When Sello Maake Ka-Ncube landed at an airport in Ethiopia, he got an unexpected reminder that his work had travelled farther than he had.
A few people recognised the South African actor from Blood & Water, the Netflix series that had become a hit well beyond the continent. Later, while travelling in Europe, he was recognised again by a group of Spaniards.
“These productions do give visibility to actors, and I think they also give visibility to South African storytelling,” Maake Ka-Ncube told TechCabal.
That visibility is one of the clearest signs of how much Africa’s entertainment industry has changed. A decade ago, the challenge was getting African stories beyond their home markets. Today, a Nigerian film can reach millions of viewers globally, a South African series can turn local actors into international names, and an actor from Zimbabwe can land a role in one of Netflix’s biggest global franchises.
Originally published by TechCabal.