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Zakes Mokae

Zakes Mokae

Actor · Died September 11, 2009, aged 75 · Johannesburg, South Africa

Zakes Makgona Mokae (August 5, 1934 – September 11, 2009) was a South African stage and screen actor. For his role in playwright Athol Fugard's "Master Harold"...and the Boys, Mokae won the 1982 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. His major films include Cry Freedom (1987), A Dry White Season (1989), The Island (1980), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), Outbreak (1995), and Waterworld (1995). He also had memorable guest appearances on many television series such as The X-Files, The West Wing, and Monk.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 5, 1934
Died
September 11, 2009 (aged 75)
From
Johannesburg, South Africa
Works as
Actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 41% in 30 days

What are Zakes Mokae's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
24%
Morality
21%
Survival
20%
Self
16%
Power
9%
Ideas
6%
Society
5%
Survival7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 4 · Dark 8

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 9 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 3 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 2 of 3 analyzed roles.

Mentor
2 of 3
Shadow
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Dread
6
Absurd
4
Hopeful
4
Melancholic
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Zakes Mokae's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Zakes Mokae's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Monk(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Tonday

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as President Nimbala

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Krippendorf's Tribe(1998)

    as Sulukim

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Oz(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kipekemie Jara

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Vampire in Brooklyn(1995)

    as Dr. Zeko

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Waterworld(1995)

    as Priam

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Bakoosa (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • Outbreak(1995)

    as Dr. Benjamin Iwabi

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story(1994)

    as Harding

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Slaughter of the Innocents(1993)

    as Library Janitor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Diabria

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Percy & Thunder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Pee Wee

  • Dust Devil(1992)

    as Ben Mukurob

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Body Parts(1991)

    as Detective Sawchuck

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Doctor(1991)

    as Dr. Charles Reed (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • A Rage in Harlem(1991)

    as Big Kathy

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Edgar Barkley

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Parker Kane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Kid Lightning

  • Dream On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 2 episodes · as U.N. Dignitary

  • Dad(1989)

    as Dr. Chad

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Gross Anatomy(1989)

    as Dr. Banumbra

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • A Dry White Season(1989)

    as Stanley Makhaya

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Serpent and the Rainbow(1988)

    as Dargent Peytraud

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Cry Freedom(1987)

    as Father Kani

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • A Different World(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcus Mpepo

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • 'Master Harold'... and the Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Sam

  • A Caribbean Mystery(1983)

    as Cap. Daventry

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Knight Rider(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Tsombe Kuna

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Roar(1981)

    as Committee

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Island(1980)

    as Wescott

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Roots: The Next Generations(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as African Minister

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Pee Wee Spencer

  • The River Niger(1976)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Starsky and Hutch(1975)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lord Harry

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer(1970)

    as Mugger (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Fragment of Fear(1970)

    as (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Plays of Today (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Nguru

  • ITV Saturday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as John Smith

  • Separation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Uncredited

  • The Comedians(1967)

    as Michel

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Gavin Lesotho

  • Jemima + Johnny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Blind Man

  • Thirty-Minute Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel Okpara

  • Darling(1965)

    as Black Man at French Party (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Theatre 625 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Shale

  • Story Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Nathaniel

  • Dilemma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Steven Sitole

  • Dark Africa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Sergeant (as Zachariah Nokae)

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles from 1957 to 2002; peak year 1988.

Biggest box office

Outbreak (1995)

$190M worldwide

Highest rated

Cry Freedom (1987)

Midcredits 89th

Most popular right now

Outbreak (1995)

Film career

19572002

Peak 1988 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1967Screen debut· The Comedians

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting48 of 48: 48 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s11 · acting1970s6 · acting1980s11 · acting1990s18 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 16 roles
6792

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Zakes Mokae's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story (1994)

69th percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Cry Freedom (1987)

Midcredits 89th · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 64/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Zakes Mokae's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 78 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles18–63 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 54 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 26 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 75 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Zakes Mokae work with?

People who share at least 2 of Zakes Mokae's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Wes Craven shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Producers