Spar’s New Ad Features South Africa’s Stella Dlangalala, Not US Actress Tichina Arnold
Spar, the local retailer, recently launched a new advertising campaign featuring actors Khaya Mthembu and Stella Dlangalala. The commercial presents a light-hearted skit about the challenges of bringing groceries home in the middle of the month, with Dlangalala humorously expressing how she managed to get more for less in the advert.
Despite the commercial being viewed by many as just another advertisement during their favorite shows, legendary theatre thespian Dr. John Kani mistakenly identified Dlangalala as American actress Tichina Arnold, best known for her role as Rochelle in ‘Everybody Hates Chris.’ Arnold had previously appeared on Mzansi Magic’s ‘Lockdown’ in 2018, in a role specifically written for her.
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Expressing his disappointment on Twitter, Kani voiced his concern about an international actor being cast instead of local talent, stating, “Surely they could have found a South African actor to do this advert. I am not angry, I am actually sad.”
In response, Dlangalala, a seasoned actress and comedian who has featured in various theatre productions and TV shows like ‘The Wife’ and ‘Jiva,’ clarified her identity to Kani, stating, “It’s me. 😭 my name is Stella Dlangalala and I am African I owe my being to the hills and the valleys…”
Pleased to learn that a local actress was cast, Kani expressed his relief and extended best wishes to Dlangalala in her career. He emphasized the importance of safeguarding the integrity of South African artists.
Spar also acknowledged the confusion, confirming that it was indeed Stella Dlangalala in the advert and acknowledging the uncanny resemblance between her and Tichina Arnold.