HOLLYWOOD & SOUTH AFRICAN DIRECTORS...... It's Becoming an Invasion, in a GOOD Way!

ARTICLE

 

Writing this blog, I've come to notice there are quite a few South African directors who seem to have migrated to Hollywood and are currently involved with some of the biggest names in the business. For a country which has had notoriously negative press and connotation attached to it, it's nice to see positivity eminating from it for a change.
Australian actors and directors have saturated Hollywood ( Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts ) for a very long time already and South Africa has almost always been overlooked. So it's with extreme pride that we see our own take to the big screen. Most notable of these South Africans is Charlize Theron.

Now let's have a look at some of the directors who are changing Hollywood with their South African flavour:


GAVIN HOOD
Born May 12 1963 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Took film classes at UCLA extension. Currently waiting on the release of the highly anticipated Enders Game starring Harrison Ford due for release soon. Gavin Hood has directed big budget movies before and they include -

• X-Men Origins - Wolverine (2009)
• Rendition (2007)
• Tsotsi (2005)

 

 JONATHAN LIEBESMAN
Born 5 September 1976 in Johannesburg, South Afica. Studied filmaking at the South African School of Medium and Live Performance in 1996. Liebesman is currently directing Michael Bay's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to be released in 2014.He has also directed -

• Wrath of the Titans (2012)
• Battle Los Angeles (2011)
• The Killing Room (2009)
• Darkness Falls (2003)

NEILL BLOMKAMP
Born 17 September 1979 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He graduated from Vancouver FIlm School's 3D Animation and Visual Effects program in 1998. Blomkamp has just completed Elysium starring Matt Damon and to be released soon. His previous movies include -

• Elysium (2013)
• District 9 (2009)
• Alive in Joburg (2006)

SOUTH AFRICAN BABE
Charlize Theron.....You make us all proud!