Lunathi Mampofu (born 7 March 1987) is a South African actress and film director. She is best known for starring as Emma in the Mzansi Magic telenovela The River.
Mampofu has starred in other telenovelas, including The Queen as Benni and Inimba as Zoleka. She was named Best Dressed and Most Stylish Personality at the 2024 Feather Awards and nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 1802: Love Defies Time.
| Lunathi Mampofu | |
|---|---|
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| Personal Details | |
| Born: | Lunathi Mampofu |
| Nationality: | 7 March 1987 (age ) |
| Alma mater: | AFDA New York Film Academy |
| Occupation: | Actress, film director |
| Years active: | 2009-date |
| Notable role: | Emma in The River |
| Children: | Skye |
| Siblings: | Oros Mampofu (brother) Prince Mampofu (brother) Tankiso Mampofu-Usedo (sister) Uhuru Mampofu (sister) |
Early Life
Lunathi Mampofu was born on 7 March 1987 in Cape Town, South Africa. She grew up in a Christian home as her father is a pastor. She has two brothers, Oros and Prince, and sisters Tankiso Mampofu-Usedo and Uhuru Mampofu.
Education
Lunathi attended Victoria Girls High School. There, she began acting in theatre and playing music. She also traveled to Europe with the school choir.
She studied acting at the South African School of Motion Picture, Media and Live Performance (AFDA) in 2010. She completed her studies at the New York Film Academy in 2013.
Career
Mampofu made her screen acting debut in the short film Umthandazo (2009). She landed her debut international gig in 2010 in the movie The Good Man, which was shot in South Africa and Ireland.
Lunathi has appeared in many theatre productions, including Remember to Remember the Memorial, Almost Maine, and Look Before You Leap. She also appeared in student and professional films at AFDA, including Rising Light, Mercy, and Little Blue Line.
She later moved to Los Angeles to gain experience and worked as an assistant at the casting agency The Gersh Agency. She expanded into television with her debut role as a spiritualist in an episode of the Mzansi Magic drama series Isikizi in 2016.
Mampofu starred as Zikhona Sebotsane in season 2 of the SABC1 drama Ingozi. She also portrayed Lerato in the Vuzu drama Ambitious and Claudia Dunn in the Mzansi Magic drama Unmarried.
Lunathi landed the role of Benni in the Mzansi Magic telenovela The Queen. She played Emma in the Mzansi Magic telenovela The River, her breakthrough role. She portrayed Brenda in Netflix’s Mexican adaptation, Fatal Seduction.
Aside from acting, Lunathi is a fashion designer. She launched the minimalistic clothing brand Wushe Designs, alongside her sister, Uhuru Mampofu.
Lunathi is the founder of the non-profit organisation My Defense. She also starred in the fashion label Levi’s “I Shape My World” campaign, launched on International Women’s Day. She has appeared in commercials for clients including Discovery Insure and Glen Tea.
Mampofu won Outstanding Supporting Actress and Viewer’s Choice Best Actress for her portrayal of Emma at the annual Royalty Soapie Awards 2023 at The Galleria in Kramerville, Johannesburg.
She was also named Best Dressed and Most Stylish Personality at the 2024 Feather Awards. She was also a nominee for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 1802: Love Defies Time. She signed up with American talent agency Rebelle Management.
In 2025, Mampofu visited a young girl, Kago Unathi, with her daughter, Skye, and brought her gifts to the hospital, in a visit organized by the non-governmental organization Reach For A Dream.
Personal Life
Lunathi Mampofu was in a relationship with film director Bohlale “Bo Maq” Makgolane in 2023. She previously dated Dylan Lloyd for two years. She has a daughter, Skye, whom she had in America.
Filmography
Television Roles
- #Karektas as Celebrity Guest
- 1802: Love Defies Time as Athi
- Ambitions as Lerato
- Celeb Feasts with Zola as Guest
- Code 13 as Bongi Nkosi
- Fatal Seduction as Brenda Grootboom
- In Your Dreams as Sangoma
- Ingozi as Zikhona Sebotsane
- Inimba as Zoleka
- Isikizi as Spiritualist
- Kings of Jo’burg as Zaza
- Levels as Bongi
- Shadow as Mary
- The Queen as Benni
- The River as Emma
- Unmarried as Claudia Dunn
Films
- Umthandazo as Nontobeko
- The Good Man as Katleho
- Mercy as Monica
References
- Siya Tsewu. “The River’s Lunathi Mampofu joins forces with her family and friends to help the needy”. Drum.
- Thobile Mazibuko. “Lunathi Mampofu stars in Levi’s ’I Shape My World’ campaign”. Independent Online.
- Andiswa Ngenyane. “Actress goes international!”. Daily Sun.
- Julia Madibogo. “The River wins big at Royalty Soapie Awards”. City Press.
- Chuma Nontsele. “Lunathi Mampofu surprises a young girl battling a life-threatening disease in hospital”. Drum.
- Theo Nyhaba. “Second time lucky for Lunathi Mampofu”. Zimoja.
- Andiswa Ngenyane. “Kings of Jo’burg actress wants to be a fashion mogul!”. Daily Sun.
- Entertainment Reporter. “Lunathi Mampofu and Kgothatso Montjane were among the biggest winners at the 2024 Feather Awards”. Daily News.
- Phila Tyekana. “5 minutes with actress Lunathi Mampofu – ‘I’ve learnt to be patient with myself’”. TrueLove.
- TVSA. “Lunathi Mampofu – Bio”. www.tvsa.co.za.
- Gaone Pule. “One-on-one with The Queen’s Lunathi Mampofu“. TrueLove.
