Pearl Thusi

Thusi is from townships of KwaNdengezi and Hammarsdale just outside Durban. She has two sisters.^[4] She attended Pinetown Girls' High School.^[5] She began her studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, but pulled out to make time for her career. In 2020, she resumed studies at the University of South Africa.^[6]

Thusi has two daughters. Her first daughter, Thando Mokwena, who is her biological daughter and an adopted child called Okuhlekonke Thusi.^[7]

Thusi is the host of Lip Sync Battle Africa on MTV and e.tv, as well as the talk show Moments, on EbonyLife TV.^[8] She has starred on the SABC 3 soap opera Isidingo, as Palesa Motaung, co-hosted Live Amp with DJ Warras and Luthando Shosha, and the SABC 1 celebrity gossip magazine show Real Goboza.^[9]

In 2009, Thusi starred as Patricia Kopong on the BBC/HBO comedy-drama The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.^[10]

In 2015, Thusi co-starred as Dr. Nandi Montabu in Tremors 5: Bloodlines. She also appeared in a music video entitled "Pearl Thusi" by rapper Emtee.^[11]

In 2016, Thusi was cast as a series regular in the role of Dayana Mampasi on the second season of the ABC thriller series Quantico, opposite Priyanka Chopra.^[12][13] In the same year, Thusi was cast as Samkelo in the romantic drama film Catching Feelings.^[14] The film was released in theaters on 9 March 2018.^[15]

In 2017, Thusi starred as Brenda Riviera in the drama film Kalushi.^[16]

In 2018, Thusi became the new host of the third season of MTV Base's Behind the Story.^[17] In the same year, Thusi was cast in the lead role of Queen Sono on the Netflix crime drama series Queen Sono.^[18] The series premiered on 28 February 2020 and was widely acclaimed by critics, and Thusi's performance in particular was singled out for praise.^{[19][20][21][22]} In April 2020, the series was renewed by Netflix for a second season.^[23] However, on 26 November 2020, it was reported that Netflix has cancelled the series because of the production challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.^[24] On 15 December 2020, She became a co-host of 1st KZN Entertainment Awards alongside Somizi Mhlongo.^{[25] [26][27]}

In February 2021, Thusi was cast as Zama Zulu in the Netflix film Fistful of Vengeance.^[28] It was released on 17 February 2022.^[29]