Atandwa Kani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Atandwa Kani
Kani in 2018
Born	Atandwa Duduza Yiduthi Kani (1984-06-06) 6 June 1984 (age 41) Gqeberha, South Africa
Education	University of the Witwatersrand (BA) New York University (MFA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2007–present
Notable work	Tumelo in Life Is Wild Ariel in The Tempest Black Panther
Spouse(s)	Thembisa Mdoda ​ ​ (m. 2012; div. 2015)​ Fikile Mthwalo ​ ​ (m. 2015; div. 2023)​
Parent(s)	John Kani (father)

Atandwa Kani (born on June 6, 1984) is a talented actor from South Africa. He is famous for his roles in movies and TV shows. Atandwa is also the son of another well-known actor, John Kani.

Early Life and Learning

Atandwa Kani was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He grew up watching his father, John Kani, work on scripts and perform in plays. This early experience made Atandwa want to become an actor too.

He studied acting at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). There, he focused on theater and acted in many school plays. In 2008, he earned a special degree in theatrical performance. Later, he also studied acting at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Acting Career

Atandwa Kani has performed in many exciting projects.

First Big Roles

He made his first international stage appearance in a play called The Tempest. He played the character of Ariel. His father, John Kani, and Sir Antony Sher also starred in the play. Critics praised Atandwa's performance, calling him "the star of this production."

In 2009, Atandwa appeared on American TV in the show Life Is Wild. This show was based on a popular British series called Wild at Heart. Atandwa later joined the original British show, playing the role of Thabo.

Plays and TV Shows

Atandwa also performed in two new plays, Hayani and ID Pending. These plays explored what it means to be a young South African. He also appeared in the SABC TV series Soul Buddyz.

He played a young Nelson Mandela in the movie Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom in 2013. He acted alongside famous stars like Idris Elba and Naomie Harris.

Later, Atandwa was in the international BET series The Book of Negroes. He acted alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. In 2014, he performed in the play Black & Blue at the Market Theatre. He also performed Sizwe Banzi Is Dead in New York City.

Black Panther and Other Films

In 2016, Atandwa starred in a short film called The Suit. He played the role of Philemon. The film was praised at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.

A big moment in his career was in 2018. Atandwa played the younger King T'Chaka in the superhero movie Black Panther. His father, John Kani, played the older King T'Chaka. This was a special role they shared.

Filmography

Film

Television