John Kani

Bonisile John Kani, born on 30 August 1942, is a South African actor, author, director, and playwright. He gained international prominence for his portrayal of T'Chaka in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther, as well as Rafiki in The Lion King and Colonel Ulenga in the Netflix films Murder Mystery. Kani was born in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. He established his career first with The Serpent Players in Port Elizabeth in 1965. His association with Athol Fugard and Winston Ntshona produced influential works like Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island. Kani also received an Olivier Award nomination for his role in My Children! My Africa! Kani's work, lauded for its contribution to theater, has been performed worldwide. His first plaque as a solo playwright, Nothing but the Truth, is a compelling exploration of the conflicts within post-apartheid South Africa.

In 1987 Kani played Othello in a performance of William Shakespeare's play in South Africa under apartheid. He founded and directs the John Kani Theatre Laboratory and chairs the National Arts Council of SA. Kani's contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe spanned the movies Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Black Panther (2018). His proficiency in the Xhosa language influenced the use of Xhosa in Black Panther as the official language of Wakanda, leading the protagonist, Chadwick Boseman, to learn the language for his role. Kani continues to contribute to film and theatre, starring in and scripting plays like Kunene and the King, and winning numerous lifetime achievement awards in recognition of his contributions to drama and the struggle for a non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic South Africa.