Paballo Koza
{{short description|South African influencer and actor (born 2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Paballo Koza
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Paballo Koza
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2002|3|19}}
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa
| nationality = South African
| education = New York Film Academy
| occupation = {{hlist|
Actor|influencer|entrepreneur|tv presenter}}
| years_active =
2007{{ndash}}present
}}
Paballo Koza (born March 19, 2002) is a South African influencer, actor, entrepreneur and tv presenter.{{Cite web |last=Tleane |first=Lebo |date=2019-11-28 |title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Paballo Koza |url=https://youthvillage.co.za/2019/11/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-paballo-koza/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Youth Village |language=en-US}} He is best known for his notable roles in Mzansi Magic popular telenovela series as Khaya in The Queen and Housekeeper as Mtho.{{Cite web |last=Mazibuko |first=Nonkululeko |title=Paballo Koza on playing his roles on The Queen and Housekeepers: 'I love playing them both' |url=https://www.news24.com/drum/celebs/news/paballo-koza-on-playing-his-roles-on-the-queen-and-housekeepers-i-love-playing-them-both-20200911 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} He began acting at age 5 and later received an Africa Movie Academy Award nomination for Best Young Actor for his starring role in Dora's Peace.{{Cite news |title=Africa: Nominees List for 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards Out |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201705160379.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20181211005422/https://allafrica.com/stories/201705160379.html |archive-date=2018-12-11 |access-date=2025-06-10 |work=allAfrica.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Arts and Entertainment {{!}} Life |url=https://www.news24.com/life/arts-and-entertainment |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}
Early life
Koza was born on 19 March 2002, in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was helped by his maternal grandmother to get an acting agency which got him the commercial role that got him noticed.{{Cite web |title=Getting To Know Talented Actor Paballo Koza |url=https://zalebs.com/top-of-the/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-talented-actor-paballo-koza |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=ZAlebs |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2025-01-26 |title=Paballo Koza bio of life |url=https://zainfo.co.za/paballo-koza-biography-profile-net-worth-career-age |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=ZA INFO |language=en-US}} He attended the New York Film Academy after passing his matric and also graduated at National School of Arts where he studied Dramatic Arts.{{Cite web |last=lisa |date=2024-12-03 |title=Paballo Koza early life and education |url=https://mzansiprofiles.co.za/paballo-koza-biography-early-life-education-career-filmography-awards-and-recognition/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Mzansi Profiles! |language=en-US}}
Career
= 2007-2015: Career beginnings =
Koza started acting at age five by acting in a commercial.{{Cite web |last=Partner |date=2024-06-12 |title=Getting To Know The Presenters Behind DStv’s Play Room |url=https://thebulrushes.com/2024/06/12/getting-to-know-the-presenters-behind-dstvs-play-room/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=The Bulrushes |language=en-ZA}} Since then, he's been in a number of other commercials and has acted in a variety of television shows and movies.{{Cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/sowetan/20140520/281565173794432 |title=Caught in the act at 5 |via=PressReader|access-date=2019-12-13}} He made his first acting debut in 2014 where he played the role of Shoni Makwarela in SABC 2 drama Thola and short film The Blanket as Mandla.{{Cite web |last=Tabalia |first=Jedidah |date=2021-01-06 |title=Paballo Koza bio: age, parents, movies, profile, facts - Briefly.co.za |url=https://briefly.co.za/91307-paballo-koza-bio-age-parents-movies-profile-facts.html |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=briefly.co.za |language=en}} In 2015, he made his appearance in e.tv as Zama in Rhythm City.{{Cite web |last=Dzimbili |first=Siyabonga |title=5 budding actors to watch out for in 2020 |url=https://www.news24.com/drum/celebs/5-budding-actors-to-watch-out-for-in-2020-20191219 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} Later, he played a role of Umfaan in a comedian short drama Skorokoro.{{Cite web |title=Skorokoro {{!}} Cast and Crew {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/skorokoro/cast-and-crew |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}
= 2016-2022: Breakthrough and ''Dora's Peace'' =
