It is hard to get to the top and stay there, even locally. But once in a while, a star arises so bright that not even international boundaries can hold the shine.
These are ZAlebs who have made it internationally.
Thuso Mbedu
We would be wrong if we didn't start with Thuso Mbedu, the young queen who has recently taken Hollywood by storm. Her career in America has been colourful, and she has been rubbing shoulders with the biggest names in the global entertainment industry, including Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah and Rihanna, and wow, queen. Please show us your ways.
Read also: 7 Times Thuso Made Mzansi Proud This Year
She stars in the latest phenomenon, The Underground Railroad, an Amazon miniseries that tells the story of slaves trying to escape their masters. She has already won an award for the role, and many more will be coming. She is a phenomenal actress after all.
Trevor Noah
There isn't a celebrity in recent times who has made Mzansi prouder than our son, Trevor Noah. Hearing about his childhood struggles of being mixed race in a country experiencing apartheid is enough to make you love him, but if that doesn't convince you, just watch one of his comedy routines.
He first started out on Isidingo and YFM, but his shine couldn't be contained. He eventually moved to the US in 2011, where he has found great success, and nothing says household name quite like hosting The Daily Show.
Although he has built a whole life abroad, Trevor makes a point of visiting Mzansi annually, and most recently he brought his girlfriend Minka Kelly. He also enjoys a close relationship with the friends he left here, like radio personality Anele Mdoda, and we love to see that he has not forgotten his roots.
Black Coffee
Black Coffee has had the most illustrious career of any DJ in Mzansi. In fact, he has made it so big that he is ranked as Africa's richest musician who still lives in the continent.
As of 2020, it was reported that he charges $100,000 to play a set at a gig, and we are pretty sure this excludes his transport and accommodation. He has played all over the world, and is well recognised in Europe and the US, and recently celebrated when his song was featured as a soundtrack on The Matrix Resurrections.
Read also: Black Coffee Celebrates Big Hollywood Win
Nomzamo Mbatha
Actress and activist Nomzamo Mbatha has been living in the US for quite some time, and was even on Coming 2 America, a hilarious comedy film with OG stars like Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall.
Read also: Mzansi Approves Nomzamo's Latest Project
If that is not enough proof that she has hit it big, she spent Thanksgiving with Oprah, where the media mogul hosted several influential African women for a variety of African meals.
Read more: Nomzamo Enjoys SA Cuisine With Oprah
Lootlove
Radio personality Lootlove left Metro FM suddenly, leaving her fans heartbroken and confused. But who would have thought that something even bigger was waiting for her ahead?
Read also: Lootlove Remembers Her Late Brother
A few months later, she announced that she had landed an international gig. She is currently a host on Africa Now Radio, a channel by Apple Music which plays and promotes African music.
Never before has anyone been more suited for a job than Lootlove is for this gig, and it has already had a great impact in her life. She regularly interacts with the who's who in the African music scene, including Tanzania's Diamond Platnumz and Nigeria's Davido. She's living the dream!
Pearl Thusi
The Queen Sono star has gone international too, but that should not surprise you. She is The Real Black Pearl after all. She was the global hit detective show Quantico, on which she did an amazing job.
Read also: Pearl Faces Mzansi's Wrath Over House Chores
She also lived in the US briefly, taking part in the Global Citizen She Is Equal Summit in New York as an ambassador. Of course, she continued her reign as the style icon abroad, and also had her interactions with globally famous celebrities like Priyanka Chopra. But she returned home because this is where he heart and loved ones are.
Zozibini Tunzi
Nobody could have predicted this, yet we all feel like it was well deserved when Zozi Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe in 2019.
Read also: Zozi Tunzi Opens Up About Fear
She had also won Miss SA the same year, and her star was all the way up. To date, she remains one of Mzansi's favourite Miss SA winners, and she was only the third SA woman to win Miss Universe since it began. Talk about trailblazing!
Read also: Zozibini Tunzi Melts Hearts
Lalela Mswane
While we're on the subject of Miss SA, we have to mention Lalela Mswane, Miss SA 2021. The young beauty queen represented the country at the Miss Universe pageant the same year, and finished as the Second Runner Up.
Read more: Death Threats Did Not Deter Lalela Mswane
But the journey to the top wasn't easy. Lalela faced a lot of backlash when she said she would be going to Israel for the pageant. Mzansi could not understand how she, a South African born into apartheid, could be so happy to go to Israel, which has been having its own apartheid issues of late.
She doubled down on her decision amidst the noise, and it paid off for her in the end. Proof that Lalela is unstoppable, and we can't wait to see what the future holds for her.
Being a celebrity is a full time job, so we can't imagine what it must be like to be big in multiple countries. But these ZAlebs make it look easy, and we can only stan and wish them the best.