THE SPIRIT LIVES!!!! ASHE!!!! THE SPIRIT WORLD IS EVERYYHING!!!


Henry Cele will always have the standard for any portrayal of Shaka Zulu. He had any viewer riveted with his strength and soul in his portrayal of Shaka. I can only believe that African ancestry escorted him into the afterlife as if he were a king. Henry Cele was blessed with multiple great talents that he carried with exalted dignity. HIs acting abilities were not given the chance to flower in other roles he was more than worthy of. Henry is a legend who is now with Shaka Zulu and may he rest in peace and honor. Nobody did it better for all the world to see. Sincerely, Shadeed Ahmad January 10, 2010

Henry Cele, I believe, helped break the tyranny of Apartheid with his monumental potrayal of Shaka. Many - myself included - never dreamed that such majesty lived in African hearts. That he died fighting death is no surprise. N!unga Isibindi, Cele... N!unga Isibindi, uShaka!

I am very sad to hear of the passing of Henry Cele two years ago. His portrayal of Shaka Zulu was authentic and credible. I hope he is entertaining the heavens with his intensity. Go rest his soul.
Andrea Jean

He truly personified the real Shaka, i will never forget the mini series as long as I live, a true classic. My god rest his soul in peace

I was eleven y/o when I first saw the advertisement in the TV weekly. I saw the photo of Shaka (Henry Cele) dressed in his coronation garb and I was captured by the intensity of the photo and I kept watch of when the first episode was to air. I never forgotten what that feeling was like and the tremendous respect of this man's presence captivated your soul everytime he was on the seen. I was deeply hurt to learn of his passing and the fact that there are no dialogue footage of this man to at least hear him conversate in an interview.

Ahh. Henry Cele, such a gorgeous man. Being Jamaican American woman and eager to know my roots, I searched for anything involving Africa's past to enlighten me and then it happened. Instantly i became attached to Mr. Henry Cele. I first saw him in the miniseries Shaka Zulu, ofcourse being born in 1988 i didnt see it when it aired on tv, but i watched the series on youtube...over, and over, and over and over again. Each time, i just thought how passionate he must have been to re-live the life of one of Africas greatest warriors, Shaka Zulu. So much so that when one watches him act, its almost as if you are seeing the real man and real events then and there. Amazement, infatuation and awe are the only words close enough to describe how i felt and continue to feel. Beautiful man with such an amazing built and stature. He will truely be missed by me..when i found out he died though its been since 2007, i felt like part of me evaporated but i know he is resting in a better place and although I never met him, I am greatful to God for creating such an outstanding, extraordinary being. RIP Henry Cele.

The history of the true black man was fully embodied in the spirit of Henry Cele in his fantastic portrayal of Shaka Zulu. Rememebered always in high regards.
Laverne K Williams
South Florida

He played the role of King Shaka as if he were truly him. Watching the movie was in fact, not like watching a film, but watching real life take place, it was as if you were there. He was a brilliant actor. And to this day, this movie remains my favorite of all time. I was sad to learn he died an 'angry man', having to be tied down to his hospital bed towards the end. I assume it was a side effect of his condition. I pray he is at peace, knowing he contributed greatly to the cultural fabric of South Africa.
R.I.P.

For me Henri emboddied the recollections of Shaka Zulu. I can imagine that through his play, he could revive the unity of south africans and so causing a threat to many white (former british colonistst or dutch) men.
I don't know how it's possible to die of a chest infection in 2007. What I do know is that I feel sad still, after nearly two years that we miss him.
Jenny, my thoughts are with you and your children.

AS LONG AS I LIVE I WILL REMEMBER YOU. IN OUR NEXT LIFE WE WILL BE KINGS.

siempre estaras en nuestros corazones

He was what I believed a real black man should look like he was strong and he had such presence. I will always remember him. My wishes to his family.
The Fan

Nous Avons perdu un grand homme un grand acteur, un king, il avait beaucoup de charisme, de lumière, qu'il repose en paix, qu'allah l'accueille dans son paradis, amine. YOU ARE THE KING OF PEOPLE ZULU?

