| Dumisani Dlamini | |
| Birth Date: | 23 October 1963[1] |
| Birth Place: | Durban, South Africa |
| Years Active: | 1987present |
| Known For: | Portraying Crocodile on Sarafina! |
| Notable Works: | Yizo Yizo |
| Children: | Doja Cat |
Dumisani Dlamini (in Zulu 'ɮamini/; born 23 October 1963) is a South African actor and dancer best known for playing Crocodile on Sarafina! (1992) and Chester on Yizo Yizo.[2] He is the father of American musician Doja Cat.[3] [4]
Dlamini started his career in South Africa as a dancer which led him to be cast in the musical, Sarafina! which premiered in South Africa in 1987. His international career started when the musical became a Broadway production which led him to tour the U.S. from 28 January 1988 — 2 July 1989.[5] His film career began when the play was adapted into the movie Sarafina! (1992) starring Whoopi Goldberg. He lived in the U.S. for a few years after the show ended and later returned to South Africa where he continued his work in the television and music industry. He is also credited as the producer and pianist on Linda Kekana's I am an African album which was released by Gallo Records in 2002.[6] He started a career in television and has been acting for the past 30 years where he appeared in popular South African shows like Isibaya, Shaka Ilembe, and Yizo Yizo amongst others.[7]
Dlamini is from Durban, South Africa and is of Zulu descent.[8]
In the 1990s, in the course of a tour to the United States as a part of Mbongeni Ngema's cast and crew,[9] Dlamini met painter and clothing designer, Deborah Sawyer and had a relationship with her before parting ways, Sawyer is also the mother of his daughter Doja Cat.
In 2023, at the age of 59, Dlamini paid bride price (lobola) for his wife Ophelia Mulela on 2 September 2023, the couple held a private ceremony in Soweto, South Africa.[10] He was previously engaged to Girlie Nhlengethwa and Nandi Ndlovu.[11]
| List of Accolades | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Award / Film Festival | Year | Recipient | Project | Nomination | Result | Ref. |
| South African Film and Television Awards | 2009 | Usindiso | Golden Horn Award for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Drama | |||
| 2022 | eHostela | Golden Horn Award for Best Actor in a TV Drama | ||||