Behind the Scenes with Marié Botha in “The Penguin”

The fourth episode of The Penguin is now on Showmax (and on M-Net at 9pm on Mondays), and the show takes a break from Oz Cobb (Oscar nominee Colin Farrell) to focus on the origin story of Sofia Falcone (Critics Choice Super Award winner Cristin Milioti) and why she’s known as The Hangman. 

Hailing The Batman spinoff for “the best episode of The Penguin yet,” Esquire says, “Episode 4 just proved this is one of the year’s best shows. Cristin Milioti went ahead and vaulted this series—and herself—into the Emmy conversation.”

IMDb agrees, with Episode 4 getting a series’ best 9.6/10 rating – pushing The Penguin into the 100 top-rated series of all time. 

Opposite Milioti, look out for South African actress Marié Botha as Magpie in the Arkham Asylum flashbacks.  

Botha was born in Pretoria and grew up in Joburg’s northern suburbs. Leaving South Africa at the tender age of 18 to chase her dream, she studied acting at New York University’s respected Tisch School of the Arts. After earning her BFA degree with honours, she enrolled in the masters programme at Yale School of Drama, as one of only 17 students in her class, selected from thousands. Once she had the MFA under her belt, Botha started building her life as a working actress in New York, where she has now lived for 14 years. It has been a varied tapestry of Off-Broadway and regional theatre productions, indie films, commercial voice-over work and countless auditions. She also came home briefly to play in the TV series Erfsondes back in 2012.

Marie Botha and Cristin Milioti in The Penguin
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Brasse Vannie Kaap: A Documentary Tribute to South African Hip Hop

Showmax has released Brasse Vannie Kaap”, a nostalgic feature documentary about the iconic, game-changing 1990s group, who helped to make hip hop South African. The music documentary started streaming on Showmax on Monday, 7 October 2024. 

In the documentary, the who’s who of the Afrikaans entertainment industry line up to pay tribute to Brasse Vannie Kaap’s undeniable impact, from David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen of Joe Barber fame to Karen Zoid, Kurt Darren, Francois van Coke and Valiant Swart.

“I started rapping in Afrikaans because of Brasse, and eventually rapping on stages in Afrikaans thanks to Brasse,” says Jack Parow

“I am a student of theirs; I am a product of what they made,” echoes YoungstaCPT, flagging how even his name echoes theirs. “I’m a Bra Vannie Kaap, you know. That kind of name, that kind of title, gives you hope and inspiration to not feel ashamed of where you come from, and not be ashamed to use your own language or your own slang. They give you the confidence to do it.” 

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Join The Kardashian Experience in Gauteng

Disney+ announced that in celebration of the success of all five seasons of The Kardashians on the platform, the streaming service from The Walt Disney Company will return to Gauteng this spring with #TheKardashianExperience.

‘“The Kardashian Experience” is a unique, free pop-up experience that offers fans an exclusive opportunity to experience a taste of the famous family’s lifestyle firsthand. Visitors will be able to enter a specially branded airstream and stop by the iconic glam station before creating their own “konfessional” to camera, which they will then be able to share on social media.

The iconic “konfessional” is a staple part of the series, where the famous family share their own views and thoughts on the latest drama and intrigue – and now fans can get a glimpse into the world of reality TV and create their own shareable social content to become a part of #TheKardashian story.

Fans who have been following the Kardashian family’s journey, from the early days to the present-day drama would not want to miss out on this unique chance to engage with the show’s most iconic elements.

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How to watch E! Live From The Red Carpet: The 2024 Emmy Awards

Laverne Cox

The 2024 Emmy Awards honours television’s biggest stars and best shows, with the ceremony having taken place on Sunday, 15 September in Los Angeles.

E! Live From The Red Carpet: The 2024 Emmy Awards will air on E! (DStv channel 124, and DStv Access) on Monday, 16 September at 5.00pm (CAT). 

E! Live From The Red Carpet: The 2024 Emmy Awards will be hosted by Laverne Cox alongside comedian Heather McMahan and E! News’ Keltie Knight. The two-hour experience will feature interviews with this year’s top nominees. Plus, the Glambot is back to capture Hollywood’s finest fashion moments in slow motion at the stars arrive.

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E! Africa to unveil local adaptation of hit comedy dating series Dating #NoFilter

E! Entertainment Television – the pop culture channel from NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC – announced the start of production for Dating #NoFilter, a 10 x 60’ unscripted comedy dating series produced by Brainstorm Entertainment.

Licensed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, the format originally aired on E! in the US and is being adapted for the African audience with filming in progress at Mall of Africa in Johannesburg. The show is set to premiere exclusively on E! Africa (DStv channel number 124) later this year.

Dating #NoFilter will follow a group of singles on blind dates whose search for love will be accompanied by commentaries from some of South Africa’s most hilarious celebrities. Amongst the 15 comedic cast are comedian, TV personality and actor Jason Goliath (E!’s Celebrity Game Night, Ses’ Top La); actress and radio personality Hope Mhbele; and media personality and content creator Lebogang Tlokana – also known as “The Funny Chef”.

Jason and the other comics will watch the dates unfold, offering unfiltered commentary on each moment – from every awkward interaction to every touching glance. Inevitable dating disasters aside, the hope is that the couples will form genuine connections.

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