Mothusi Magano is a South African actor who has made a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Born in the small village of Phokeng on the outskirts of Rustenburg, his family moved to Mafikeng when he was just five years old. It was here that he discovered his passion for performance, participating in a pantomime called A Dragon For Dinner at the Mmabana Cultural centre.
Mothusi's formal training began when he enrolled at the Wits School of Dramatic Art in 1998. In his first year, he auditioned for all plays at Wits and landed roles in Death and the Maiden and Little Shop of Horrors. This was just the beginning of his successful career, as he went on to appear in numerous theatre productions, including The Third Man, Stones in His Pockets, Venus, Four, Lysistrata, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Bread and Butter, Maid in the New South Africa, American Buffalo, The Coloured Museum, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, and Hamlet.
In 2003, Mothusi's friend asked him to play Harry Lime in his production of The Third Man, which led to him being signed to an agent and filming his first film, Gums and Noses. He went on to appear in Hotel Rwanda and Tsotsi, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, as well as FNB commercials.
Mothusi's television career took off in 2006 when he landed his first major role in the SABC3 drama series The Lab, starring for three seasons. He also had recurring roles in the ITV drama series Wild at Heart and the SABC1 drama series Intersexions. In 2012, he guest-starred in the SABC2 drama series 90 Plein Street, and in 2013, he landed his second starring role in the SABC1 drama series Tempy Pushas.
In 2014, Mothusi won the best actor award at the SAFTAs for his starring role in Of Good Report. He has also appeared in the e.tv soapie Scandal! as the mysterious assassin The Dustbin Man, and in the sports drama Keeping Score on SABC 2. In 2019, he was nominated for a SAFTA for his role as Phaks in Emonyeni: Nsanguluko.
Throughout his career, Mothusi has demonstrated his versatility as an actor, taking on a wide range of roles in both television and theatre. With his impressive list of credits, he has cemented his place as one of South Africa's most talented actors.
