Lead Actor of Oscar-Winning Movie Dies Suddenly: Presley Chweneyagae Was 40

Presley Chweneyagae, the South African actor who gained international acclaim for his starring role in Tsotsi, has died. He was 40.

The actor died unexpectedly after experiencing breathing problems.

His biggest role was undoubtedly his debut role, in the Oscar-winning 2005 film Tsotsi. The film, based on a novel by Athol Fugard, stars Chweneyagae as street thug David “Tsotsi” (which means “criminal”). As David shoots a young woman and steals her car, he discovers a three-month-old baby in the backseat, and so begins his road to redemption.

The film was both the first South African film and the first African film not made in French to win an Academy Award when it won for Best International Feature Film. It was later remade in Tamil as Yogi (2009).

On Tuesday, his talent agency MLA released a statement saying South Africa has lost one of its “most gifted and beloved actors.”

“His passion for empowering the next generation of artists will remain integral to his legacy,” said MLA’s CEO Nina Morris Lee.

On the MacG podcast in 2020, the actor told listeners what he desired his acting legacy to be, saying, “I just want to be remembered as an actor who loved his work, and who had great respect for others. I think that’s about it.”