British actress Cynthia Erivo being cast as Miriam Makeba in the upcoming biopic sent South Africans into an uproar, as many were concerned about how the actress would properly speak Miriam’s mother tongue, isiXhosa.
Also see: John Legend and Cynthia Erivo to star in apartheid-era film
Cynthia Erivo dabbles in isiXhosa
A clip of Cynthia speaking on a panel is currently trending on X. In the video, Cynthia shared her experience preparing for the role, learning the language, and pronouncing the clicks prominent in the dialect.
X user @__Messo__ posted the clip with a short caption: “A sneak peak of Cynthia Erivo speaking Xhosa as Miriam Makeba.”
Cynthia stated that she returned from South Africa after learning the language and how wonderful she felt after learning how to make the ‘Q’ click sound.
A sneak peak of Cynthia Erivo speaking Xhosa as Miriam Makeba pic.twitter.com/4BDFYsIDVC
— . (@__messo__) August 24, 2026
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Cynthia Erivo sparks online debate
Cynthia was announced to play Miriam Makeba in the upcoming biopic about the South African legend’s life. The film, titled The Road Home, will follow Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba’s journey to form the Graceland band. The film will feature music from Hugh and Miriam.
Considering the significance both artists hold in South Africa, on historical, heritage and cultural scales, the casting was anticipated and important to South African viewers.
Cynthia’s casting brought about mixed reactions. Locals argued that a South African actress should be the one telling South African stories, adding that international stars are more than likely to butcher South African languages and accents.
An X user felt that the performance will be reminiscent of Jennifer Hudson and Idris Elba playing Winnie and Nelson Mandela, and their attempts to speak Xhosa.
Reactions to the video
Fortunately for Cynthia, the video sparked warm reactions from many social media users, as many are starting to trust that the talented actress may be able to take on the role and do it justice.
i was ready to drag her for the whole week then i heard the clicks land properly and now i must sit down and be quiet because that accent work is not a joke at all
— SireOfNations (@SireOfNations) August 25, 2026
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