Amanda Du-Pont

{{Short description|Swazi-born South African actress, model, businesswoman}}

{{Infobox actress

| name = Amanda du-Pont

| image =

| alt =

| birth_name = Amanda du-Pont

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|6|26|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Manzini, Swaziland

| education = Uplands College
New York Film Academy

| nationality = Swazi South African

| spouse = {{marriage|Shawn Rodriques|2020|2023|end=div.}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|brand ambassador|model|MC|television host|businesswoman

}}

| yearsactive = 2006–present

| height = 159 cm

}}

Amanda du-Pont (born 26 June 1988){{citation|url=https://swazilandnewsonline.co.za/eswatini-born-celebrities/|title=Eswatini Born Celebrities|work=Swaziland News |publisher=swazilandnewsonline.co.za|date=23 October 2022 |last1=Tsabedze |first1=Lungile }} is a Swazi-born South African actress, model and television host. Du-Pont is known for her portrayal of Senna in the CW drama series Life is Wild and Sharon in the SABC 3 comedy-drama Taryn & Sharon. Currently, she stars as Ashley in the Netflix{{cite web|url=https://buzzsouthafrica.com/amanda-du-pont-bio-boyfriend-parents/|title=Meet Amanda Du Pont's Boyfriend, Parents and Family|date=7 June 2020|last= Andile Smith|publisher=buzzsouthafrica.com}} thriller series Shadow. She is known for acting on the SABC 1 soap opera Skeem Saam{{cite web|url=https://www.youthvillage.co.za/2014/09/10-things-didnt-know-amanda-du-pont/amp/|title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Amanda du Pont|date=4 April 2014|publisher=youthvillage.co.za|access-date=21 June 2020|archive-date=17 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017195231/https://www.youthvillage.co.za/2014/09/10-things-didnt-know-amanda-du-pont/amp/|url-status=dead}} as Nompumelelo 'Lelo' Mthiyane.

Early life

Du-Pont was born on 26 June 1988 in Manzini, Swaziland.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshowseasons.aspx?showId=106&season=2|title=A Place Called Home|publisher=Tvsa.co.za|access-date=28 October 2014}} She is of French, Italian, Portuguese and Swazi ancestry. She was born and raised in Manzini and lived with her cousin Alulutho Du Pont, also Swati. Later they moved to Mpumalanga to finish their schooling at Uplands College.{{cite web|url=http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dailysun/2010/04/21/DJ/24/TV-amanda.html|title=Faith can move mountains, says sexy TV she is incredibly beautiful|publisher=152.111.1.87|access-date=28 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025075608/http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dailysun/2010/04/21/DJ/24/TV-amanda.html|archive-date=25 October 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

Career

Du-Pont had a leading role in the 2014 feature film Between Friends, and a recurring role in the hit South African television program Skeem Saam. From 2012 to 2016 she was the co-host of SABC 1 celebrity lifestyle magazine shows Real Goboza, alongside Phat Joe.{{cite news|title=Amanda du-Pont leaves The Real Goboza {{!}} Channel|url=https://www.news24.com/amp/channel/the-juice/news/amanda-du-pont-leaves-the-real-goboza-20160930|date=30 September 2016|work=News24|location=South Africa}} She has starred in the CW drama Life is Wild, SABC 2's Muvhango, Intersexions, Generations, Mzanzi TV's Loxion Bioscopeseries, and the 2015 feature film Hear Me Move.{{Cite web|title=Meet Amanda du-Pont aka Lelo Of Skeem Saam|url=https://clipkulture.com/meet-amanda-du-pont-aka-lelo-of-skeem-saam/|date=2019-03-17|website=Clipkulture|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-29}} In February 2019, it was announced that Du-Pont would star in the Netflix thriller series Shadow.{{cite web|url=https://www.channel24.co.za/TV/News/pallance-dladla-and-amanda-du-pont-step-into-the-spotlight-for-new-local-netflix-series-shadow-20190218|date=18 February 2019|access-date=6 March 2019|title=Pallance Dladla and Amanda du-Pont step into the spotlight for new local Netflix series Shadow}}

Education

In 2011, Du-Pont was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from the South African School of Motion Picture and Live Performance in Johannesburg. The next year, she graduated from the New York Film Academy in New York City, where she was awarded a full scholarship for scholastic excellence.{{cite web|url=https://www.afda.co.za/article/1141/Alumni-of-the-week-106-Amanda-du-Pont-actor-and-presenter/|title=Alumni of the week, 106 Amanda Du-Pont - Actor and Presenter|work=AFDA: The School for the Creative Economy|date=2 June 2018|access-date=6 March 2019|archive-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306235047/https://www.afda.co.za/article/1141/Alumni-of-the-week-106-Amanda-du-Pont-actor-and-presenter/|url-status=dead}}

Awards

At the age of 21, Du-Pont was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by Swaziland's Department of Arts & Culture for her early achievements in film and television and her promotion of the Swazi language and culture.{{cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/|title=The Country's Pride and Joy|work=Press Reader|date=15 April 2018|access-date=6 March 2019}}

Personal life

Amanda married Shawn Rodriques in 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2020-06-03-amanda-du-pont-reveals-shes-a-married-woman/|title=Amanda du Pont reveals she's a married woman|work=TimesLIVE|last=Seemela|first=Masego|date=3 June 2020}} The couple divorced in January 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2023-01-20-amanda-du-pont-is-divorced/|title=Amanda du-Pont is divorced!|work=TimesLIVE|last=Gaanakgomo|first=Constance|date=20 January 2023}}

Other ventures

In April 2020, Du-Pont launched her skincare brand lelive. The name was inspired by Du-Pont's unofficial Swazi name, and means ‘of the nation or world‘.{{Cite web |last=@yomzansi |date=2021-04-19 |title=Amanda du-Pont launches skincare collection |url=https://www.yomzansi.com/2021/04/19/amanda-du-pont-lelive-skincare-range/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=YOMZANSI. Documenting THE CULTURE |language=en-US}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2008 \|Life is Wild \| Senna \| Episode: "P.O.C."
2012 \| Loksion Bioskop:Andilalanga \| \|
2012-2016 \|Real Goboza \| \|
Herself \|2014–2021 \|Skeem Saam \| Nompumelelo "Lelo" Mthiyane \|Main role
2014 \|Task Force \| Christelle \|
2015 \|Generations: The Legacy \|Herself \|Special Guest
2015 \|Hear Me Move \| \|
2016–present \|Between Friends \| \|
2017 \|10 Days In Sun City \| \|
2017 \|Taryn and Sharon \|Sharon \|
2019 \|Shadow \| Ashley \| Main role
2019-2022 \|Isono \|Mary's Worker \|Recurring
2021 \|Little Big Mouth \| Mel \|Main role
2022 \|The Domestic \| \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2008

|Life is Wild

| Senna

| Episode: "P.O.C."

2012

| Loksion Bioskop:Andilalanga

2012-2016