Cynthia Erivo to portray Miriam Makeba in R300m biopic ‘The Road Home’
Award-winning actress and singer Cynthia Erivo is set to portray legendary South African musician Miriam Makeba in a major new musical drama titled The Road Home.
The film, backed by a reported R300 million budget, is being described as one of the most ambitious South African-linked productions in recent years, blending music, politics and history.
Erivo shared her excitement on social media, describing Makeba as a lifelong inspiration and calling the role both “scary” and deeply meaningful. She said she hopes to honour the late icon, often known as “Mama Africa,” with care and respect.
The film will be directed by Bill Condon, known for Dreamgirls and Wicked, bringing strong musical direction to the project.
The Road Home focuses on the late 1980s, exploring tensions surrounding Paul Simon’s Graceland era and the international cultural boycott of apartheid South Africa. It examines the political and artistic conflict that shaped global music conversations at the time.
South African actor Thabo Rametsi will portray jazz legend Hugh Masekela, while actor Guy Pearce joins the cast as Archbishop Trevor Huddleston.
The film also has input from South African novelist Zakes Mda, helping ensure historical and cultural accuracy.
Principal photography is expected to begin in Cape Town on June 29, 2026, with most of the cast and crew drawn from South Africa despite the international star power.
Backed by the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation, the project aims to capture themes of exile, resistance, friendship and cultural defiance during apartheid-era South Africa.
