Luyanda Mzazi (born May 24th, 1996) is a 27 year-old South African actress, MC, presenter, and voice-over artist whose career was launched following their appearance in the famous South African soap opera, Generations: The Legacy.
Mzazi has always been passionate about acting since a young age, and when an opportunity came knocking for her to actualize her dreams, she gracefully took it and had been making a name for herself ever since in the film industry. Not only has Mzazi become quite famous for her portrayal of Lesedi in the Generations, but she also has solidified her celebrity status by working as a brand ambassador for many companies.
Luyanda Mzazi’s Profile Summary
- Full Name: Luyanda Mzazi
- Gender: Female
- Date of Birth: May 24th, 1996
- Luyanda Mzazi’s Age: 27 years old
- Place of Birth: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Nationality: South African
- Education: National School of the Arts, University of South Africa (UNISA)
- Occupation: Actress, MC, Presenter, Voice-Over Artist, Brand Ambassador
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Marital Status: Single
- Children: 1
- Instagram: @luyandamzazi
- Twitter: @LuyandaMzazi
The Actress was Born in Johannesburg 27 Years Ago
Though portraying a young character in Generations, Luyanda Mzazi is much older in real life. When she began playing the role of Lesedi in the soapie, the actress was complaining about people she met in real life telling her that she looked older than her character on the TV series.
As such, she moved on to cite that she wasn’t sixteen as portrayed on the soapie at the time. Well, Lesedi is 27 years old. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 24th, 1996. She grew up with her siblings, whose identities are unknown, and details of her childhood experiences are quite scarce.
She Comes From a Family That is Well-grounded in Entertainment
Luyanda has once revealed in an interview that her father is a notable figure in the film industry. However, she refused to disclose the identity of her dad for people not to link her career success to her father’s influence. The Johannesburg native has worked her way up to the height she is now and wouldn’t want her efforts taken for granted, as many might start thinking that she got her breakthrough through her father’s connection. She also stated that her father taught her how to diversify her talent and thus, should not settle only for acting.
Although Luyanda Mzazi has kept the identity of her father low-key for many years, Opera News has revealed that her father is a TV director who goes by the name Mzukiseni Mzazi. He is known as the director of Muvhango and Skeem Saam. In addition to Lesedi revealing that her family members are also in the arts, some of her siblings are said to be professionals. Luyanda Mzazi’s family has produced a lawyer and a doctor. However, there is little to no information regarding their professional lives in the media.
Luyanda Mzazi Graduated From The National School of The Arts
After Luyanda revealed her plans of pursuing a career in acting to her parents, they showed her immense support. Nevertheless, her father insisted that she should first acquire a degree from a tertiary institution to not rely on acting as her only means of livelihood. The actress moved on to gain admission into the National School of the Arts.
There, she whetted her skills in drama, art, music, and dance for five years. While studying at the institution, Mzazi put her acting career to a get-go by participating in theatrical productions and stage works. She further proceeded to the University of South Africa (UNISA), where she studied Human Resources.
She Landed a Role in Generations: The Legacy in Her Teens
Having honed her acting talent while attending the National School of the Arts, Luyanda Mzazi began hunting for acting roles upon graduation from school. She searched for agencies that could help hook her up with auditions online. Luckily for the teenager, she found one and sent an email. The agency later asked her to come for an audition which she did and performed very well. A few weeks later, she received an email from the agency asking her to go for the Generations: The Legacy audition.
As her first audition out of school, Luyanda was nervous as Generations was quite a popular soapie, and she had not been on TV before. Even though she thought she wouldn’t get the role as she wasn’t impressed with her performance, she surprisingly landed the role of Lesedi Diale on the soap opera. She made her TV debut in Generations: The Legacy while still a teenager.
In the show, her character is a troubled teenage girl who was raised in an orphanage. Lesedi later became a member of the Diale family through adoption. Despite being provided with the best things life has to offer, including quality education, and a loving family, she made many mistakes in her life, including welcoming a child in her teenage years. Lesedi eventually manned up with life’s challenges and responsibilities after learning from her mistakes. She now works towards becoming a successful young woman in the soap opera.
Her Apt Portrayal of Lesedi Diale Brought Her Into the LimelightÂ
Since landing a role in Generations, Mzazi’s life has panned out for the better. She now has a huge fanbase as she has grown to be loved by the South African audience following her superb portrayal of Lesedi Diale. With the fans relating so well with her storyline, she has emerged as one of Generations stars. Consequently, Luyanda Mzazi often gets attention from people she meets, and this shows how famous Generations: The Legacy has made her become in the country. No wonder her social media handles boast thousands of followerships, with her Instagram account gathering over 600 thousand followers.
Luyanda Mzazi Has Other Interests Besides Acting
Over the last few years, Luyanda’s career has gained much-needed attention from her other works aside from acting. According to her Instagram profile, she doubles as a voice-over artist, presenter, and MC. More so, the actress has described herself as a foodie and equally disclosed that the common trait she shares with her on-screen character is a special love for food. For this reason, she transitioned into a food blogger.
She often uploads pictures of delicious continental and local dishes on her Instagram handle. Lesedi additionally works as a brand ambassador. Having grown so popular on Instagram, she has attracted partnership deals from notable brands. She currently serves as a brand ambassador for JAM SA and Caring4Girls. Luyanda Mzazi also has endorsement deals with Neutrogena SA and Glam Hair.
She Began Her Motherhood Journey in Her Early 20s
In early 2019, rumors about Luyanda being with a child began circulating in the media. The rumor was finally confirmed at the time by SABC1 spokesperson Gaaratwe Mokhethi, who reportedly revealed about Lesedi’s pregnancy during her interview with Drum Magazine. A well-known private person, the actress never disclosed any information regarding her pregnancy, nor did she upload pictures of her baby bump on social media platforms. Later on, she was absent from the Generations: The Legacy for a while as she was said to have gone on maternity leave.
Luyanda Mzazi reportedly returned to the series in September 2019 after giving birth to her child at the age of 23. To date, she has not revealed the identity of her baby, having preferred to keep her personal life out of the public eye. Again in 2021, news about Mzazi expecting another child began making headlines. However, the pregnancy rumor has not yet been confirmed as the brand ambassador has declined from commenting about it.
Is Lesedi Married or Dating Someone?
With Luyanda Mzazi welcoming her baby in 2019, many of her fans are curious to know whether the actress has tied the knot or is in a courtship. Well, having a penchant for keeping her love life secret, it’s still uncertain whether Lesedi has secretly exchanged vows with her heartthrob or is in a serious relationship. Nonetheless, there have been reports of the Generations actress being single at the moment as she reportedly broke up with her baby daddy, whom she is yet to reveal his identity, after giving birth.
