Johannesburg – South African internationally acclaimed actor Presley Chweneyage, of the “Tsotsi” film fame, has died at 40.
Announcing his passing on Tuesday, MLA, a leading artists’ agency, said: “It is with profound sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of one of South Africa’s most gifted and beloved actors, Presley Chweneyage, at the age of 40”.
He rose to prominence in 2005 for his starring role in Tsotsi, which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards.
Presley also gained admiration for his role as Cobra in the television series, The River.
His career spanned theatre, television, and film, with standout performances in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) and the award-winning television series The River (2018).
On stage, Presley’s presence was commanding and transformative, with roles in several plays including:
- Hamlet in Hamlet
- Mark Anthony in Julius Ceasar
- Bottom and Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Orestes in Dikeledi (an Aaption of Electro)
- Relativity, Urban Reality, Jack in The Box, The Grandball, Silent Voice, Kalushi, Cards, Beautiful Things, and more
“Presley was also a gifted writer and director,co-authoring the internationally acclaimed stage play Relativity with Paul Grootboom – later published by STE Publishers and directing the award-winning production CELL NO 4,” MLA said in a statement.
“Presley was a longtime and cherished member of the MLA family – more than a client, he was a friend, a mentor to many, and a beacon of creativity and perseverance.
“His passion for empowering the next generation of artists will remain an integral part of his legacy.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, children, extended family, colleagues, and all who knew and loved him.
“While we grieve the immense loss of a remarkable talent we celebrate the light he brought to the world.”
