--- name: "John Kani" canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-kani" fi1m_id: "john-kani" imdb_id: "nm0434712" tmdb_id: 51878 wikidata_id: "Q6242471" roles: ["Actor"] born: "30 November 1943" reviewed_on_fi1m: 7 average_fi1m_score: 68 average_as: "actor" average_over: 7 updated: "2026-10-22T03:18:12.286614+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # John Kani ## Identity John Kani - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-kani - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** john-kani - **IMDb ID:** nm0434712 - **TMDB ID:** 51878 - **Wikidata ID:** Q6242471 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kani, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6242471, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0434712/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/51878 Actor. Born 30 November 1943 in New Brighton, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 30 November 1943, New Brighton, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa - **Active:** 2008–present - **Also known as:** Bonsile John Kani - **Frequently works with:** [Jeff Nathanson](https://film.one/person/jeff-nathanson.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as actor, over 7 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 76 (1), 2010s 70 (4), 2020s 60 (2) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 67 to 69 across 6 titles - **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 2 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Adventure 4, Animation 3, Drama 3, Action 2, Family 2, Science Fiction 2 - **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $4,891m across 5 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kani, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6242471, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0434712/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/51878 ## Streaming the US now - **Disney+:** [*Mufasa: The Lion King*](https://film.one/film/mufasa-the-lion-king.md) (57), [*The Lion King*](https://film.one/film/the-lion-king-2019.md) (52) - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Coriolanus*](https://film.one/film/coriolanus.md) (74) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Biography John Kani is a South African actor, director and playwright. He joined the Serpent Players in Port Elizabeth in 1965 and, with Athol Fugard and Winston Ntshona, co-wrote the plays *Sizwe Banzi is Dead* and *The Island* in the early 1970s. These works were performed internationally, and Kani and Ntshona received a Tony Award in 1975 for their Broadway productions. Kani made his debut as sole playwright with *Nothing but the Truth* (2002), first performed at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. On screen he has played King T'Chaka in *Captain America: Civil War* (2016) and *Black Panther* (2018), and voiced Rafiki in *The Lion King* (2019) and *Mufasa: The Lion King* (2024). He has also appeared as Colonel Ulenga in the *Murder Mystery* films (2019 and 2023). Kani received an Obie Award in 2003 for his contribution to theatre in the United States and was later awarded an OBE for services to drama. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (7) - *Mufasa: The Lion King* (2024), Fi1m 57, as Rafiki (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/mufasa-the-lion-king.md) - *What If...?* (2021), Fi1m 63, as T'Chaka (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/what-if.md) - *The Lion King* (2019), Fi1m 52, as Rafiki (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lion-king-2019.md) - *Black Panther* (2018), Fi1m 80, as T'Chaka — [page](https://film.one/film/black-panther.md) - *Captain America: Civil War* (2016), Fi1m 74, as King T'Chaka — [page](https://film.one/film/captain-america-civil-war.md) - *Coriolanus* (2011), Fi1m 74, as General Cominius — [page](https://film.one/film/coriolanus.md) - *Wallander* (2008), Fi1m 76, as Max Khulu — [page](https://film.one/tv/wallander.md) ## Complete filmography (44) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Mufasa: The Lion King* (2024), as Rafiki (voice) — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/mufasa-the-lion-king.md) - *Beyond the Light Barrier* (2023), as Narrator/Self - *Murder Mystery 2* (2023), as Colonel Ulenga - *Seal Team* (2021), as Brick (voice) - *What If...?