Lunathi Mampofu
Lunathi Mampofu is a South African actress and film director. She is best known for playing lead and starring roles in Mzansi Magic telenovelas The Queen as Benni, The River as Emma and Inimba as Zoleka Bikitsha-Mabandla.
Career
2009–2018: Early career
Mampofu began her screen career in 2009 with a supporting role as Nontobeko in the drama film Umthandazo. She went on to appear in The Good Man, playing the starring role of Katleho and later portrayed Monica in the 2014 film Mercy. Her early work in film helped establish her range in dramatic performance and introduced her to wider audiences.Mampofu transitioned steadily into television, earning her first recurring role as a Spiritualist in the 2016 series Isikisi and a starring role as Zikhona Sebotsane in season 2 of Ingozi. In 2018 she appeared across several productions, including a recurring performance as Lerato in Ambitious, and the role of Claudia Dunn in seasons 2 and 3 of Unmarried. That same year, she joined The Queen as Benni in its third season.
2019–2022: Breakthrough role in ''The River''
In 2019, Mampofu featured as herself on Celeb Festival With Zola and portrayed Marry in the Netflix action series Shadow. Her career gained further momentum in 2020 with roles in Lockdown Heights and as Zaza across the first two seasons of Kings of Jo’Burg. She received widespread recognition for her portrayal of Emma, a major character in The River, where she appeared from seasons 3 to 6. She won two Royalty Soapie Awards for her starring role for Emma from The River for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Best Actress categories by Viewers Choice. The year also included an appearance as herself on #Karektas hosted by Desmond Dube.2023–present: Lead roles in ''Inimba'' and ''Levels''
In 2023, Mampofu expanded her presence in both mainstream and streaming productions. She played a Sangoma in In Your Dreams, took on the starring role of Athi in the telenovela 1802: Love Defies Time and appeared as Brenda Grootboom in the thriller series Fatal Seduction. She received a nominations for Best Supporting Actress in the South African Film and Television Awards. In 2024 she led the casts of Disaster Holiday as Nandi and Code 13 as Bongi Nkosi, further solidifying her reputation as a prominent performer in South African film and television, and also international stages.In 2025, Mampofu began starring as Zoleka Bikitsha-Mabandla in the drama Inimba and joined the Mzansi Magic series Levels in the lead role of Bongi for its debut season. She was nominated in the National Film and Television Awards for her starring role of Nandi in Disaster Holiday in the Best Actress category.