Watch: SA actress Thuso Mbedu chats to Ellen about her hit show

South Africans are beaming with pride over actress Thuso Mbedu’s success in Hollywood. She recently stopped by The Ellen Show to talk about The Underground Railroad, a TV series which has earned her nothing but rave reviews.

The show tells the story of how African Americans managed to escape from slavery, in the 1800s. Mbedu plays the part of Cora, a slave who flees a plantation in Georgia, south of the USA. In addition to endless praise, there is also word of Mbedu possibly earning an Emmy nomination for her performance.

Mbedu was all smiles ash she opened up to Ellen about her groundbreaking role and how she had to physically prepare for it.

Watch: Thuso Mbedu meets Ellen Degeneres

Thuso Mbedu was raised by her grandmother, having lost her mother when she was just four years-old. The 29-year-old has had roles in a number of prominent South African TV shows, including Isibaya, Is’Thunzi, Generations: The Legacy and Saints and Sinners.

Mbedu started work on The Underground Railroad back in August 2019 and said she had a lot to learn about her character and the social settings at the time.

“It’s just harrowing and heartbreaking. Everything was a lot just to take it in emotionally and mentally. We are retelling a story that is set in the 1800s, however, there are direct parallels to what is happening now in 2021,” she said in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar.

“It was important for me, not only to get the context of the story in the 1800s, but to understand what has happened up until this point where we are now”

Mbedu will also star alongside Viola Davis in a new drama called The Woman King.