An ambitious new musical film is set to bring the powerful legacy of late South African jazz icons Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela to the big screen, but not without stirring debate.
Titled The Road Home, the film has secured an international cast, including Cynthia Erivo, Thabo Rametsi and Guy Pearce. Directed by Academy Award winner Bill Condon, the production draws from a screenplay by Michael Bronner, based on a story co-created with acclaimed South African author Zakes Mda.
Set against the backdrop of apartheid, the film traces Masekela’s journey in exile as he gets caught between loyalty and politics during the global fallout surrounding Paul Simon’s Graceland project. The album, inspired by township music, sparked international controversy for allegedly breaching the United Nations’ cultural boycott of South Africa.
Rametsi steps into the role of Masekela, while Erivo portrays Makeba, his collaborator and fellow exile. Together, they form the Graceland touring band, aiming to amplify South African voices on a global stage. Pearce takes on the role of anti-apartheid figure Trevor Huddleston, whose opposition to Simon’s project adds tension to the narrative.
Big budget production
With a reported budget of R300-million, the film ranks among the most significant investments in a local story. Filming is scheduled to begin in Cape Town in June 2026, with the production expected to create hundreds of jobs for local cast and crew, alongside thousands of extras.
Veteran producer Hilton Rosenthal will oversee the soundtrack, including new recordings from Makeba and Masekela’s catalogues, a move likely to reintroduce their music to a new generation.
However, Erivo’s casting has sparked conversation around representation, with some questioning why a South African actress was not chosen to portray Makeba. Erivo has acknowledged the weight of the role, expressing deep respect for the late icon and the challenge of honouring her legacy.
Despite the debate, The Road Home positions itself as a deeply personal retelling of a defining cultural moment, shaped, crucially, by voices rooted in the story itself.
- The musical film *The Road Home* chronicles the lives of South African jazz icons Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, focusing on apartheid-era challenges and Paul Simon’s controversial *Graceland* project.
- Directed by Bill Condon and featuring Cynthia Erivo, Thabo Rametsi, and Guy Pearce, the screenplay is co-created with South African author Zakes Mda.
- Thabo Rametsi plays Hugh Masekela, Cynthia Erivo portrays Miriam Makeba, and Guy Pearce depicts anti-apartheid figure Trevor Huddleston.
- With a R300-million budget, filming will begin in Cape Town in June 2026, expected to generate significant local employment and include a soundtrack overseen by Hilton Rosenthal.
- Erivo’s casting has sparked debate over representation, as some question the choice of a non-South African actress for Makeba, though Erivo expresses great respect for the role and legacy.
