Sithembile Xola Pearl Thusi (born 13 May 1988) is a South African actress, model, and presenter. She is known for her roles as Patricia Kopong in the BBC/HBO comedy-drama series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Dayana Mampasi in the ABC thriller Quantico and Samkelo in the romance film Catching Feelings. In 2020, she starred in the title role of Netflix’s first African original series, Queen Sono.
Thusi is from townships of KwaNdengezi and Hammarsdale just outside Durban. She has two sisters. She attended Pinetown Girls’ High School. She began her studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, but pulled out to make time for her career. In 2020, she resumed studies at the University of South Africa.
Pearl Thusi was an active pageant princess in her youth. She competed in numerous beauty contests and won a few. Pearl didn’t reach much success in a pageant, but she became a fast-growing media star. Pearl found a new calling when she fell in love with the entertainment industry and left beauty pageants altogether.
Pearl started competing in a beauty pageant as a child in her school days. In 2003 she entered Miss South Africa Teen, but she didn’t win. Pearl became the runner up for that particular pageant won by Masechaba Dlengezele. In the year 2005, Pearl entered and won Miss KwaZulu Natal. Unfortunately, that was her bow out from the pageant world.
Pearl is naturally very tall with a lean body. She also has very striking facial features, making her a successful runway and magazine model. She modelled for various South African designers during Mzansi fashion weeks. She also appeared in a lot of fashion catalogues modelling for different clothing store brands.
Pearl started television presenting from the year 2011 to the year 2016. In 2011, she presented the show Live AMP alongside Luthando Shosha, also known as Lootlove, and DJ Warras. In 2012, she started presenting on the SABC 1 celeb gossip show called The Real Goboza. She stopped presenting in 2016 and hasn’t returned yet.
Her most successful career path was in the industry of acting. She started her acting career around the late 2000s in Zone 14. Pearl went on to act in Isidingo and in films like Catching Feelings and Kalushi. In 2018, she created her own Netflix series called Queen Sono. Pearl even made it to act on Wu Assassins, which came out this year.
In 2021 she announced that she is returning to university to complete her studies at the University of South Africa. She has tried music before, but it didn’t work out.
The Quantico actress has two daughters. The first is Thandolwethu Mokoena, who is her only biological daughter and adopted Okuhle Thusi in 2019.
The Mzanzi actress has made a fortune as a model and presenter in addition to her film career. Pearl Thusi’s net worth is $1.8 million as of 2023.
Pearl Thusi is without a doubt one of the most talented and industrious South Africans in the entertainment world. The Mzansi nation honours her for successfully representing her country on worldwide venues.
