Tribute to South Africa’s Legendary Casting Director Moonyeenn Lee

South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa has paid tribute to legendary Agent and Casting Director Moonyeenn Lee, remembering her for fearlessly defending the rights of actors.

“Over the years, she would travel around the world introducing producers and directors to South African actors. She consistently did everything in her power to convince them to cast local actors over foreign actor and her dedication paid off,” the Minister said on Monday.

Lee passed away on Saturday due to complications caused by Coronavirus.

“She was brutally honest, a bit too honest for some and she had a fighting spirit that was fuelled by her commitment to the industry she served.

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of a member of the Living Legends legacy Programme (LLLP), colossal industry veteran and Casting Director Lee, who left us on 18 July, on Nelson Mandela’s birthday,” Mthethwa said.

Moonyeenn Lee Associates announced the news with “great sadness” on Sunday, saying: “Work was central to 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 were. 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.”

In her career, spanning nearly five decades, she casted or managed the casting of films such as 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 Emmy-winning series Homeland, among others.

Lee was nominated for two Emmy Awards.

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

She received the Lionel Ngakane Lifetime Achievement Award from the SAFTA’s in 2017 in recognition of her status as an icon and champion of Actors, Directors and Producers.

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

Sources: SAnews.gov.za and Moonyeenn Lee Associates

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