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John Kani

John Kani

Highest Rated: 96% Black Panther (2018)

Lowest Rated: 45% Murder Mystery 2 (2023)

Birthday: Nov 30, 1942

Birthplace: New Brighton, South Africa

South African actor and filmmaker John Kani made his big screen debut as a sergeant opposite industry veterans Richard Burton, Roger Moore, and Richard Harris in "The Wild Geese," a 1978 action flick in which a group of experienced mercenaries attempt to overthrow a dictator in the heart of Africa. Following a myriad of moderate successes in the 1980s, Kani enjoyed a bona fide hit with "Sarafina!" in 1992. Headlined by Academy Award-winner Whoopi Goldberg, the musical drama cast Kani as a school principal in his native South Africa. In 1996, director Stephen Hopkins tapped Kani to play Samuel, a native African assisting in the hunt of two deadly lions in the period thriller "The Ghost and the Darkness," starring Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer. Kani's character provides the film's memorable narration. Kani made his directorial debut in 2009, an adaptation of his play "Nothing But the Truth," which is set amidst the social turmoil of post-apartheid South Africa. Kani also played the lead role in the film. The veteran actor's penchant for theater caught the eye of Academy Award-winner Ralph Fiennes, who cast Kani as General Cominius of the Roman army in his big screen mounting of "Coriolanus," based on the classic Shakespeare play.

Highest rated movies

96% 79% Black Panther
92% 58% Coriolanus
70% 76% The Wild Geese
60% 86% Sarafina!
50% 75% The Ghost and the Darkness 45% 46% Murder Mystery 2

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mufasa: The Lion King Rafiki (Voice) - 2024
45% 46% Murder Mystery 2 Colonel Ulenda (Character) - 2023
No Score Yet 64% Seal Team Unknown (Voice) - 2021
52% 88% The Lion King Rafiki (Voice) $543.6M 2019
96% 79% Black Panther T'Chaka (Character) $700.2M 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Suit Mr. Maphikela (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet When Voices Meet Unknown (Character) - 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jail Caesar Marius (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Janapriyan Unknown (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet How to Steal 2 Million Julius Twala Snr. (Character) - 2011
92% 58% Coriolanus Gen. Cominius (Character) $756.5K 2011
No Score Yet 68% White Lion Old Gisani (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nothing but the Truth Sipho (Character),
Director,
Screenwriter
- 2009
No Score Yet 54% The Bird Can't Fly Stone (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 100% Final Solution Rev. Peter Lekota (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Freedom Fighters Rev. Peter Lekota (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Tichborne Claimant Bogle (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kini & Adams Ben (Character) - 1997
50% 75% The Ghost and the Darkness Samuel (Character) $38.6M 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Soweto Green Dr. Curtis Tshabalala (Character) - 1996
60% 86% Sarafina! School Principal (Character) $7.3M 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Options Jonas (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet An African Dream Khatana (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Saturday Night at the Palace September (Character) $3.2K 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Master Harold and the Boys Unknown (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Grass Is Singing Moses (Character) - 1981
70% 76% The Wild Geese Sgt. Jesse Blake (Character) - 1978

TV

Credit
89% 79% What If...? T'Chaka (Voice) 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Unknown (Character) 2009