‘This serves as validation’: Kim Engelbrecht gets Emmys nod

Actress Kim Engelbrecht has bagged an Emmy Awards nomination for her role in 'Reyka', making her the fifth African actress to do so.

‘This serves as validation’: Kim Engelbrecht gets Emmys nod

South African actress Kim Engelbrecht has a very big opportunity of adding an Emmy Award to her list of achievements which include two South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA).

The actress has received a nomination for her role as Reyka Gama on the Mnet drama series ReykaDrum Magazine reports.

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KIM ENGELBRECHT GETS AN EMMYS NOMINATION

Engelbrecht, who was well-knowned for her role in Isidingo, has been nominated in the best actress category of the Emmy Awards. The show is also nominated in the best drama series category. In the same category are fan favourites like Lupin, Narcos: Mexico, and Vigil.

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“Reyka has a fantastic story. It’s about a girl who was taken from her single mother when she was 12 years old, she escapes her capturer years later,” she told the publication.

“She then grows up to be a criminal profiler and she has her own daughter.

“The story is heavy, yet so captivating and it’s directed and edited so well that after the first episode you are sucked in, and you just want to know what will happen next because of the cliffhanger. It is a very intense, graphic and disturbing story that has been done so beautifully,” she explains.

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FIFTH ACTRESS IN AFRICA

With this nod, Engelbrecht joins four other African actresses who have nominated for the International Emmy.

The first ever actress to get an Emmys nod was Brenda Ngxoli in 2007 for Home Affairs, followed by Lerato Mvelase in 2010, also for Home Affairs. In 2017 and 2018, Thuso Mbedu was nominated for her part in Is’thunzi, and in 2021, Egyptian actress Menna Shalabi was nominated for her role in Every Week has a Friday.

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“This nomination means so much more than you could ever imagine.

“This serves as validation to our entire Reyka team that hard work and commitment does not go unnoticed. Congratulations Team Reyka. I saw a quote this morning: ‘You can get to where you want to go from exactly where you are.’ Thank you to the International Emmys for the incredible nomination. Thank you for the opportunity to share our show with the world. South Africa has so many stories to tell,” Engelbrecht says.

MULTICHOICE CONGRATULATES KIM ENGELBRECHT

Following her Emmys nod, MultiChoice CEO of general entertainment and connected video Yolisa Phahle sent Engelbrecht her best wishes, according to TimesLIVE.

“Congratulations to Kim, Quizzical Pictures and our international partners, Serena Cullen Productions and Fremantle.

“This is MultiChoice’s fourth international Emmy nomination in six years, building on Thuso Mbedu’s Best Actress nominations for Is’thunzi in 2017 and 2018, as well as The River’s nomination for Best Telenovela in 2019.

“African stories are increasingly finding audiences abroad and attracting investment to the continent.”