South Africa's golden girl Thuso Mbedu made her Cannes Film Festival debut, and it came with a big surprise.
The multi-award-winning actress attended the "Elemental" screening and closing ceremony during the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 27.
While she looked stunning in an Elie Saab gown, the big news quickly stole the shine. As the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival, L'Oréal Paris took an opportunity to announce Mbedu as the new brand ambassador and spokesperson for Sub-Saharan Africa.
“We are excited to welcome Thuso Mbedu into our L'Oréal Paris family. Her exceptional talent, timeless beauty, and commitment to empowering others align perfectly with our mission. We look forward to embarking on this exciting journey together to inspire individuals to embrace their uniqueness and celebrate their inner beauty,” says Burkhard Pieroth of L'Oréal Paris Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mbedu partnering with such big beauty brands is heart-warming because as a child, she never saw herself as beautiful, but now that she’s grown, her beauty shines the brightest. First, it was Dior, now L’Oréal Paris.
Also, this is not just her win but an inspiration to girls who look like her that no matter their skin colour or the texture of their hair, they are beautiful and deserve to be the face(s) of leading beauty brands.
“Growing up, one never saw oneself as beautiful – I could never have imagined that one day I would have the honour of being L’Oréal Paris’ first Sub-Saharan African spokesperson. A brand that stands for women empowerment, with a strong sense of diversity, sisterhood, and feminism.
“So far, I’ve enjoyed learning about the innovative technology behind L’Oréal’s product range and the ground-breaking strides made in understanding African skin. Their products are amazing, and I’m thrilled to be representing my African community within this incredible, global brand,” says the Pietermaritzburg-born star.
Mbedu’s duties at L’Oréal Paris’ include bringing her unique perspective to local advertising campaigns, product launches, and public appearances.