From dancing in front of her bedroom mirror in Soweto to sharing the screen with Academy Award winner Viola Davis, Noxolo Dlamini has carved out an impressive path in entertainment. The South African actress, dancer, and fitness coach has become one of her country’s most exciting international talents, with her journey spanning West End theatre, Netflix hits, and now Hollywood productions.
Biography
Noxolo Dlamini was born on September 15, 1993, in Tshiawelo, Soweto, Johannesburg. She’s the youngest of five children raised by a single mother in a Pentecostal household. Growing up in this township shaped her resilience and work ethic. Her siblings are her elder sister, Zamokuhle “Zamo” Dlamini, and her brother, Nkosingiphile Dlamini, and she remains close to her family today.
From childhood, Noxolo loved performing. “Before realising that I was entertaining people, I was actually entertaining myself,” she’s said. “I absolutely loved singing and dancing in front of the mirror.” That natural spark caught the attention of her primary school drama teacher, Mrs Gail Martell, who recognised something special in the young girl.
Mrs Martell helped secure Noxolo a place at the prestigious National School of the Arts in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. She spent two years there, taking her first flamenco lessons in Spanish and immersing herself in the arts. However, her mother felt the competitive environment wasn’t bringing out the best in her daughter, so Noxolo transferred to Dominican Convent School. There, she thrived whilst adding ballet to her growing list of dance styles.
Her formal education culminated at the University of Pretoria, where she graduated with a BA in Dramatic Arts in 2014.
Career
Whilst still in her final year at university, Noxolo and some friends decided to audition for Disney’s The Lion King “just fooling around.” Though she didn’t get cast from that first callback, the experience lit a fire in her. She auditioned the following year again and landed a spot in the West End company in London in 2015, aged just 22.
In 2018, she played the lead role of Nala during the international tour in Manila and Singapore.
Noxolo’s screen career started modestly with a cameo in the 2018 Danish miniseries Liberty. She then appeared in recurring roles on popular South African soapies, including Mzansi Magic’s Isibaya (2019) as Nkosazana and SABC1’s Uzalo (2021).
Netflix Stardom
Everything changed in June 2021 when Netflix released Jiva!, the dance drama that became South Africa’s most-watched show on its premiere day. Noxolo played Ntombi, a talented street dancer from Umlazi, Durban, pursuing her dreams through the fictional Jiva Loxion Dance Competition. She’d been auditioned for two other roles before landing the one that would define her breakthrough.
She didn’t just act in Jiva! She also choreographed dance sequences, including South African forms such as pantsula and bhenga. The series was filmed during COVID-19 in a production bubble, and her dual talents as actress and dancer made her perfect for the role. Whilst a second season hasn’t been officially announced, the show launched her onto the international stage.
Her follow-up project proved even more impactful. In Silverton Siege, released on Netflix in April 2022, Noxolo played Mbali “Terra” Mabunda, a headstrong MK (Umkhonto we Sizwe) soldier. Director Mandla Dube created this character specifically for the film to include a female freedom fighter, even though the real 1980 Silverton bank siege involved three men.
Critics praised her commanding presence, comparing it to Angela Davis in the 1960s and 70s. The performance earned her the 2023 SAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Feature Film.
Noxolo’s career has accelerated significantly heading into 2025. She starred in Death of a Whistleblower (2023) as lead character Luyanda Masinda, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She also appeared in iNumber Number: Jozi Gold (2023) and How to Ruin Love: The Proposal (2024), both on Netflix.
The most significant milestone came in April 2025 with G20, an Amazon Prime action-thriller in which she plays Lesedi, a South African government agent during a terrorist attack at a G20 summit in Cape Town. Her co-star? Viola Davis, the Academy Award winner. “Lesedi is a badass… such a powerful representation of what a South African woman is,” Noxolo told interviewers.
She’s also appeared in Sniper: The Last Stand and Cop & a Half, both released in 2025.
Despite her screen success, Noxolo hasn’t abandoned the stage. She reprised the title role in Sarafina! at Joburg Theatre from May 30 to June 15, 2025. This was her third time playing the iconic character, following runs in 2017 and 2019. Her theatre credits also include Nina Simone: Four Women at Market Theatre (2019) and Magnificent Seven at South African State Theatre (2023).
Beyond Acting
Noxolo maintains an active career as a fitness coach and dancer. She’s a former member of Soweto Dance Theatre and trained extensively in street dance, pantsula, and bhenga alongside her formal ballet and flamenco education. She’s worked as a fitness instructor at Virgin Active Gym in South Africa and runs a dedicated fitness Instagram account where she shares workouts.
“I enjoy exercising and keeping active—it clears my mind and makes me lighter and calmer,” she’s said. Fitness has also helped her cope with social anxiety stemming from racism she experienced in the entertainment industry. Her agency lists voice work among her capabilities, too, adding commercial voiceover to her skill set.
Personal Life
Noxolo keeps her personal life relatively private. She’s reportedly single, with no confirmed romantic relationships despite occasional speculation about friendships with fellow performers. She’s multilingual, speaking English, Sotho, Setswana, and Zulu fluently. Her work has taken her across the globe to London, New York, Manila, and Singapore.
Family remains important to her, especially her mother and her niece, Liyana. She’s also involved in advocacy work, supporting children’s initiatives and community programs. In July 2024, she attended the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project Block Party in Los Angeles, joining fellow South African talents Thuso Mbedu and Lesley-Ann Brandt to support youth health and safety in Southern Africa.
On her craft, she’s said: “Acting isn’t merely a job—it is spiritual. It’s a channel that allows her to connect with people through their spirit.” That philosophy seems to guide her approach to every role she takes on.
