10 Hottest African Actresses in Hollywood (Bet You Didn’t Know!)
Some of the most beautiful and hottest actresses to be found in Hollywood either have African parentage or were born on the continent of Africa.
Here is a list of the ten hottest African actresses in Hollywood.
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10. Kandyse McClure
Where she's from: South Africa
The very beautiful Kandyse McClure was born in Durban, South Africa. She later migrated to Canada and is today, known as a South-African-born Canadian actress.
Among the movies she has acted in are Romeo Must Die (2002) and Seventh Son (2015). She has also played roles in several television series with her most recent being her role as Sheriff Typson in the popular television series Supernatural (2016).
Her talent as an actress and as one of the hottest African actresses in Hollywood has been recognized. She received a Leo Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Carrie, 2002 and the Peabody Award for Excellence in Television for the role she played in Battlestar Galactica R&D TV, 2005.
9. Thandie Newton
Where she's from: Zimbabwe
Melanie Thandiwe “Thandie” Newton is a British actress whose mother is Zimbabwean and father is British. Her roles in The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) and Mission Impossible 2 (2002) have made her one of the hottest African actresses.
She has starred alongside other famous actors such as Eddie Murphy in the comedy Norbit and Run Fatboy Run and Tyler Perry in the romantic drama film Good Deeds. She is currently the lead actress in the television series, Line of Duty. Throughout her career, she has received several nominations and awards.
Among her awards are the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Hollywood Film Festival Award for Ensemble of the Year she received for her role as Christine in the 2004 film, Crash.
8. Ella Thomas
Where she's from: Eritrea
A model for Gap, L’Oreal, Elle, and Vogue; we can see why she is one of the hottest African actresses in Hollywood. Ella Thomas, Eritrean-American actress, and model, was born in Eritrea to an Eritrean mother and an American father.
She speaks German, French, English and Tingrinya and holds a B.A in Biology. Ella’s big break in acting came when she landed her first role in Artist View Film Disturbance (2005) which led to her getting a role in 7th Heaven (1996). Ella has since appeared television series such as NCIS (2003) and Parenthood (2010) among other others.
In 2016, she acted alongside Zoe Saldana in Nina (2016), a feature film. Her latest work is her role as Isobel Knight in the TV series, Ten Days in the Valley (2017).
7. Megalyn Echikunwoke
Where she's from: Nigeria
Actress Megalyn Echikunkwoke is the result of the union of an Igbo Nigerian man and a Navajo Indian woman. The genes she inherited along with her work in Hollywood has made her one of hottest African actresses in Hollywood.
This beauty has appeared in a number of television series and movies. She is best known for her roles in CSI: Miami and in The 4400 (2004). Her latest roles are that of Jamilah in the film Step Sisters (2017) and as Clementine in the film, An Actor Prepares (2017).
6. Michelle Van Der Water
Where she's from: South Africa
Michelle Van Der Water is a South African actress who grew up for the most part in Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts in Design and News Media. She started out as a model but later became interested in acting.
Her acting career took off in 2000. Throughout her career, she has starred in the film Minotaur (2006) alongside Tom Hardy and Tony Todd, the series Melrose Place (2009) among many others.
Another great read: Hottest Actors in South Africa – Top 10
5. Lupita Nyong’o
Where she's from: Kenya
Did you know that on Lupita Amondi Nyong'o, one of the hottest African actresses in Hollywood, was actually born in Mexico? Yeah, my eyebrows went up too.
Lupita was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents who subsequently moved back to Kenya. She speaks Spanish, Luo, English and Swahili. She holds a B.A. in Film and Theatre Studies and a Masters in Acting from Yale. Lupita got the attention of the world with her role as Patsey in the historical drama, 12 Years a Slave.
For this role, she got several nominations and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Since then this melanated queen has played a number of roles and has been featured on the covers of several magazines such as Vogue and Elle.
In 2004, People named her “The Most Beautiful Woman” and Glamour the “Woman of the Year”.
4. Azie Tesfai
Where she's from: Ethiopia and Eritrea
Actress, model, and social entrepreneur, Azie Tesfai was born to Eritrean and Ethiopian immigrants. She is an only child and is the owner of a Bachelors in Business Administration from UC Berkeley.
Her genetic makeup and illustrious career have made her one of the hottest African actresses in Hollywood. Her first role was in the television series Wicked, Wicked Games. Since then she has played roles in Law & Order, Jane the Virgin among others.
She is the founder and owner of Fortuned Culture, a handmade jewelry line. She donates all the proceeds from Fortuned Culture to children in need in developing countries like Ethiopia and Cambodia.
3. Liya Kebede
Where she's from: Ethiopia
The gorgeous Ethiopian Liya Kebede is indeed one of the hottest African actresses in Hollywood. Kebede is a model, actress, maternal health advocate and clothing designer.
She was discovered by a film director while attending school who introduced her to a French modeling agent. Later, she relocated to Paris and the to New York to pursue a career in modeling.
Her career as a model got the push it needed when she was featured in Gucci Fall/Winter 2000 fashion show. Since then she has been featured on the cover of Vogue and ad campaigns for famous brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Yves Saint-Laurent among others.
In 2007, she was eleventh on Forbes list of the World’s 15 Top-Earning Supermodels. She is the owner of Lemlem, a clothing line and has her own foundation.
2. Charlize Theron
Where she's from: South Africa
Charlize Theron, South African-American actress and film producer, was born in Benoni, South Africa. She speaks Afrikaans and English. She first worked as a model, for a while trained to become a dancer but had to bow out due to injuries.
Theron went on to become of the hottest African actresses in Hollywood. She made her first appearance in the film Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995) after which she played a hit-woman in 2 Days in the Valley (1996).
Soon she started to garner roles in larger productions such as The Devil’s Advocate (1997) and Mighty Joe Young (1998) which became box office successes. Theron won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004 and several other awards for her role as a serial killer in Monster.
1. Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Where she's from: South Africa
Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha is a one of the most talented British stage and film actresses in the film industry. She is the daughter of a South African doctor and an English nurse.
The stunning Gugu has earned her placed at the top of the ten hottest African actresses in Hollywood. In 2001, she received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and has appeared in a number of plays, films and TV series since her graduation in 2004.
She was nominated for a Gotham Award for Best Actress for her starring role in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights (2014). In 2005, she acted alongside Will Smith in the acclaimed Concussion (2015). Her latest project was her role as Plumette in Beauty and the Beast (2017).
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