Who was Presley Chweneyagae? Details explored as Oscar-winning actor dies at 40

South African actor Presley Chweneyagae, known for his Oscar-winning role in the 2005 thriller Tsotsi, died at the age of 40. The news was shared by MLA Talent Management in an Instagram post.

According to a report by IOL, his family members informed the outlet that the actor died due to natural causes. Mzwakhe Sigudla, a spokesperson, said:

“We want to put the record straight that it was a natural death as far as we are concerned. He had a complication in relation to breathing.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the South African government also paid tribute to the late actor in an X post on May 27, 2025. The statement read:

“Rest in Peace, Presley Chweneyagae. The nation mourns the loss of a gifted storyteller whose talent lit up our screens and hearts. Your legacy will live on through the powerful stories you told. Robala ka kagiso.”

Chweneyagae was born on October 19, 1984, in South Africa’s Mafikeng. His venture into acting started at the age of ten, when he started taking classes. His performance in Tsotsi earned praise. The movie also became the first South African movie to win an Academy Award.

He was also a part of The River, which aired till 2024. Presley Chweneyagae was also involved in theater. The award agency SAFTA wrote on X:

“Rest in Power, Presley Chweneyagae A true legend of South African cinema. It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Presley Chweneyagae — a powerhouse performer whose talent left an indelible mark on our screens and in our hearts.”

Looking back at Presley Chweneyagae’s thoughts on acting

Scriptwriter Phathutshedzo Makwarela lamented the loss. He shared that being around Chweneyagae felt like being surrounded by love. Although the workdays were long and he wasn’t always cheerful, often staying quiet before filming, once the camera started rolling, his talent and energy immediately stood out.

Actor Ontshiametse Molekoa also shared his thoughts, saying:

“He was my role model, father, someone I would go to for advice on a lot of things I met him when I was nine years old, he took me to my first drama class. He is everything to me, I can't even think of my life without having a leader. It hits hard.”

In 2020, Presley Chweneyagae sat down on the MacG podcast, where he was asked about his inspiration behind acting. The late actor explained that while research was important for acting, much of it also came from closely watching how people behaved.

He believed that personal experiences played a role, especially when going through life’s challenges. He mentioned that those moments could be useful when performing, whether on screen or during public appearances. Chweneyagae added:

“You need to kind of draw from your own emotional memory to make the scene more believable. So, sometimes you draw from yourself, sometimes you draw from others that's the energy of others.”

Besides stressing the importance of having a good memory for remembering lines, he emphasized emotional memory. He said this helped one to revisit their feelings and compare them with situations in real life.

Trending

Also Read: What happened to Colton Ford? Actor and singer dies aged 62

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback