South African Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, along with a bevy of Hollywood stars, expressed praise and sorrow for Nelson Mandela hours after the extraordinary leader died Thursday.
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In 2004, after she won an Oscar for “Monster,” Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, gave her a warm homecoming where she
cried and told him “I Love You,” according to The Independent.
Theron’s comments on the passing of the 95-year-old revered icon who led the fight to end apartheid came hours after the royal premiere of “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” which stars Idris Elba portraying Mandela.
The Daily Mail reported Idris Elba, 41, learned about Mandela’s passing at the premiere. “What an honor it was to step into the shoes of Nelson Mandela and portray a man who defied odds, broke down barriers, and championed human rights before the eyes of the world. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Morgan Freeman, who played the South African leader in the 2009 film “Invictus,” described him as “a saint to many, a hero to all who treasure liberty, freedom and the dignity of humankind,” the Daily Mail reported.
According to CNN, Mandela will be buried in a state funeral on Sunday, President Jacob Zuma said.
“We will always love Madiba for teaching us that it is possible to overcome hatred and anger in order to build a new nation and a new society," he said.
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