African Couch Potato

• S2 52 Bella Alexandras on Hollywood

  What do you think? let us knowBella Alexandras, a 15 -year-old South African actress, singer, and model, is rapidly carving out an undeniable presence across the global entertainment landscape. Gino managed to get a quick half hour out of her busy schedule to chat to her via a somewhat wobbly link to Paris, France.With a CV that most performers would die for, Bella recently made waves at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, further nailing her status as a talent to keep an eye on.ACP chatted to this young superstar-in-the-making about how it all started, how she manages school and work, and what it's like being on set at such a young age.Bella’s screen prowess is already out there, having starred in Paramount’s The Infernal Machine alongside Guy Pearce, and her upcoming lead role in I Hate Pirates for Amazon Prime, slated for release later this year, promises to further seal the deal.Beyond the silver screen, Bella is already a recognized face in the world of fashion, having led campaigns for DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld, and Sonia Rykiel Paris, gracing the runways of Paris and London Fashion Weeks.Bella says proudly, “South Africa is full of creativity, resilience, and brilliance—and I carry that with me. I’m so proud to be part of a generation that’s redefining what South African talent looks like on a global stage. I never forget where I come from. I carry it everywhere.”Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:instagram.com/africancouchpotatotwitter.com/[email protected] https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato Gino Shelile’s profile • LetterboxdMember of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting [email protected] Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay© SANTE MEDIA 2025

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• S2 51 News, Views and Reviews

  What do you think? let us knowWelcome to African Couch Potato, the #1 spot for the latest from the world of film and TV and African excellence. Kickin' off with acclaimed actor Idris Elba, who at a recent event in London noted the lack of cinemas across the African continent. "I want to build the African Odeon. . . the cinema experience that we have all gone through should be experienced by a new generation, I don’t think it should all be on a phone."Next up, find out how Jo'Burg born 15 year old Bella Alexandras is smashing it in Hollywood.Back to the subject of cinemas - here's a look at what's happening locally on the Silver Screen:The Life of Chuck - A life-affirming, genre-bending story based on Stephen King's novella.Ballerina - An assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organization sets out to seek revenge after her father's death.Materialists - A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.How to Train Your Dragon - As an ancient threat endangers both Vikings and dragons alike.Elio - A space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.Bride Hard - When a mercenary group takes a lavish wedding hostage, they have no idea what they are in for as the maid of honor is actually a secret agent ready to rain hellfire upon anyone who would ruin her best friend's wedding.M3GAN 2.0 - Two years after M3GAN's rampage, her creator, Gemma, resorts to resurrecting her infamous creation.F1 - A Formula One driver comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver.Too much effort? too much cold? Here's a selection that you can grab from the comfort of your own couch:Straw - A single mother navigates a series of unfortunate events, leading her down an unforeseen path where she becomes embroiled in a situation she never envisioned, finding herself at the center of suspicion in an indifferent world.Mountainhead - Four friends reunite during worldwide economic turmoil.A Working Man with Jason Statham (Prime)The Accountant 2 (Prime)Talk To Me (Showmax)Ouija (Prime)Trainwreck Astroworld Tragedy (Netflix)Die Hart 2 (Prime)Shaka ILembe (DStv Now)Breekpunt (Showmax)Monster Hunter (Netflix)And lastly, for more, check us out at Letterboxd.com, the social network for film lovers.Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:instagram.com/africancouchpotatotwitter.com/[email protected] https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato Gino Shelile’s profile • LetterboxdMember of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting [email protected] Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay© SANTE MEDIA 2025

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• S2 50 Roye Okupe on “Iyanu”

  What do you think? let us knowThere's a new superhero coming to Showmax! Iyanu. Iyanu is a teenage orphan girl who discovers she has divine powers and a destiny far greater than she ever imagined, one that involves saving the ancient kingdom of Yorubaland. The animated series is adapted from Nigerian creator Roye Okupe’s popular graphic novel series, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, published by Dark Horse Comics, the powerhouse behind The Umbrella Academy and Hellboy comics. After its US launch Iyanu ranked as the #1 series on Cartoon Network . With the superhero genre currently at the height of popularity, Roye has made it a goal to create a connected universe of superhero and fantasy stories inspired by African history, culture and mythology. With the second season set to premiere in 2026 and more stories on the horizon, Iyanu is well on its way to becoming a defining franchise in modern animation.Battling time differences, Gino managed to nail down a brief online 30 minutes with Roye in Maryland in the US. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Roye Okupe is an award-winning filmmaker, author, speaker and entrepreneur whose passion for comics and animation led him to found YouNeek Studios in 2015, an avenue that would allow him to pursue his dream of creating a diverse library of superheroes. Roye chats about what got him going, his move to the States and what keeps him busy.Season 1 of Iyanu is now available to binge on Showmax.Screenrant hails it as “The Last Airbender and Black Panther hybrid you didn’t know you needed.” Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:instagram.com/africancouchpotatotwitter.com/[email protected] https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato Gino Shelile’s profile • LetterboxdMember of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting [email protected] Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay© SANTE MEDIA 2025

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• S2 49 Mpho Nkoana on Developing Stories for the Screen

  What do you think? let us knowHere we are in June, so what better time of the year to talk about Christmas? But not just presents, tinsel and partying, this is about a Christmas slasher, coming from the pen of one Mpho Nkoana. Mpho is a passionate writer and an emerging talent in the film industry and ACP managed to grab him for a quick chat.During his three-year diploma in motion picture production at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Mpho wrote a short thriller called Final Girl, which earned him the distinction of Best Achievement in Scriptwriting at the TUT Film Awards. After a stint as a freelance writer on popular soapie Uzalo, Mpho completed the prestigious Longhope TV writing residency and has recently been offered an internship with Bomb Shelter where he will be working with the team on Shaka Ilembe.He is looking forward to collaborating with fellow creatives and aims to become one of South Africa’s leading showrunners, bringing compelling stories to life on screen. Back to the Christmas slasher... are SA audiences ready for a local sleigh fest? Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:instagram.com/africancouchpotatotwitter.com/[email protected] https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato Gino Shelile’s profile • LetterboxdMember of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting [email protected] Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay© SANTE MEDIA 2025

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• S2 48 News, Views and Reviews

  What do you think? let us knowA mixed bag, this episode, as we mourn the passing of a local star, take a look at what is happening with cinemas, drop a couple of reviews and celebrate the arrival of an award.ACP was saddened to hear of the passing of actor Presley Chweneyagae, who shot to fame with the Oscar winning movie Tsotsi. Gino took his kids to the cinema and asks the question, "What is the future of cinemas?" Rising costs and only a handful of family titles due for release  over the next few months make it difficult not to stay home and enjoy the streamers.Shaka Ilembe season 2 is about to hit our screens, so now is a good time to catch up with all of season 1, available on Showmax. In our review section, Gino looks at the new dramedy Sirens on Netflix, plus some upcoming titles to look out for. He then rolls back the years to 2016 with a look at Me Before You, starring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), on Prime VideoAnd the award? The trophy that just arrived was from our win last year for the Best Lifestyle and Entertainment Category in the African Podcast and Voice Awards, and this was against fellow podcasters from across the continent - which is what we stand for here on ACP, African excellence.Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:instagram.com/africancouchpotatotwitter.com/[email protected] https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato Gino Shelile’s profile • LetterboxdMember of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting [email protected] Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay© SANTE MEDIA 2025

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