Sara Zwangobani
Sara Zwangobani is an Australian actress. She rose to prominence portraying Marigold Brandyfoot in Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in 2022. She has also appeared in Australian TV and film in Love My Way and Monarch Cove (2006), All Saints (2005 & 2009), Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006), Disgrace (2008), Packed to the Rafters’’ (2009), Soul Mates (2014), Home and Away and Doctor Doctor (2019).
Sara Zwangobani | |
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Born | Sara Zwangobani Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1997–present |
Early life
Zwangobani was born in Canberra, (ACT), Australia,[1] and brought up in Cook.[1] She has a Zimbabwean father and a Zulu surname and a sibling, brother Elliott Zwangobani, Australian Sports Commission director, a former futsal player.[1] She attended Cook Primary School,[1] then undertook a drama program at Hawker College, Canberra.[1] From 1985-1988, she trained in dance, many forms, such as ballet, jazz, modern, funk [2] and as a tap dancer, at Betsy Sawyer’s School of Dance,[1] and with the Human Veins Dance Theatre.[1] In 1989, undertook a Television and Film Workshops course at Broadway Film Studios in Canberra.[2] She furthered her education at the Victorian College of the Arts, graduating in 1992 with a Diploma of arts in dramatic arts (Acting).[2]
Career
Theatre
On graduating, Zwangobani was approached by actor John Howard for acting roles for the Sydney Theatre Company.[1] Performances include Summer of the Aliens,[2] The Crucible (2000), Women in Shorts (1997), Pulse 10 (1999), Imago (2001).[3] Girl in Tan Boots for the Griffin Theatre Company, Lyrebird for the Old Fitzroy Theatre, Dirty Butterfly.[3] Zwangobani played Mark Antony in Julius Caesar[4] In 2009, she played Rosetta in the Liv Ullmann directed A Streetcar Named Desire working with Cate Blanchett.[5] In 2010, Zwangobani starred in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of the Sarah Ruhl play In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) directed by Pamela Rabe.[2] Zwangobani played Elizabeth, a wet nurse of the main character [1]
Television and film
In 1997, she made her debut appearance on television in an episode of Fallen Angels [2] In 2006, she starred as Imogen in six episodes of the Australian drama series Love My Way,[6] which won ‘Best Television Drama Series’ at the Australian Film Institute Awards that year.[7] and won ‘Most Outstanding Drama Program’ at the ASTRA Awards [7] Continuing in 2006, she had a recurring role as Detective Maria Ramos for seven episodes of Lifetime’s prime time telenovela Monarch Cove.[8] She made appearances on Australian television and film in All Saints (2005 & 2009), Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006), Disgrace (2008), Packed to the Rafters’’ (2009), Soul Mates (2014), Home and Away and Doctor Doctor (2019).[3]
In 2022, She played Marigold Brandyfoot,[9] stepmother of Elanor (Nori) Brandyfoot,[10] played by fellow Australian actress Markella Kavenagh, in Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.[4] Filming of season 1 was carried out in New Zealand.[11]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | Star Baby | Arial | Short film [12] |
2002 | The Merchant of Fairness | Danielle | film |
2006 | One of the Lucky Ones | Hannah | Short film [12] |
2008 | Disgrace | Young Woman | film |
2017 | Dance Academy: The Movie | ICU Nurse McDaniel | Film [12] |
2020 | Grapefruit & Heat Death! | Prof. McLaw | Short film |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Fallen Angels | Community Liaison | S1 episode 3 – “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” |
2000 | Water Rats | Toloti Vivi | S5 episode 28 – “With a Vengence” |
2005–2009 | All Saints | Carol Graham / Detective Allen | 2 episodes |
2006 | Love My Way | Imogen | 6 episodes Wins Best Television Drama Series |
2006–2018 | Home and Away | Jodi Anderson / Mel Harris | 8 episodes |
2006 | Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King | News Anchor | 1 episode "Road Virus" [12] |
2006 | Monarch Cove | Detective Maria Ramos | 7 episodes |
2006 | Two Twisted | Sarah | 1 episode |
2007 | The Starter Wife | Debra | 1 episode |
2007 | One of the Lucky Ones | Prosecuting Lawyer | TV movie |
2009 | Packed to the Rafters | Sonographer /Ultra Sound Technician | 2 episodes |
2014 | Soul Mates | Nancy | Season 1 episode 5 – “Father Time” |
2019 | Doctor Doctor | Dr. Luisa | S4 episode2 - "Don't Stop Me Now" |
2022 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | Marigold Brandyfoot | 6 episodes |
References
- Musa, Helen (2 June 2011). "Sara comes home a star". citynews.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014.
- "Sara Zwangobani" (PDF). Mollison Keightley Management. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- "Back to Cast & Crew - Sara Zwangobani - Marigold Brandyfoot". amazonstudios.com. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- Teti, Juia (26 August 2022). "Sara Zwangobani on How Motherhood Informed Her Matriarchal Role in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power". sheknows.com.
- Altaira (18 December 2020). "Amazon Casting: Sara Zwangobani". theonering.net.
- "australian television information archive Love My Way: episode guide Series Two". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- "australian television information archive Love My Way: awards & nominations". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- "Monarch Cove: Episode #1.10 Discover". videodetective.com. 12 February 2006.
- Keast, Jackie (8 February 2023). "'You still have to carry you around': The Rings of Power changes Sara Zwangobani's career". if.com.au.
- "The Rings of Power's Sara Zwangobani on Diversity in LOTR Universe". syfy.com. 13 October 2022.
- "Sara Zwangobani Welcomes Inclusion to Middle-Earth in 'The Rings of Power'". Cliché Magazine. 28 November 2022.
- "Showcast Actor Profile - Sara Zwangobani". MKM. Retrieved 16 March 2023.