2 October 2018
Popstars to watch on Showmax
Famous musicians are just like the rest of us – once in a while they get bored in their careers and their normal famous lives and decide to try something new, like say acting. It doesn’t always work out as we’ve seen from the stream of terrible movies and bad acting from certain musicians who might as well just stick to selling out tour tickets. While the jury is still out on a number of musicians who just can’t seem to replicate their music success into their acting careers, some like Jennifer Hudson – who killed it in Dreamgirls – have made a name for themselves in both worlds. Here are some popstars that you will find on Showmax, trying their luck in various movie and TV roles. Did they nail it? You be the judge.
1. Ed Sheeran: Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is known for stirring things up and shocking fans in a big way, but not quite like it did when it added English megastar Ed Sheeran to its seventh season cameo line-up. No soldier has ever looked as out of place as Sheeran, who played a Lannister soldier, complete with an armour and a red cape. As if GoT was playing some cruel joke on Sheeran’s fans, they placed him on Arya Stark’s path as she headed home after her massacre on House Frey. Aren’t we all glad that Arya’s killer instincts and thirst for revenge didn’t get the better of her, and instead she saw the humanity in these folk-singing Lannister soldiers?
But Ed Sheeran’s brief appearance is not the only cameo on Game of Thrones. For instance, did you know that the role of Melissandre, the Red Woman, is played by Dutch singer Carice Van Houten? Or that members of popular bands Coldplay, Snow Patrol and Of Monsters and Men also make an appearance in previous seasons? Don’t forget to catch Sheeran in Game of Thrones on Showmax.
2. Zendaya: KC Undercover and Euphoria
Zendaya hasn’t released any album since 2013 but the former Disney star is probably too busy owning the red carpets and starring in a series of iconic roles in Hollywood. In 2017, Zendaya joined Marvel Cinematic Universe as Michelle Jones in Spider-Man: Homecoming, putting a fresh spin on Spiderman’s MJ, a role she will reprise in the 2019 sequel Spider-Man: Away From Home. Zendaya also starred alongside Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron in the Oscar-nominated The Greatest Showman, and has appeared in a series of TV shows including Black-ish and kids’ favourite KC Undercover. She also plays the main character in the HBO teen series that’s for adults only, Euphoria, which is now streaming on Showmax.
3. Hilary Duff: Younger | Only on Showmax
It’s hard to remember when you last heard a Hilary Duff song but it must have been somewhere in 2015 when she released her fifth album. Babies born in the late 90s and in the 2000s must think I’m making this up but yes, Hilary Duff was a consistent singer once. Well, life happens and people move on. These days you can find her as the fabulous and smart publishing wunderkind Kelsey Peters in the hit comedy-drama Younger, S1-5 on Showmax. One of her singles – Outlaw – even made it onto Younger’s S1 soundtrack.
Original African stories by local talent
Untying Kantai
Untying Kantai follows King Kantai, a man who has spent 30 years of his life working hard to provide for his family, only to be conned out of his life savings. Stream from 9 May, with new episodes weekly.
Big Girl Small World
Stream the new Kenyan romcom series Big Girl Small World from 8 May, with new episodes every week.
Empini S1
Stream the Showmax Original drama series Empini from 23 May 2024.
Original Sin: My Son The Killer
Original Sin: My Son The Killer follows the murder of Andrea Venter by Gerhard Jansen van Vuuren, who then went on the run from South Africa to Brazil.
Tracking Thabo Bester
From the makers of Devilsdorp and the director of Convict Conman comes the true-crime documentary South Africa has been waiting for. All the episodes are streaming on Showmax.
The Illuminated
The Showmax Original docuseries The Illuminated explores different religious movements in South Africa. Stream now, with new episodes every Wednesday.
Koek S1
The crime comedy Koek, starring Cindy Swanepoel, now streaming on Showmax, with new episodes every Thursday.
Ekhaya Backpackers S1
Stream the Showmax Original comedy series Ekhaya Backpackers. All the episodes are now streaming.
RHONairobi S2: Your favourite queens plus 3 new faces
Big Girl Small World, coming soon
The best movies to stream
10 Rotten Tomatoes-approved movies on Showmax: ranked
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10 movies everyone’s watching on Showmax now
Stream these 10 fun, eye-popping movies that your fellow Showmax fans are loving, including Queen & Slim, Babylon, Equalizer 3 and more.
Transformers movies on Showmax: ranked
All seven Transformers movies are ready to stream on Showmax, including the 2007 original and the latest, Rise of the Beasts.
DC superhero movies on Showmax: ranked
See the ranked list of DC superhero movies now streaming on Showmax, including the feel-good Shazam! Fury of the Gods.