Unleashing the beast, AFDA alumnus Tongayi Chirisa

The voice role of Cheetor on Transformers: Rise of The Beasts crowns a brilliant Hollywood career for AFDA Live Performance alumnus Tongayi Chirisa, who started his acting career off playing Detective Davis on the Zimbabwean soapie Studio 263 almost 2 decades ago.

Tongayi shared the news on his role in Transformers: Rise of The Beasts on his official Instagram account. “So there is a story to this!!! Per the usual standard, I had to sign an NDA, so I had no idea what I was reading for. It was only when I was in the booth to do my voice over that it dawned on me that I was reading for Transformers. Like what! I totally geeked out in the moment. Man, to say this is mad exciting is an understatement. So thankful, so honoured, so blessed!!!

When it comes to the cast of “Transformers Rise of the Beast”, Tongayi is surrounded by several talented players, especially when it comes to the folks chosen to help the Maximals make their big-screen live-action debut. Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal and Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh voicing Air Razor are just some of the stellar choices made to bring these characters to life.

Since arriving in the USA to take a crack at Hollywood Tongayi has been adding credits to his body of work for many years and has taken on several roles in notable titles in movies and TV. On the small screen, Tongayi has been prominently featured in a consistent number of entries in shows such as “Mayfair Witches,” “Another Life,” “iZombie,” “The Jim Gaffigan Show,” and “Crusoe.” His motion picture efforts include “Antebellum,” “No Exit,” “Trees of Peace,” and “The Anthrax Attacks.”

Tongayi broke into the South Africa market after graduating from AFDA, starting with a KFC commercial. He later became a household name in South Africa after playing the role of ‘Hekule’ in Leon Schuster’s Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past feature film.