Halfway through our pre-interview banter, Nomzamo Mbatha enquires about the ‘Quiche Of The Day’ lunch special. Her face lights up when our waiter unexpectedly announces, “breakfast is closed but there’s always an allowance of up to 30 minutes or so,” when he spots me scrutinising the breakfast options. “Why am I eating quiche again?” quips Nomzamo in the chirpiest tone.
Soon, she ditches the quiche option for half a portion of egg royale and asks for a side of freshly chopped chilli. “The chilli is a Durban thing. I love my food with a bit of a bite,” she shares, unprovoked. But… she’s still worried about the bread option that accompanies her new choice. “I don’t know if I like the brioche that comes with my dish. It’s that thick, soft bread, neh?” she interrogates the waiter, in yet another comical tone. She seems to have a mental bag of accents and quirky tones that she regularly taps into depending on the emotion she wants to convey.
READ MORE: How Nomzamo Mbatha Is Nurturing Good Wellness Habits
Why Nomzamo Mbatha Wants An Impactful Career
Nomzamo went from being a talent on Mzansi Magic’s Isibaya for eight years to being the executive producer of arguably the channel’s biggest and visually spectacular historical series Shaka iLembe – where she also plays the lead character’s no-nonsense mother Queen (indlovukazi) Nandi. “This was a full circle moment that had me thinking, ‘I’m not doing half bad,’” declares Nomzamo. The show recounts the story of how King Shaka claimed his rightful throne from 1816.
At this stage of the game, where she’s earned her stripes as an international actress in films such Coming 2 America alongside Eddie Murphy as well as Assassin alongside Bruce Willis, Nomzamo can now bask in the luxury of tapping into characters she thoroughly enjoys. She’s no longer forced to take on any role just because… (ahem!) bills aren’t patient enough to wait for anyone to pursue their passion. “The entertainment industry is set up in such a way that we must always wait for work opportunities. I’m inspired by the likes of Issa Rae and Shonda Rhimes who create opportunities for themselves,” shares Nomzamo.
READ MORE: The Confidence Issue Just Dropped – And Nomzamo’s Got It On Lock
She’s also incorporated, quite snugly if you may, humanitarian projects to her CV. Except, the humanitarian work didn’t happen overnight. “I must have been fourteen years old, at a new high school – where I went by the nickname Big Mouth – when we were invited for a talent show at the Westville Prison, on the outskirts of Durban, as part of the facility’s rehabilitative efforts. At the end of the show, the organiser invited one learner to come give closing remarks. Everyone looked at me. My teacher Mr Williams turned to me and said, ‘Big Mouth, you’re the only one I trust to do this!’ I don’t remember what I said, but just that I was confident, clear and said something profound and moving,” she recalls.
Then there was the high school trip to Kenya where Save the Children Sweden had invited country representatives from across the African continent to speak at a summit on the plight of young people in their respective countries. These experiences, Nomzamo suspects, were already hinting at a future career. Today, she holds various ambassador titles for NGOs such as the Cotton On Foundation, Global Citizen as well as the UN Refugee Agency. Along with these, she also runs The Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation, which she formalised to address mental illness and financial strains among young people.
“I remember feeling alive during the Save the Children summit and immediately knew that no matter what I did with my life, I had to gravitate towards work that would impact the world in a positive way – that’s probably why I felt so suffocated during my Accounting studies [chuckles]. I remember thinking: ‘I want to travel the African continent, I want to travel the world. I want to see the wonders of life and humanity.’” And travel the world she has!
READ MORE: This Is Nomzamo Mbatha’s Number 1 Secret To A Banging Body
Why Self-Care Matters To Nomzamo Mbatha
A sabbatical or a two-week holiday can only ever be wishful thinking for Nomzamo, whose life is split between South Africa and Los Angeles. “When you asked me where I live earlier, I wanted to respond with, ‘I live in the sky!’ That’s, realistically, the most permanent place I’m based in,” she jokes. L.A. is her predominant home, she says, and the primary base for her international projects. And judging by how she waxes lyrical about the entertainment capital of the world – everything from her wellness routine to the community of friends she’s built (which includes celebrity make-up artist and activist Sir John, as well as South African journalist and producer Thando Dlomo, also known as one of Oprah Winfrey’s daughters) – it seems the city affords her a bit of normalcy. “L.A. can be very tough if you don’t have a community of people!” she details.
Back in L.A., life is much slower for Nomzamo, who starts her days with a daily 10 000-step walk, something that isn’t feasible in SA due to safety concerns – and, perhaps, being easily recognisable. “I’d hate to walk with a bodyguard, it just draws attention,” she notes. She also mostly does Pilates on her own, but indulges in hot Pilates in L.A. on days when she feels like going in hard. “My life in SA is pretty much get-up-and-go. I’m constantly in functioning mode. You know, routine makes you realise why the greats are great. Once you have a routine, you just become more productive. It makes you feel like you’ve ticked some boxes in terms of a holistic approach to life,” she explains.
READ MORE: Nomzamo Mbatha’s Haircare Routine Is Here – And It’s Surprisingly Simple
With the entertainment industry being as fickle as it is, Nomzamo never wants to find herself in a space where she’d need four months to “get back into shape”. The solution? She constantly nudges herself to keep fit. “I’m lucky that I have good muscle memory, thanks to my mom [chuckles]. My mom has an athletic build,” she notes. But sometimes, Nomzamo admits, it’s this very ‘muscle memory’ fortune that makes her lazy to work out because: “I know that with just two weeks of working out, my body will be back!” she gloats jokingly in between piercing giggles.
Read Nomzamo Mbatha’s full cover story in the July/August 2025 issue of Women’s Health (themed The Confidence Issue). Happy reading!
