South Africa’s women are tearing up the film scene at home and across borders. Our most recent obsession, Thuso Mbedu, doesn’t mess around, either. She casually sat down for an interview with none other than Charlize Theron, in a magazine no less than Vogue.
“Brought together to compare their backgrounds and discuss The Underground Railroad, the two stars—both now based in Los Angeles—covered a lot of ground; from the merits of chosen families to the global problem of gender-based violence,” the publication writes.
Here is a snippet of their inspiring conversation about who is more impressed by who:
Thuso Mbedu: “I don’t want to fangirl, but I’m very excited to be talking to you.”
Charlize Theron: “Oh my gosh, you just took the words out of my mouth. I’m so in awe of the work that you have done. There’s this emerging South African talent coming forth right now, and I’m just really proud and really impressed. You guys are stepping in and setting that bar.”
Charlize then went on to praise Mbedu’s acting.
“I have to say, there was something about your show that was, of course, riveting, shocking, infuriating, and it got every single emotion out of me, but at the same time, it felt like a warm blanket,” Theron said. “In a way, I could feel the energy of how this thing came together. It made me feel hopeful, really, really hopeful. Did you feel a sense of hope making it, as well? That you were telling a story and showing a history that we all have to be able to face?”
Mbedu responded, saying how important this role was for her and the message the series is trying to carry to viewers.
“Now, for the first time, Black people can take ownership of the narrative and tell the story of what actually happened. And Barry did a great job of how he told the story: When we see brutality on screen, that’s not for the sake of it. ”
“It’s not to sensationalize it or get a reaction. It really is a case of, I’m telling the story of this woman who falls in love, who suffers pain, and it just so happens that she is brutalized in the process. There is a bigger story at play,” Mbedu added.
We can’t wait to see more from this brilliant actress!
Pictures: Wikipedia
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