline. Billboard named her ‘one of the world’s biggest pop stars’ and Time listed her as ‘one of 2023’s most influential people.’
SASHA PIETERSE
The former cast member of Pretty Little Liars gives her roots away with a glance at her surname. A Jo’burger making waves in Hollywood from the age of six definitely qualifies her as one of the top 10 South African Americans. Sasha moved to Los Angeles when she was just three years old and Pretty Little Liars became one of the most-watched teen dramas in television history. She’s since gone on to become an accomplished singer-songwriter, too …
DAVE MATTHEWS
David John Matthews was born on 9 January 1967 in Johannesburg, the third of four children born to South African parents, John and Val Matthews. His father, a physicist, took the family to New York, then Cambridge, England, and back again. Matthews naturalised as a US citizen in 1980, in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he assembled a ragtag group of local musicians and built one of the most successful touring acts in American rock history.
JONATHAN LIEBESMAN
Not all of our top 10 South African Americans work in front of the camera. Director, writer and editor, Jonathan Liebesman, is responsible for such films as the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remake, Wrath of the Titans and Battle Los Angeles. He’s since relocated to Hollywood and carved out a career steering massive studio productions that have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide.
LESLIE ODOM JR.
A theatre star, Leslie Odom Jr. is a Tony Award-winning actor and singer who originated the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton on Broadway. One of his maternal great-grandfathers was from South Africa. And it is his South African lineage which was uncovered during an appearance on the acclaimed documentary series Finding Your Roots. A worthy addition to the top 10 South African Americans, Odom is also known for his roles in Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022).
TROYE SIVAN
Yes, technically he’s Australian but Troye Sivan was, in fact, born in Johannesburg in 1995. He and his parents moved to Australia when he was just two years old. While he grew up to become one of Australia’s most celebrated pop exports, Troye went on to build a significant career in America. This includes Hollywood acting roles and Grammy recognition. But he is undoubtedly one of the top 10 South African Americans, even if others claim him as their own.
MADELAINE PETSCH
Doesn’t sound like she should make the list of top 10 South African Americans, right? Try the surname Grobbelaar, because it’s right there in her full name. Madelaine Grobbelaar Petsch was born on 18 August 1994 in Port Orchard, Washington. Petsch’s parents are from South Africa, and she spent the first ten years of her life dividing her time between South Africa and the US. In fact, she holds dual citizenship and she is regularly overheard speaking Afrikaans. She’s best known for playing the Cheryl Blossom on Riverdale for six seasons.
EMBETH DAVIDTZ
Embeth Davidtz was born on 11 August 1965 in Lafayette, Indiana, to South African parents John and Jean Davidtz. Her father was studying chemical engineering at Purdue University at the time. The family later moved to South Africa when Davidtz was nine years old. She studied at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, honed her craft on the South African stage, and then caught the eye of world-famous director, Steven Spielberg. He offered her the role of Helen Hirsch in Schindler’s List and she also played the beloved Miss Honey in Matilda (1996). That’s a claim to top 10 South African Americans that’s undeniable.
DEAN GEYER
Another Joburg-born talent who found his fame abroad. Dean Geyer moved to Melbourne, Australia, while still in school. His grandfather, Stan Schmidt, was a South African karate legend. He finished third in the 2006 season of Australian Idol and landed a role in the popular Australian soapie Neighbours. He then made it big on the hit American TV show Glee, which brought him into the living rooms of millions of Americans, and his music career has continued to blossom across multiple continents since.
ONE FOR THE ROAD: DEMI MOORE
We’re ending on a genuinely jaw-dropping note. Demi Moore — one of Hollywood’s biggest-ever stars, known for Ghost, Indecent Proposal and G.I. Jane has South African roots that are almost never discussed. Her mother, Virginia King, was of partial South African descent through family lineage, a connection that has been referenced in genealogical research into Moore’s background. How cool is that!?
Also be sure to check out our list of the top 10 South African Brits. Did we miss anyone? Please scroll to the bottom and share your own suggestions in the comments section below …
