
Presley Chweneyagae: South Africans remember acting 'icon' who died age 40
Tsotsi, a powerful crime film in which Chweneyagae plays the lead role, explores gang life in a South African township. Chweneyagae also starred in the Nelson Mandela biopic Long Walk to Freedom in 2013, as well as acting in various theatre productions. The South African Film and Television Awards described him as a "true legend of South African cinema" and a "powerhouse performer".The Ministry of Sports, Art and Culture released a statement highlighting his role in the popular South African series River and Cobrizzi."The Department of Sports, Art and Culture, mourns the loss of a true trailblazer - a storyteller who held the soul of a nation in his craft," Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie said in the statement.
More about African film from the BBC:
Trailblazing African film-maker and Cannes winner diesIdris Elba: Why I'm planning a move to AfricaTeenage actress takes on child marriage in role mirroring real life
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
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Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Telegraph
Pictured: Princess Diana's niece Lady Eliza Spencer announces engagement
Princess Diana's niece has announced her engagement to long-term partner Channing Millerd. Lady Eliza Spencer, the daughter of Diana's brother Earl Spencer and former model Victoria Aitken, revealed the news on Instagram with pictures of the pair on holiday in the southern Greek island Santorini. The couple, who have been together for nine years, were pictured smiling at a candlelit dinner set up for the occasion. Lady Eliza, who works as a model and brand ambassador, wore a long red dress while Mr Millerd, a tech executive, is pictured sporting all white while down on one knee. Lady Amelia Spencer, the model's twin sister, led the congratulatory messages to the pair, saying: 'The best news in the world! The most perfect couple and dream engagement. My heart is bursting for you both.' Their eldest sister Lady Kitty Spencer added: 'So happy for you and love you both very much.' The couple first met at a dinner party in South Africa hosted by Greg Mallett, Lady Eliza's brother-in-law, who was friends with Mr Millerd through school. Lady Eliza, 33, has previously told Hello Magazine that she shares 'such a strong, loving and supportive relationship' with Mr Millerd, describing him as her 'best friend'. 'We understand each other so well,' she added, saying: 'No matter what life brings, we're always there for one another. 'I absolutely believe he's The One – our bond is built on so much trust, laughter and shared values.' She captioned her engagement post with 'forever and ever', and included a photo featuring her new pear-shaped ring. The announcement comes after her twin sister's wedding to fitness expert Mr Mallett in Cape Town in 2023. The sisters spent most of their childhood in South Africa as part of Earl Spencer's efforts to keep them out of the spotlight following Princess Diana's death in 1997. Lady Kitty, 34, has been married to Michael Lewis, a 66-yearold South Africa-born British businessman, for four years. The couple married in a glamorous three-day event at the Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati, south-east of Rome. Lady Eliza has previously said that she and Mr Millerd 'love' the idea of a destination wedding, similarly to her elder sister. 'We feel drawn to Italy,' she said, adding: 'Especially somewhere by the ocean – that feels so romantic to us.'


Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Game Of Thrones star is worlds away from Westeros in first look at new blockbuster crime thriller - playing drug smuggler alongside Handmaid's Tale favourite
Game of Thrones star Alfie Allen looks worlds away from Westeros in the first look at a new blockbuster crime thriller, where he is dressed down and rugged The must-see Sky drama Atomic follows the unlikely friendship between free-spirited drug smuggler Max, played by Allen, and an enigmatic outsider JJ, played by Shazad Latif of Star Trek: Discovery. When the pair become caught up in a cartel's plot to transport uranium across North Africa, they are swept into a chaotic high-stakes mission and forced to get along. All the while, they are hotly pursued by the authorities, namely Handmaid's Tale star Samira Wiley, who plays a determined CIA lead. The gripping five-part series is based on the non-fiction book The Atomic Bazaar, which explores the world of nuclear trafficking. In the first images from the upcoming thriller, Allen is transformed from cocky Theon Greyjoy to modern day delinquent, dressed in grubby rags and blue jeans. In a glimpse of what's to come, he is pictured on his knees at gunpoint, a pained look on his face. The synopsis reads: 'Leading the charge for the CIA is highly skilled scientist and a Non-Official Cover officer Cassie Elliott, played by Wiley. 'Convinced Max and JJ are in league with violent extremists, her relentless pursuit puts them all on a collision course revealing that nothing is what it seems, and everyone has an ulterior motive.' Sky's trailer promises a mix of powerful plot lines and punchy action as viewers watch the leading characters develop an unusual bond. In the short clip, Allen looks drastically different from his Game Of Thrones role, swapping Theon's armour and tousled hair for a more contemporary look. 'The pair find themselves on a wild road trip, confronting covert operatives, an internationally funded cartel and ultimately their own pasts,' the synopsis continues. 'What starts as a bid for survival slowly becomes something more - a reluctant partnership, a shot at redemption and one hell of a ride.' Further plot details have not yet been revealed, though Sky viewers keenly await a captivating thriller as Max and JJ navigate North Africa and the Middle East with the CIA on their tails. It comes as 38-year-old Allen has reportedly signed up to celebrity dating app Raya in his search for a girlfriend. The actor has been spotted on the app as the star shared he was in London and looking for a girl to go out with. The Sun has revealed that his profile shows Alfie posing in a fun selfie with a meerkat, while another snap sees him pictured as a child and another one is of his dog, Ata. According to his profile his favourite place to grab a bite to eat is In-N-Out Burger in Hollywood. Daily Mail have contacted Alfie's representatives for comment. The actor keeps his personal life very private, however he was last linked to artist girlfriend Nicole Della Costa after the pair were spotted packing on the PDA back in 2022. Meanwhile Alfie has also previously dated actress Jaime Winstone after the pair had an on/off relationship for over seven years, and were last photographed together in the summer of 2015. The pair got engaged in 2008, before calling it off in 2010. Three years later they were back together though, ahead of another split in July 2014, which was blamed on busy work schedules. Alfie then went on to date DJ Allie Teilz, with whom he shares daughter Arrow, five. The pair were first seen together in June 2017 during a romantic getaway in Formentera, Spain. The couple experienced several incredible experiences and holidays together, including Glastonbury Festival, Thailand and a safari experience in Kenya, Africa. They welcomed Arrow in October 2018, with Alfie confirming the birth with a heartwarming post on Instagram. He wrote: 'With full hearts and overwhelming joy @allieteilz and I introduce you to the newest member of our family. She is perfect.' The couple split up not long after, with Allie spotted out with artist Antonia Showering seven months later.


Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Yellowstone star Neal McDonough changes his tune after claiming he 'lost everything' after Hollywood firing
Yellowstone star Neal McDonough is stepping back after claiming this week that his career in Hollywood was ruined by his unwillingness to kiss women other than his wife on screen. The 59-year-old actor had claimed on Wednesday on the Nothing Left Unsaid podcast that he 'lost everything' after getting fired from ABC's Scoundrels, which allegedly made him persona non grata in the film and television industry. But with his wife Ruvé Robertson by his side, McDonough claimed that being ejected from that series due to his moral code actually helped him to have a better, more meaningful career. While speaking to TMZ on Thursday, Robertson emphasized that her message now is 'Thank you, Hollywood,' and she said the industry never 'turned it's back' on her husband. Robertson — a South African–born model, actress and producer whom McDonough tied the knot with in 2003 — noted her husband's multiple collaborations with Steven Spielberg, which included major roles in his film Minority Report and the HBO miniseries Band Of Brothers, which Spielberg co-created with Tom Hanks. The legendary filmmaker was also a producer on Flags Of Our Fathers, which McDonough appeared in for another acclaimed director, Clint Eastwood. McDonough claimed getting fired from ABC's Scoundrels over his moral code helped him have a better career, and Robertson (L) emphasized that her message now is 'Thank you, Hollywood' because the industry never 'turned it's back' on her husband; seen May 12 'The right people found Neal and put him in the right places,' Robertson continued, adding that McDonough wanted to 'continue doing incredible films.' She added that her husband's temporary career troubles 'guided' him to the solid footing that he is on now. 'We cannot explain how blessed we are and how happy we are,' she said, before noting that they had been happily together for 25 years and shared five children. 'We are so fortunate,' McDonough chimed in. The couple even mused that they might not be together today if he had been kissing other actresses on set, as they attributed his moral code to helping to strengthen their marriage. Their affection was unmissable, and Robertson interrupted her statement to give her husband a cute smooch on the lips, while he broke into song later in the interview. Robertson concluded by saying they hoped that her husband's enduring popularity could inspire other actors earlier in their careers, as well as people dealing with other personal struggles. She also pointed out how Hollywood had played an instrumental role in helping McDonough get sober years earlier, and his success had allowed them to create their own production company. In another clip, Robertson defended the couple's strict moral code, and she claimed that their children get concerned just hearing their father swearing in movies and shows, much less get intimate with other women. Robertson joked that they would fib in the past and tell their children that McDonough's voice had been dubbed over whenever they heard him curse on screen. McDonough previously suggested that his refusal to kiss women other than his wife was a death knell for his Hollywood career. The veteran performer chatted on Wednesday's edition of the podcast Nothing Left Unsaid, opening up about a years-long slide he said was due to his strict adherence to his marital vows. 'I'd always had in my contracts that I wouldn't kiss another woman on screen,' the Boston-born actor and strict Catholic told the podcast hosts Tim Green and Troy Green. McDonough played the role of Malcolm Beck on six episodes of Yellowstone in 2019. McDonough clarified that the contractual demand was at his behest, and not that of his spouse Ruvé McDonough, who he's been wed to since 2003 and shares five children with. 'My wife didn't have any problem with it — it was me, really, who had a problem with it,' said McDonough, who's been seen on TV shows such as Desperate Housewives, Tulsa King and Meghan Markle 's one-time show Suits. McDonough said it was impossible for Hollywood producers to get that he was dead serious about his demand — and they quickly stopped using him as a result. 'When I wouldn't do it... they couldn't understand,' McDonough said of his refusal to kiss other women on camera. 'Hollywood just completely turned on me, and they wouldn't let me be part of the show anymore. 'For two years, I couldn't get a job and I lost everything you could possibly imagine.' McDonough's movie credits include Star Trek: First Contact, Red 2 and Guns & Moses. He also starred as Lynn 'Buck' Compton in HBO's war drama Band of Brothers (2001). He said that the loss of work resulted in a domino effect in which everything dear to him began slipping away. 'Not just houses [and] material things, but your swagger, your cool, who you are, your identity - everything,' McDonough said. 'My identity was an actor, and a really good one.' McDonough said that the problems lingered for an extended period. 'Once you don't have that identity, you're kind of lost in a tailspin,' McDonough said. 'And I was in a big, ugly tailspin for a couple of years.' McDonough's most recent role came in the May feature film The Last Rodeo, which he was a writer on and played the lead role of Joe Wainwright. His spouse Ruvé portrayed the role of his wife Rose Wainwright in the movie, and the two did kiss onscreen. Prior to acting in the role, Ruvé, a native of South Africa, had a background in fashion modeling and film production. The rodeo drama also starred Mykelti Williamson, Sarah Jones, Graham Harvey and Christopher McDonald.