N!xau, a San from the Kalahari Desert, was unexpectedly discovered by renowned director Jamie Uys, who subsequently cast him in the starring role of the 1980 cinematic masterpiece, The Gods Must Be Crazy. Despite receiving a modest payment of only a few hundred dollars for his work in the initial film, N!xau demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurial acumen by successfully negotiating a substantial sum, exceeding half a million dollars, for his appearance in the sequel, The Gods Must Be Crazy II, released nine years later in 1989.
Throughout his life, N!xau struggled with the debilitating effects of tuberculosis, a condition that had a profound impact on his overall well-being. Tragically, his health continued to decline, and in early July 2003, Namibian officials stationed in the remote region of the Kalahari Desert, where N!xau resided, confirmed his passing. Although the exact cause of his death remained a mystery, it was estimated that N!xau was 59 years old at the time of his demise, a figure that was itself uncertain, as even N!xau himself was unclear about his birthdate.
