… As New BET Reality Show Premieres
Brand new BET local reality series, Top Actor SA, puts a dramatic new spin on the reality genre as it aims to find the hottest new actor in SA.Top Actor SA, hosted by South African film and television star Zikhona Sodlaka (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Generations) and produced by Urban Brew Studios in partnership with Samad Davis, premieres on BET (DStv Premium, channel 129), on Thursday April, 3 at 7:45PM.BET has handpicked twelve of the best up and coming actors in the country to battle it out on camera in front of big industry names from Hollywood and South Africa. At stake? The chance to win the title “Top Actor SA”, and a career-launching prize package that includes R100,000, international management representation and a professional role in an upcoming South Africa television/movie production. The contestants will have to show guts and determination to get through a series of themed challenges as the judges test their acting skills in key acting disciplines from Romance to Horror, Comedy, Soap, Action, Theatre and more. Living under one roof, there will be drama in the house and on the screen as the contestants compete against each other in grueling acting challenges, all while facing the grim prospect of elimination every week. See the hopeful young thespians vying for the title of Top Actor SA below:
| Contestant | Age | Comes from | Background |
| “Perci” Moeketsi | 26 | Brits, North West Province (SA) | Aspiring actor/student; currently studying Musical Theatre at Tshwane University of Technology. |
| “Altovise” Lawrence | 23 | Boksburg, Johannesburg (SA) | Aspiring actor just graduated with honours from the University of Witwatersrand with a Bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts. |
| “Lauren” Jenae Vankeirsbilck | 23 | Johannesburg (SA) | Aspiring Actor/Studied at Rhodes University; majoring in TV Journalism, Media Studies and Dramatic Arts. She then went on to study her honours in Screen Acting at the Motion Picture and Film school, known as AFDA. |
| “Joe” Kazadi | 24 | South African Citizen originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. | Aspiring actor. No formal training. |
| “Ayanda” Sibisi | 28 | Durban (SA) | Studied Theatre and Music. aspiring actor.
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| “Oros” Mampofu | 24 | Johannesburg (SA)
| Graduated from ADFA in 2014 with a degree in acting. Aspiring actor.
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| “Busi” Thawla | 27 | Ladysmith, KwaZulu Natal (SA) | Studied at the University of WITS for her BADA degree . Musician/songwriter and aspiring actor. |
| “Paris” Kalamula | 24 | Cosmo City, Johannesburg (SA) | IMM Graduate School of Marketing – (former Big Brother Africa 2014 cast member); aspiring actor. |
| “Lesego” Pooe | 24 | Caltonville, Gauteng (SA) | Aspiring actor. No formal training. |
| “Mbali” Nkosi | 26 | Soweto (SA) | No formal training. Aspiring actor. |
| “Francois” Jacobs
| 25 | Nelspruit, Mpumalanga (SA) | Completed his BA in (Drama) with a degree from the University of Stellenbosch. Full time actor. |
| “Nicholas” Nkuna (Age 26)
| 26 | Nelspruit, Mpumalanga (SA) | Studied Musical Theatre at TUT Pretoria, then specially selected to continue honing his craft at the USA’s prestigious Ballstate University, Indiana. Actor/singer/thespian. |