'Bridgerton's' 'Michaela' (Masali Baduza) proudly carries her South African heritage, just like her parents and siblings.
Actress, Masali Baduza is currently dominating the headlines due to her casting as 'Michaela Stirling' in the popular Netflix series, Bridgerton. She will be seen in the fifth instalment of the show on British royalty. Masali's character is a gender-swapped version of 'Michael Stirling' from Julia Quinn's original book, When He Was Wicked. The actress made her debut in Bridgerton in the Season 3 finale as the cousin of 'John Stirling' (Victor Alli), and since then, her appearance as a main cast member has been anticipated. As fans wait to see her on-screen chemistry with 'Francesca Bridgerton' (Hannah Dodd), here's all we know about her.
Masali Baduza is a South African actress born in East London, Eastern Cape, on March 12, 1996 (aged 30 as of March 2026). She is best known for her breakthrough role as 'Sephy Hadley' in the dystopian drama series, Noughts + Crosses (2020-22) and her recent introduction as 'Michaela Stirling' in Netflix's Bridgerton. Masali played 'Fumbe', a young warrior in The Woman King (2022). She also starred as 'Thandi Makebe' in Trackers (2019), 'Edith' in the first episode of Around the World in 80 Days (2021), and 'Young Trish' in Slumber Party Massacre (2021). These diverse acting roles showcase Masali's versatility as an actress and her promising future in the field.
As of March 2026, Masali Baduza has not publicly confirmed being in a relationship with anyone, and she appears to be single. While there is no public information regarding her dating life, her on-screen chemistry with her co-stars often leads to fan ships. Fans loved seeing her and her Noughts + Crosses co-star, Jack Rowan, together, and glimpses from their public appearances often went viral. Although Masali never talked about being romantically involved with anyone, she shared her ideal date. According to News24, she wants to spend some quality time with her partner amid greenery, by the beach, or somewhere she can enjoy nature's beauty. Masali stated:
"My ideal date? Fly me to Paris, buy me Chanel! No, I'm joking. My ideal date night, similar to Amahle, is really somewhere in nature, some greenery, the beach. Just take me somewhere where it's beautiful, where I can look at God's green earth."
Masali's father worked as a journalist, as reported by The Mirror. Reports refer to the actress as the daughter of Mr. and Revd Baduza. Speaking about her mother, she was reportedly a government employee. Masali mentioned receiving wise career advice from her mom during her early years in acting. She has spoken about how her ancestry and South Africa's history have influenced her perspective on playing privileged characters. She has also credited her parents for instilling a strong sense of community and the South African philosophy of ubuntu in her and her siblings from a young age.
Actress, Masali has five elder siblings supporting her like rocks along with her parents. While she generally keeps her family life private, she has shared a few details about their varied careers. She has two brothers and three sisters, according to News24. One of Masali's brothers works in a corporate role, while the other is an art curator at the University of Pretoria. Regarding her sisters, one runs her own jewellery line, while the other, who originally studied accounting, has transitioned into the culinary industry.
Masali Baduza was born shortly after the end of apartheid. She often reflects on her ancestral history and has spoken about the emotional weight of her heritage. While filming the BBC drama, Noughts + Crosses, she noted the irony of playing a "privileged" character in a reversed racial hierarchy, stating it made her deeply consider what her ancestors endured and how they were treated under white supremacy. She views her acting projects as a way to "turn white supremacy on its head" by using her knowledge of the African culture. Being bilingual in English and isiXhosa, Masali uses her Xhosa background to bring authenticity and depth to her performances, viewing it as a core part of her identity. Talking of her ancestors' struggles, she said:
"Thinking of what my ancestors have been through before me and how they were treated, for me to be playing a character who is privileged, historically? It's crazy."
Despite being part of the post-apartheid generation, Masali Baduza has highlighted how the remnants of the past still affected her childhood. She shared that rules explicitly forbade black girls from wearing their natural afros, labelling them as "unprofessional" or "unkempt". They were required to style their hair into what the institution deemed "acceptable". Recalling the "traumatising" experience, Masali stated:
"We had a rule book of things we could and couldn't do to our hair – including one that said black girls couldn't wear their natural afros because it was unprofessional and it looked unkempt. We had to style our hair into something that was more acceptable. Having that as your mindset as a young black girl is just... traumatising."
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