Legendary South African casting director Moonyeenn Lee dies from Covid-19.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Legendary South African casting director and agent Agent Moonyeenn Lee has died from complications to Covid-19. She was 76.

Moonyeenn Lee who was born in 1944 in Johannesburg, died in Saturday, due to complications caused by the coronavirus.

On Sunday Moonyeenn Lee Associates announced on its Facebook page that "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of the legendary South African casting director and agent, Moonyeenn Lee".

Her 47 years in the film industry earned her a formidable reputation: You didn't go through if you didn't go through Moonyeenn.

In 2003 Moonyeenn was nominated to the national executive committee of the Independent Producer’s Organisation (IPO)  and to the Film Board of Create South Africa. 

In the same year, she formed Khulisa Productions to make South African films that created its first film, Promised Land.

"Moonyeenn’s passion for South African stories and local talent was well known. Over the years, she would travel around the world introducing producers and directors to South African actors. She would always do everything in her power to convince them to rather cast local actors over foreign actors. Her dedication eventually paid off as many international productions trusted her to cast locally," said Moonyeenn Lee Associates.

Moonyeenn Lee was renowned as one of South Africa’s leading agents and probably the most famous one in the country, and represented some of South Africa’s best-known actors through her company, Moonyeenn Lee & Associates (MLA). 

"She cared deeply for actors and was a fearless defender of their rights," said MLA.

"Work was central in her life. Her actors were her family. The directors and producers she worked with were all her friends. She was brutally honest, a bit too much for some, but she believed in saying things as they are."

"Her quick wit, her wicked sense of humour and deep understanding of her craft made her interesting company. Her family and friends will remember her for her generosity and kindness to those in need, for her fighting spirit as well as for her unwavering commitment to the local industry."

Moonyeen Lee received the Lionel Ngakane Lifetime Achievement Award from the South African Film & Television Awards in 2017, and she became the first South African member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which votes for the Oscars and the Television Academy, which votes for the Emmys.

Moonyeen Lee managed the casting of films such as The Bang Bang Club, Disgrace, the Oscar-winning Tsotsi, Fanie Fourie’s Lobola, the Oscar-nominated Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, Hotel Rwanda and Blood Diamond; the Oscar-shortlisted Black Panther and Life, Above All; the Golden Globe nominees Machine Gun Preacher and Mandela and De Klerk.

She also did the casting for Emmy-winning series like Homeland, as well as nominees like The Prisoner and No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, among others. Moonyeenn was nominated for two Emmy Awards for The Looming Tower and Roots.

Moonyeenn Lee helped shape the lives of many actors, directors and writers through her fierce honesty and passion. "The South African film industry has lost an icon and a formidable champion of the arts. She will be sorely missed by us all," said MLA. 

She is survived by her daughter, Cindy Lee, her son, David Lee and her pets, Hitchcock, Eva and Spice.

The Commercial Producers Association of South Africa said it is "very sad to learn of the passing of legendary agent and casting director, Moonyeenn Lee. A great loss to the South African film industry! Our condolences go to Cindy, David and family and to all at MLA". 

Roberta Durrant from Penguin Films said "I got to know Moonyeen four decades ago when she first represented me as an actress and then worked closely with her ever since, as she represented the amazing talent in our industry."

"She has launched so many careers and has been a guiding light for our industry, not only locally, but internationally as well. Moonyeen will be deeply missed by all."

The Newzroom Afrika co-founder Thokozani Nkosi said "Moonyeenn spotted my potential as an actor before I fully did and believed in me until I did it too. She first cast me in Yizo-Yizo and the rest is history. Rest in peace Moonyeenn you were a true casting genius. You made so many dreams come true. Your legacy lives on."


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Risque new local Showmax series, The Girl from St. Agnes, releases official trailer; drama might shock some viewers, won't shy away from nudity and divisive topics avoided by other local South African shows.

The video streaming service Showmax has released its official trailer for its first locally produced drama series, The Girl from St. Agnes, with the risque series that might shock some conservative South African viewers and will likely come with a high age-restriction as the show won't shy away from nudity and divisive topics generally avoided by other locally produced TV series.

"South Africans normally turn to HBO series on Showmax for edgy content, rather than local series, which tend to be a lot more conservative, with nudity and divisive topics generally avoided. But conservative isn't a word anyone's going to use for The Girl From St. Agnes," says Showmax about the 8-episode series revolving around the murder mystery of a pupil at a private all-girls school.

The Girl from St. Agnes, produced by Quizzical Pictures and managing director and producer Harriet Gavshon, will become available on Showmax from 31 January and is distributed internationally by Red Arrow Studios International. 

"When I read the scripts, I absolutely loved them. They go to the heart of the story. The fact that it's on Showmax allows it to really go there," says actor Robert Hobbs.

"There are no limitations in terms of broadcasting this - no old-school rules and regulations about what you can show live. You don't have to imply stuff; we can experience it. That is its strength. That's what makes it unique."

"Sometimes it's nice to watch something with a satisfying ending, like finding out who killed Lexi Summerveld (Jane De Wet) and why," says actress Nina Milner playing the role of Kate Ballard. "The Girl From St. Agnes has that formula that the whole world has gone mad for: shorter seasons of extremely binge-able criminal content."

Zakeeya Patel who also has a role says she "read the scripts all in one sitting, so I'm so happy that all eight episodes will be released at the same time. Once I started reading them I couldn't stop ... I literally pulled my car over on the side of the road to finish them. It was dangerous but I needed to finish them. So I went into a parking lot and motored through them on my phone, in tiny, tiny writing."

The Girl from St. Agnes was filmed in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and Johannesburg with casting director Moonyeenn Lee, who handpicked the cast consisting of Nina Milner, Tyrone Keogh, Robert Hobbs, Graham Hopkins; as well as Tessa Jubber, Karl Thaning, Shamilla Miller, Jane de Wet, Paige Bonnin, Tristan de Beer; and including Zakeeya Patel, Makgotso M, Celeste Khumalo and Jocelyn Broderick.

Catharine Cooke and Cindy Lee are the co-directors.

South African agent and casting director, Moonyeenn Lee, joins as Oscar member as one of 683 new members added to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The Oscars has chosen the South African agent and casting director Moonyeenn Lee to join its list of members voting for Oscar films.

Moonyeenn Lee, who has 43 years experience in the South African film and TV industry, is joining the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of the new 683 people selected to help diversify the Oscar voting pool following criticism the past two years and longer that the Oscars "are so white" in terms of category nominees and winners.

"Having been chosen as a member is an incredible honour," says Moonyeenn Leen. "I honestly believe that this would never have happened without the incredible talent of South African actors."