Mandela Mathia was born in South Sudan and spent the majority of his childhood years in the north of the country and in Egypt, due to the civil war in Sudan. He arrived in Australia in 2008. Since graduating from NIDA he has appeared in Sami in Paradise, The Cherry Orchard (Belvoir); The Rolling Stone (Outhouse Theatre Company); Prize Fighter (National Tour with La Boite); Othello, Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night (Sport for Jove); Macbeth (Sport for Jove) and played Hamlet in Sydney Foreign Actors Association’s production of HEMLET. Mandela has shown interest in not only performing on stage, but also writing for stage and screen. He co-wrote a short film with emerging successful filmmakers in the industry and has starred in films such as I Am Emmanuel and Kill Off. Mandela has starred in All These Creatures, a short film that won the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival and the 2018 AACTA Award. Mandela was nominated for Best Supporting Role for The Rolling Stone in 2018. In 2019, Mandela was nominated for Best Leading Role at ReelGood Film Festival for his performance as Mel in All These Creatures. In 2022, Mandela starred in The Twelve, making his debut on Australian television alongside acclaimed Australian actor Sam Neill.