| Masali Baduza | |
| Birth Place: | East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Alma Mater: | New York Film Academy |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 2017–present |
Masali Baduza (born 1996) is a South African actress. She is best known for her role as Sephy Hadley in the BBC drama Noughts + Crosses. She was named a rising star and one to watch by the Royal Television Society.[1]
The youngest of six children, Baduza is from East London, Eastern Cape.[2] She is bilingual in Xhosa and English. She trained at the Los Angeles campus of the New York Film Academy, graduating with an Associate degree in 2016.[3] [4]
Baduza began her career mostly in theatre and appeared in the South African crime thriller Trackers, which was M-Net's top performing show for 2019.[5] [6] Her films include Slumber Party Massacre (2021) and The Woman King (2022).
In 2024, she had a guest role on Bridgerton Season 3 as Michaela Stirling, a genderflipped of the book character Michael Stirling.[7]
| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Trackers | Thandi Makebe | 3 episodes |
| Bhai's Cafe | Thandi | ||
| The Fighter | Lerato | Short film | |
| 2020–2022 | Noughts + Crosses | Sephy Hadley | Main role |
| 2021 | Slumber Party Massacre | Young Trish Deveraux | |
| 2022 | The Woman King | Fumbe | |
| 2024 | Bridgerton | Michaela Stirling | Guest role (season 3) |
| The Morning After | Winnie | ||