Big in US: Five SA stars you don't know

01 April 2015 - 02:54 By Andile Ndlovu

You know you're in on a big deal when you steal all the headlines from a beauty queen - and Trevor Noah made new Miss SA Liesl Laurie's feat look as ordinary as walking to get the milk and bread on a Sunday morning. Noah will become the US's newest and youngest late-night television show host when he takes over The Daily Show from Jon Stewart.His accomplishment has significantly raised the bar for other South African entertainers - but we are a talented bunch.Among our luminaries are Hollywood stars Sharlto Copley and Charlize Theron, film director Neill Blomkamp, Miss World Rolene Strauss, musicians such as Lira and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and entrepreneur and inventor Elon Musk.But who are the South Africans on the rise?Here are our top 5:Candice PillayWe have not even heard Rihanna's eagerly awaited eighth studio album but we already know that it features Pietermaritzburg-born Pillay. She has written for Kelly Rowland, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera - and this week she revealed that she worked on Rihanna's latest single, Bitch Better Have My Money. Pillay is currently in the studio with hip-hop legend Dr Dre.Lesley-Ann BrandtThe Cape Town-born actress, who has starred in shows including Spartacus, The Librarians and the hit HBO series Being Mary Jane, has recently landed a new gig. It was announced last month that she would join the cast of Fox's Lucifer, playing Satan's BFF, Maze, a demon.Johnny AppleThe teen sensation is so young, one almost refuses to believe that big, compelling voice is his. The SA's Got Talent 2013 victor is currently touring with One Direction on the South African leg of their On The Road Again tour. His debut self-titled album sat at number 2 on iTunes yesterday afternoon (charting higher than One Direction's Four).Kandyse McClureThis Durban-born beauty is famous for her role in the US sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica as Anastasia Dualla, and as Doctor Clementine Chasseur on the Netflix horror series Hemlock Grove. Her latest venture, the fantasy film Seventh Son, has her appearing alongside Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Djimon Hounsou and Jason Scott Lee.Gideon EmeryBorn in the UK but raised in South Africa and educated at Wits University, Emery lent his vocal talents to How To Train Your Dragon 2. He will be one of the cast of the new Netflix series, Daredevil. The 13-part first season premieres this month...

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