John Kani

Personal context

Summary

John Kani is a South African actor, playwright and director whose career began in anti-apartheid protest theatre, including Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island, which he co-wrote and performed in. His plays Nothing but the Truth and Kunene and the King examine apartheid’s legacy, reconciliation and relations between Black and white South Africans. Kani has described theatre as a weapon in the struggle for liberation and calls himself a freedom fighter who used stories and writing; he has also urged artists to engage with social realities, including gender-based violence and femicide. He has spoken about the significance of African representation in Hollywood and the opportunities Black Panther created for future African-led films.