Pienaar was a prolific actor, appearing in over 100 projects over the course of his four-decade career.

Jonathan Pienaar, South African star of Blood Diamond, dies at 63

Pienaar was a prolific actor, appearing in over 100 projects over the course of his four-decade career.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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December 14, 2025 11:19 p.m. ET

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Jonathan Pienaar in 'The Three Investigators and the Secret of Terror Castle'. Credit:

Buena Vista International/Courtesy Everett Collection

Jonathan Pienaar, the prolific South African star of films like *Blood Diamond *and series like *Cape Town*, has died at the age 63.

Pienaar's ex-wife, the dancer Rosana Maya, confirmed his death on Nov. 10 with a post to her official Facebook. Over a photo depicting Pienaar clad in leather in medium close-up, Maya wrote, "Most beautiful man, unique soul… like your wolves, you gave so much for so little… the world is a lesser place without you in it, my sadness too deep. Fly with angels my love."

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonathan Pienaar in 'Blood Diamond'.

Maya confirmed to the South African news site News24 on the same day that Pienaar died at his home in the Auckland Park neighborhood of Johannesburg. She noted that the actor's health had been "deteriorating" as of late, stating that his death was the result of "heart failure."

"I had a nurse here looking after him, and she said that she went in to see him and he said, 'Where am I?' and fell asleep again. When the nurse went to give him his medication, he passed on," she shared.

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Pienaar was born on Sept. 16, 1962. After studying drama at and studied drama at Pretoria's Tshwane University of Technology, previously known as Technikon Pretoria, he leaped from local stage roles to national screen roles, to turns in international films and series.**

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Leonardo DiCaprio's ''Blood Diamond'' experience

Pienaar's highest profile role came in 2006, when he was cast as a cameraman in Edward Zwick's searing drama *Blood Diamond*. The opportunity allowed Pienaar to play opposite some of the finest actors of his generation, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, and Jennifer Connelly.

But to South Africans, Pienaar was best known for roles in series such as 2009's *Hopeville *and the *General Hospital*-esque soap *Binnelanders*, in which Pienaar starred for a season as Leon. He also appeared in Anthony Fabian's TIFF-premiering biopic *Skin*, acclaimed Tunisian-French director Abdellatif Kechiche's 2010 film *Black Venus*, which competed at the Venice Film Festival, and the drama series *Cape Town.***

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