# Sara Zwangobani

Sara Zwangobani is an Australian actress. She has appeared in Australian TV and film in Love My Way and Monarch Cove (2006), All Saints (2005 & 2009), Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006), Disgrace (2008), Packed to the Rafters (2009), Soul Mates (2014), Home and Away and Doctor Doctor (2019). Her most notable role is portraying Marigold Brandyfoot in Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in 2022.

## Early life

Zwangobani was born in Canberra, (ACT), Australia, and brought up in Cook. She has a Zimbabwean father and a Zulu surname and a sibling, brother Elliott Zwangobani, Australian Sports Commission director, a former futsal player. She attended Cook Primary School, then undertook a drama program at Hawker College, Canberra. From 1985-1988, she trained in dance, many forms, such as ballet, jazz, modern, funk and as a tap dancer, at the Betsy Sawers School of Dance, and with the Human Veins Dance Theatre. In 1989, undertook a Television and Film Workshops course at Broadway Film Studios in Canberra. She furthered her education at the Victorian College of the Arts, graduating in 1992 with a Diploma of arts in dramatic arts (Acting).

## Career
### Theatre

On graduating, Zwangobani was approached by actor John Howard for acting roles for the Sydney Theatre Company. Performances include Summer of the Aliens, The Crucible (2000), Women in Shorts (1997), Pulse 10 (1999), Imago (2001). Girl in Tan Boots for the Griffin Theatre Company, Lyrebird for the Old Fitzroy Theatre, Dirty Butterfly. Zwangobani played Mark Antony in Julius Caesar In 2009, she played Rosetta in the Liv Ullmann directed A Streetcar Named Desire working with Cate Blanchett. In 2010, Zwangobani starred in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of the Sarah Ruhl play In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) directed by Pamela Rabe. Zwangobani played Elizabeth, a wet nurse of the main character

### Television and film

In 1997, she made her debut appearance on television in an episode of Fallen Angels In 2006, she starred as Imogen in six episodes of the Australian drama series Love My Way, which won ‘Best Television Drama Series’ at the Australian Film Institute Awards that year. and won ‘Most Outstanding Drama Program’ at the ASTRA Awards Continuing in 2006, she had a recurring role as Detective Maria Ramos for seven episodes of Lifetime’s prime time telenovela Monarch Cove. She made appearances on Australian television and film in All Saints (2005 & 2009), Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006), Disgrace (2008), Packed to the Rafters (2009), Soul Mates (2014), Home and Away and Doctor Doctor (2019).
In 2022, She played Marigold Brandyfoot, stepmother of Elanor (Nori) Brandyfoot, played by fellow Australian actress Markella Kavenagh, in Amazon Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Filming of season 1 was carried out in New Zealand.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Star Baby | Arial | Short film |
| 2002 | The Merchant of Fairness | Danielle | film |
| 2006 | One of the Lucky Ones | Hannah | Short film |
| 2008 | Disgrace | Young Woman | film |
| 2017 | Dance Academy: The Movie | ICU Nurse McDaniel | Film |
| 2020 | Grapefruit & Heat Death! | Prof. McLaw | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Fallen Angels | Community Liaison | S1 episode 3 – “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” |
| 2000 | Water Rats | Toloti Vivi | S5 episode 28 – “With a Vengence” |
| 2005–2009 | All Saints | Carol Graham / Detective Allen | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Love My Way | Imogen | 6 episodes Wins Best Television Drama Series |
| 2006–2018 | Home and Away | Jodi Anderson / Mel Harris | 8 episodes |
| 2006 | Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King | News Anchor | 1 episode "Road Virus" |
| 2006 | Monarch Cove | Detective Maria Ramos | 7 episodes |
| 2006 | Two Twisted | Sarah | 1 episode |
| 2007 | The Starter Wife | Debra | 1 episode |
| 2007 | One of the Lucky Ones | Prosecuting Lawyer | TV movie |
| 2009 | Packed to the Rafters | Sonographer /Ultra Sound Technician | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | Soul Mates | Nancy | Season 1 episode 5 – “Father Time” |
| 2019 | Doctor Doctor | Dr. Luisa | S4 episode2 - "Don't Stop Me Now" |
| 2022 | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | Marigold Brandyfoot | 6 episodes |