* (2021), series, as T'Chaka (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/what-if.md) - *Marvel Studios Legends* (2021), series, as T'Chaka (archive footage) (uncredited) - *The Lion King* (2019), as Rafiki (voice) — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lion-king-2019.md) - *The Space: Theatre of Survival* (2019), Actor - *Murder Mystery* (2019), as Colonel Ulenga - *Black Panther* (2018), as T'Chaka — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/black-panther.md) - *Captain America: Civil War* (2016), as King T'Chaka — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/captain-america-civil-war.md) - *1994: The Bloody Miracle* (2014), as Narrator - *Jail Caesar* (2012), as Marius - *How to Steal 2 Million* (2011), as Julius Twala Snr. - *Coriolanus* (2011), as General Cominius — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/coriolanus.md) - *White Lion* (2010), as Old Gisani - *Nothing But The Truth* (2009), as Sipho · Writer, Director, Original Story - *Endgame* (2009), as Oliver Tambo - *Wallander* (2008), series, as Max Khulu — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/wallander.md) - *The Bird Can't Fly* (2008), as Stone - *Final Solution* (2001), as Rev. Peter Lekota - *The Tichborne Claimant* (1999), as Bogle - *Kini & Adams* (1997), as Ben - *The Ghost and the Darkness* (1996), as Samuel - *Silent Witness* (1996), series, as Dr. Phiri - *Soweto Green* (1995), as Dr. Curtis - *African Skies* (1992), series, Actor - *Sarafina!* (1992), as School Principal - *The Native Who Caused All the Trouble* (1990), Actor - *Othello* (1989), as Othello - *A Dry White Season* (1989), as Julius - *Options* (1989), as Jonas - *Saturday Night at the Palace* (1987), Actor - *An African Dream* (1987), as Khatana - *Miss Julie* (1986), as John - *'Master Harold'... and the Boys* (1985), as Willie - *The Grass Is Singing* (1981), as Moses - *Marigolds in August* (1980), as Melton - *Victims of Apartheid* (1978), as George O'Brien - *The Wild Geese* (1978), as Sgt. Jesse Blake - *Playhouse* (1974), series, as Styles / Buntu · Writer - *Sizwe Bansi Is Dead* (1974), as Styles/Buntu · Writer - *Play for Today* (1970), series, as George O'Brien - *The Man in the Mirror*, Actor ## Gallery - ![This picture of John Kani was taken in Rosebank, Johannesburg at Tashas. (2023)](https://film.one/media/person/10274/gallery-73780ec807d1.jpg) This picture of John Kani was taken in Rosebank, Johannesburg at Tashas. (2023) — Bobbyshabangu, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Dr_John_Kani.jpg/1280px-Dr_John_Kani.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![John Kani](https://film.one/media/person/10274/gallery-b170ea5240cb.jpg) John Kani — US Embassy South Africa, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/John_Kani_2015.jpg/1280px-John_Kani_2015.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![This is the picture of the Market Theatre which eventually changed its name to John Kani Theatre. (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/10274/gallery-b37213888ad8.jpg) This is the picture of the Market Theatre which eventually changed its name to John Kani Theatre. (2015) — Bobbyshabangu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/John_Kani_Theatre1.jpg/1280px-John_Kani_Theatre1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![This is the picture of the Market Theatre which eventually changed its name to John Kani Theatre. (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/10274/gallery-2b27910c11ba.jpg) This is the picture of the Market Theatre which eventually changed its name to John Kani Theatre. (2015) — Bobbyshabangu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Market_Theatre1.jpg/1280px-Market_Theatre1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![This is the picture of the Market Theatre which eventually changed its name to John Kani Theatre. (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/10274/gallery-0007a58870ee.jpg) This is the picture of the Market Theatre which eventually changed its name to John Kani Theatre. (2015) — Bobbyshabangu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Market_Theatre_%28John_Kani_Theatre%29_2.jpg/1280px-Market_Theatre_%28John_Kani_Theatre%29_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### Other awards — 6 won - Officer of the Order of the British Empire 2023: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (won) - Order of Ikhamanga in Silver 2016: Order of Ikhamanga in Silver (won) - Olive Schreiner Prize 2005: Olive Schreiner Prize (won) - Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards 2003: Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards (won), for *lifetime achievement* - Obie Award 2003: Obie Award (won) - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1975: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (won), for *Sizwe Banzi Is Dead* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/john-kani