‘Y’all showed up and showed off with the love’ - Thuso Mbedu thanks SA for support

US-based SA actress Thuso Mbedu has expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the support  and love she has felt since she made her debut in Hollywood as Cora in The Underground Railroad.

Thuso said she still could not believe how much her home country has rallied behind her  from the moment news of her bagging the role was shared to the series finally being released last month.

“My fellow South Africans! Y’all showed up and showed off with the love. Thank you, thank you, thank you guys. From wanting to set aside a day to working on the dance (choreographed by Hungani Ndlovu) to rocking out in sneakers because they are my favourite thing: Thank you, I love you SA,” Thuso said.

Thuso accompanied the post with a picture of herself standing in front of a huge billboard with her face on it.

Thuso also gave a shout-out to the world at large, not overlooking the love the Barry Jenkins-directed series received worldwide.

Thuso plays the lead role of Cora, a young woman born and raised in bondage on a Georgia plantation. Cora’s brutal reality is made bearable through the belief she will one day escape the plantation and be reunited with her mother, Mabel, who left her behind when she escaped some years before. 

Cora finally gets her chance to escape after fellow slave Caesar (Aaron Pierre) persuades her to do so, and her journey begins as she travels on the mythical underground railroad in search of her freedom.

Thuso has sung praises of the cast and crew of the series and thanked them for their great work ethic and how they have become family to her.