Koza bagged a starring role of Peace in a popular South African film Dora's Peace along Khabonina Qubeka.{{Cite web |last=yomzansi |date=2016-07-22 |title='Dora’s Peace' arrives in August : Starring Khabonina, Hlubi Mboya, Israel Makoe |url=https://www.yomzansi.com/2016/07/22/doras-peace-arrives-august-starring-khabonina-hlubi-mboya-israel-makoe/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=YOMZANSI. Documenting THE CULTURE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Theresa |date=2016-08-26 |title=MOVIE REVIEW: Dora’s Peace |url=https://iol.co.za/entertainment/tv/2016-08-26-movie-review-doras-peace/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=IOL |language=en}} He appeared in Mzansi Magic drama series The Queen as Khaya Khoza from 2016 to 2021.{{Cite web |last=Tabalia |first=Jedidah |date=2019-03-27 |title=The Queen actors: full cast - Briefly.co.za |url=https://briefly.co.za/26691-the-queen-actors-full-cast.html |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=briefly.co.za |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mazibuko |first=Nonkululeko |title=Paballo Koza on playing his roles on The Queen and Housekeepers: 'I love playing them both' |url=https://www.news24.com/drum/celebs/news/paballo-koza-on-playing-his-roles-on-the-queen-and-housekeepers-i-love-playing-them-both-20200911 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} In 2017, he played the main role of Moagi in a drama Easy Money and The Imposter season 1 as Themba.{{Cite web |title=Imposter Full Cast Season 1 {{!}} TVSA |url=https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshowcast.aspx?showid=5516&season=1 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.tvsa.co.za}} Koza's career in acting had been successfully as he won several awards including Africa Movie Academy Awards for his role in Dora's Peace at the age of 14.{{Cite web |title=Paballo Koza |url=https://www.osmtalent.com/artist/paballo-koza/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Owen S Management |language=en-US}} By 2018, he appeared in three television drama series such as Housekeepers as the lead cast Mtho from 2018 to 2022, Isithembiso season 2 as a supporting cast portraying as Junior's friend and SABC 1 comedy Thandeka's Diary as Themba.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-16 |title=TV with Thinus: Mzansi Magic's crime drama Housekeepers back for a third season from 4 April. |url=https://teeveetee.blogspot.com/2022/03/mzansi-magics-crime-drama-housekeepers.html |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=TV with Thinus}}{{Cite web |title=Isithembiso {{!}} Full Cast {{!}} Season 2 {{!}} TVSA |url=https://www.tvsa.co.za/shows/viewshowcast.aspx?showid=5472&season=2 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.tvsa.co.za}} In 2020, he played the support role as Dombollo in BET telenovela Isono and appeared in Netflix drama series Riding with Sugar as Vetkoek.{{Cite web |last=Billington |first=Alex |date=2020-11-09 |title=First Trailer for South African BMX Film 'Riding with Sugar' via Netflix {{!}} FirstShowing.net |url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2020/first-trailer-for-south-african-bmx-film-riding-with-sugar-via-netflix/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.firstshowing.net |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Ngenyane |first=By Andiswa |title=RHYTHM CITY’S MBALI ZAKWE JOINS ISONO! |url=https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/celebs/rhythm-citys-mbali-zakwe-joins-isono-20201209 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Daily Sun |language=en-US}} In 2022, he played the crime/drama series Amandla as Phakiso.{{Cite web |title=Amandla |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/amandla/cast/2000478837/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}
= 2023-present: ''Classified'' and ''Playroom Live'' =
In 2023, Koza bagged the main role in Classified as Lolo.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=South African Series, Classified Available On Amazon Prime Video & Freevee |url=https://www.reelmockeryforum.com/forum/main-forum/television/other-tv-shows/2839-south-african-series-classified-available-on-amazon-prime-video-freevee |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Reel Mockery Forums |language=en}} By 2024, he was the presenter in kids show Playroom live.{{Cite web |last=Roman-Cassiem |first=Mishkah |date=2023-11-14 |title=Play Room is South Africa’s Newest 24-hour Children’s TV Channel |url=https://mzansilifeandstyle.com/2023/11/14/play-room-is-south-africas-newest-24-hour-childrens-tv-channel/ |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Mzansi Life & Style by Mishkah Roman-Cassiem |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=SA's new 24-hour children's channel launches with magic |url=https://www.kids-fun-sa.co.za/portal/article/4312/sa-s-new-24-hour-children-s-channel-launches-with-magic |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.kids-fun-sa.co.za}}
Filmography
= Television=
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Role |
| 2024
| Playroom live |Himself |
| 2023–present
| Classified |Lolo |
| 2018
| Housekeepers |Mtho |
| 2016
|Khaya Khoza |
| 2020
|Isono |Dombollo |
| 2017
|Easy Money |Moagi |
| 2017
| The Imposter |Themba |
| 2014
| Thola |Shoni Makwarela |
| 2018
| Thandeka’s Diary |Themba |
| 2015
|Zama |
| 2018
|Isithembiso |Junior's Friend |
= Film =
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Role |
| 2022
| Amandla |Phakiso |
| 2020
|Vetkoek |
| 2016
|Peace |
| 2015
|Umfaan |
| 2014
| The Blanket |Mandla |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Association ! Category ! Nominated works ! Result ! Ref. |
|---|
| 2017
| African Movie Academy Awards | Best Young Actor | As Peace in Dora's Peace |{{Nominated}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|6430410}}
- {{Instagram|paballokoza|Paballo Koza}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koza, Paballo}}
Category:South African male television actors
Category:South African male film actors
Category:21st-century South African male actors