Durban – KwaZulu-Natal beauty and internationally acclaimed star, Thuso Mbedu, has wrapped up the press tour for “The Woman King”.
Mbedu, along with British actor John Boyega, were in the country to promote the movie, which stars US actress Viola Davis in the lead role.
“The Women King”, an American historical epic, was inspired by true events and the Agojie all-female warrior unit which protected the West African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 19th century. It was shot in South Africa and KZN, particularly Jozini. Mbedu plays the role of Nawi.
On Friday, eThekwini Municipality, Tourism KZN, the Durban Film Office and KZN Film Commission hosted a premiere at Gateway.
Speaking after the showing, Mbedu beamed with excitement as she shared her experience of working with Davis and the rest of the cast.
She also explained how they had to prepare physically for their roles, which required lots of walking and running, as well as becoming familiar with the various weapons used in the film.
In a tightly packed two-day itinerary, the stars met the heads of partner organisations, the media, and stayed overnight at Nambithi game reserve in Ladysmith. Mbedu and Boyega also thrilled the pupils of Pelham Primary School, which Mbedu attended as a child.
“This is a great partnership between provincial and local government to show the world that KZN is back in action. This was the perfect opportunity to showcase our province to a global audience and assure international film-makers that KZN is the ideal tourism and film destination. The cast of this movie are much-loved and celebrated stars in some of our key international markets like Nigeria, UK, and the USA, which makes this a perfect partnership,” said KZN Film Commission acting CEO Victor Senna.
He added that it was an exciting moment when a daughter of KZN soil came home to celebrate her achievements with the nation.
IOL