JANE MAYNE
Lesley-Ann Brandt is no stranger to a demanding schedule. With post-production on Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent Season 2 wrapping up, the South African-born actress remains firmly in the orbit of Hollywood, where the next script, character and challenge are never far away.
Yet, for all the glamour and global reach of her acting career, one of her most meaningful roles is closer to home: patron of the Kay Mason Foundation, which champions education as a pathway to opportunity.
That commitment took centre stage at the foundation’s recent Hummingbird Ball at Zeitz MOCAA on 7 October. Addressing guests by video, Brandt welcomed an influential gathering from across South Africa’s business, finance and cultural communities.
The V&A Waterfront event came in the wake of last year’s fabulous London ball, which hosted star actors and high society royalty. Brandt says it was an incredibly glamorous event. “One of the highlights for me was meeting Jeremy Irons – I’m a huge fan of him as an actor. He also generously stepped up again for the Cape Town Hummingbird Ball, donating his Bvlgari watch for auction.”
Her Most Meaningful Role Yet
While moviegoers loved her performances in the likes of Lucifer, Drift and Zombie Apocalypse, what does she consider her best role yet? “As being mother to my son! There’s plenty on the go in the world of showbiz. I am just really interested in dynamic, layered, complex stories. Sometimes women can be written one-dimensionally, but there are such incredibly juicy roles in television, particularly for women. There’s a great show on Hulu called Furious, it stars Emmy Rossum and Lola Petticrew, who’s this amazing Northern Irish actress. It explores the fury in these women, and in my experience, sometimes people are scared to kind of go there. One of my proud moments in a film I just completed, titled Bender, was fighting for the matriarch in our film, and layering in the complexity of life in Ireland in 1979. So, I just look for interesting different points of view. I never judge the characters I play.”
What’s an unexpected role she’d love to tackle? “I really love period projects, and action as well. I think people can see me doing action roles, and I recently also did a romantic comedy. The job of the actor is a challenge. I started in Spartacus, with its accents and period, and I would love to just take on something that completely changes how I look.”
She adds: “I do see myself as a chameleon. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live was a great example where I really used my Capetonian accent. I was very dressed down, playing a military officer. Hearing that Cape Flats accent in a big franchised show like The Walking Dead and working with Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln, that was great! People didn’t realize it was me, and so I think I just want to keep people guessing, I suppose.”
A Life Less Scripted
Brandt was born in 1981, growing up in Athlone. She shares that, “Where I sit today in life is not necessarily the future that was envisioned for me. That wasn’t for lack of talent, it was really just opportunities and resources. Sometimes when we look at charities in Africa there’s an association of poverty, and that’s all you see. While there are socioeconomic obstacles for young people, what, for example, the KMF programme is doing, is tapping into potential, allowing children to grow and to be a real changemakers in the country – which is what we really need.”
Reflecting on the importance of giving back, and why the foundation’s mission resonates so deeply with her, she says, “When you invest in a child’s education, the long-term value for a country is invaluable. We have a high unemployment rate in South Africa, and we have real social issues. Gender-based violence is big right now. We’re teaching our boys and girls to step into their own power and reach a set goal. We do have a responsibility as a wider community to create those opportunities for them.”
Lights, Camera, Kindness
Brandt left South Africa two weeks after matriculating, moving to New Zealand. “I had a very different sort of beginning to my 20s than most South Africans. But I think programs like the KMF are plugged into the ever-evolving dynamics of the world. That’s why the Hummingbird Ball is such a wonderful way to introduce people to an initiative that perhaps they weren’t aware of.”
If she could give scholars advice based on her own journey, what would that be? “To use every ‘no’ as a fuel to the fire of their journey. The ‘no’s’ and the lows and the disappointments – those are where the diamonds are formed right in the middle of that fire. I have had a most unconventional life and career, and I’m grateful for all of it. Don’t ever let outside voices sway you. But most importantly, you have to be prepared to do the work every single day.”
“This world owes you nothing. And especially in Hollywood, it’s not a meritocracy. The best person for the job doesn’t always get the job. The most talented person doesn’t always get the job. There are very many reasons why someone is hired, or not hired. And sometimes it’s just political and out of your hands. But that can’t determine how you see yourself as an artist. So truly, be prepared to do the work. Nothing worth anything comes easy.”
Meanwhile, as the much-loved South African star moves on to the next chapter of her career, her ongoing commitment to the KMF offers a reminder that not every meaningful role comes with a director, a camera, or a closing credit. Sometimes, the most important work happens behind the scenes — helping young people build futures in which they, too, get to call the shots.
Middle picture: KMF Patron Lesley-Ann Brandy with Chairperson Sethu Pama.
