South Africa has quickly become the breeding ground for African thespians who are flying the African flag high on international platforms. The latest actress to do so is Ama Qamata who is known for her roles in television productions such as Blood & Water and Gomora. Ama will be taking on the lead role of Matha in The Afronauts.
The play explores Zambia’s less known venture into a space programme in 1964 and explores themes such as ambition, possibility and the urge to defy the limitations of others. The play which was written by Ryan Calais who also acts as a co-director alongside Monique Touko will be running from 14 November 2026 – 19 December 2026 at the Jerwood Theatre (Royal Court Theatre).
Ama’s co-stars include the legendary Generations actress Pamela Nomvete, Lucian Msamati and Ivanno Jeremiah. This is not the first time that the Blood & Water actress has graced the international stage. She was part of the Le Défilé L’Oréal Paris: Walk You Worth event in Paris in 2025 alongside notable names such as Eva Longoria, Viola Davis, Kendall Jenner. The event was aimed at women in entertainment, fashion and beauty and the mission of the event was to spread the message of women’s empowerment and self worth.
She also serves as the Sub-Saharan Africa ambassador for the beauty giant. This is a position she took over from another South African actress who has paved her name in Hollywood, Thuso Mbedu who similar to Ama started in the television industry in the local drama Isthunzi then went on to gain international roles which includes acting alongside Viola Davis in The Woman King.
The L’Oréal ambassadorship has led Ama host the L’Oréal Paris Ultimate Makeup Masterclass at the Kyalami Grand Prix. The journey from actress into exploring other aspects within the television and film industry have also led to gain international awards and nominations. She won the Rising Star Award at the Naples International Film Festival for and a nomination for Best Actress at the Africa Movie Academy Awards for her role in Fight like a Girl where she was not only the lead actress but she was also credited as one of the film’s co-producers.
The film where she plays the role of Safi, is centred around a young woman who in escaping the hard labour of working at an illegal mineral mine discovers the world of all-female boxing clubs. The film is based on real-life all female boxing clubs . It also explores the themes of healing, resilience and the not often told stories of the experiences of women who live in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
When she commented on the experience she stated that the opportunity gave her a greater voice in shaping the stories she wanted to tell. Talents such as Ama Qamata, Thuso Mbedu, Trevor Noah and many others are testament that the world really is your stage, especially when it comes to constantly working on your craft and taking all the opportunities that are open to you.
These actresses have made the leap from television to film to the international stage with such grace which surely will inspire upcoming actors and actresses whilst proving that the South African Film & Television industry still has a lot more in store for the world.
