Category Archives: Pop Culture

Experience Disney’s Festive Magic This Holiday Season

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Disney Africa recently kicked off Spark Joy This Holiday, its largest festive campaign to date. Throughout the season, fans can experience the holiday magic with Disney, with delightful products that bring beloved Disney stories to life, holiday classics streaming on Disney+, festive programming across Disney Channel and Disney Junior, and the special Disney Chari-tree initiative in malls across the country in support of Reach For A Dream, which helps bring joy to children in need during this season of giving.

Comments Luke Roberts, General Manager, Consumer Product Commercialisation, MENA and Africa: “The holiday season is such a special time of year and Disney is using the power of its stories and characters to inspire joy and wonder in people all over the world. We are excited to launch Spark Joy This Holiday, a campaign that not only celebrates the special connection so many fans and families have with Disney, but also to celebrate this magical time of year together in many different ways.”

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Join the Motherland Festival at Cradle Boutique Hotel

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Empire proudly presents the Motherland Festival, an extraordinary celebration of South African music and culture, set to take place at the Cradle Boutique Hotel on 30 November 2024. Nestled in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind, this festival honours the deep historical, cultural and natural significance of Africa – the birthplace of humankind.

The Cradle Boutique Hotel, located within the Greater Cradle Nature Reserve, offers a unique and sacred setting for this one-of-a-kind event.

The Motherland Festival reflects the soul of Africa—where past and future meet. African rhythms blend with futuristic melodies in an immersive all-day celebration, featuring a star-studded line-up of South Africa’s finest talent. Guests will be moved by the music, dance and vibrant community, all set against the breath-taking landscape of one of the world’s most profound historical sites.

The Motherland Festival reflects the soul of Africa—where past and future meet. African rhythms blend with futuristic melodies in an immersive all-day celebration, featuring a star-studded line-up of South Africa’s finest musical talent:

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Behind the Scenes with Marié Botha in “The Penguin”

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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

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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

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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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