Henry Cele was a "man of greatness..." Mr. Cele was a man "a man so tall..." He was a man "so big and strong in mind....a man of men."
I was heartbroken to hear of his death. He is missed so much by so many.
He is so loved, Jenny.

He was a great actor that will truly be missed! May he rest in peace...
I remember watching him in Shaka Zulu and Last Samari. Great performer, real dedication to the Arts.

I am very sadden by this news of Henry Cele passing. I just found out yesterday June 23, 2009. I was in my early twenty's when I first saw Shaka Zula. I fell totally in love with the movie and the actor Henry Cele. He was such a beautiful Black man. The movie and the way he protray Shaka Zula was pure passion. No-One cannot play this role except Henry Cele. May you rest in Peace, a true African Prince and King

I decided today to go on line and find the movie that made me fall in love as a young girl,I am now 45 years old and my heart still skips a beat when I see this royal blue-black sexy man who portrayed a real king Shaka Zulu. Bottom line we have lost a great actor and a great man. I just learn today that he has left his earthly home but I'm sure he with his heavenly family now. I feel the lost see you when I get their.. now my task is to find the movie and remaniese. He sure was a pretty black brother

From a Samoan family in the USA , you will be missed . Me and my brothers always use different catch phrases from the movie . Watched it when it first came out in 86' , my parents recorded it on tape and watched till the ribbon wore out , bought the DVD a few years ago and also saw his other appearances on the other movies . This movie made you feel like you were back in time watching the real Shaka . Him and the rest of the cast did a great job . All of the extras like the people who got impaled to that girl who didn't know which way to go when he was coming to take over the thrown . A classic . I even told my brothers that if I ever won the Lotto , I would takes us on a trip to South Africa to try and meet him . Damn , Thank You Henry Cele for the memories , to his family , God Bless.

I'm sadden by this news, My children and I are watching Shaka Zulu right now and I looked on IMDB to see your other work. I didnt now. This is the most memorible movie of my youth. I remember the veiwing party we had in HS when SZ went to video. You could hear a pin drop. I pray my children will feel the same about your work as I do. Rest Mighty Warrior.

I remember him in the emovie Shaka Zulu, actually my brother is watching it on DVD now, and I was just wondering what happened to him and decided to type his name in the search engine and when the results came up about his memorial tribute my heart dropped! i have been a fan of Henry Cele since his performance in Shaka Zulu! That was an OUTSTANDING, OSCAR WINNING PERFORMANCE! My brother and I are deeply hurt by this lost. The "enemy quote" was my favorite as well as the one when his family has to leave and he tells his mother " Meet me at grandmother's grave a week at the most and mother this is the last time you are running!" as well as when he marched in and took over the throne "Nothing will be as it was ever again" true indeed because with this lost nothing will be as it was ever again!
RIP NKOSI
Melanie Gaines and Terrance Gaines

i remeber watching him in Shaka Zulu many years ago, recently got a copy of it, he was incredible. He makes me Proud to be South African. Too right the quote "never leave an enemy behind or it will rise again and fly at your throat" still gives me shivers. I even had the oppurtunity of meeting him at the Stables flea market, the man will remain a legend in my eyes always. Lets not forget his eight pack in the movie....to die for.
My deepest sympathies go out to his loved ones...a loss to south africa......r.i.p. Nkosi

As an African American, I only saw Him in Shaka Zulu but after that performance I was always and forever proud of my heritage! He reached an entire world. Rest in peace Great Warrior.

bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bumbum bum bum bum bum he a man of greatness and he will forever be missed He is one of the few people I had wanted to met in my lifetime I truely feel he didnt have to go but as the blogger said and quoted before me: never leave an enemy behind or it will rise again and fly at your throat.

my heart is sadden as i am just finding this out I am in shock as to how horrible and alone he died chained to his bed like a wild animal. I am heart broken and disturbed i cant hold back the tears. I am angry I wish i could have been there and been a voice for him. Hospitals here in america cant do that unless the family is notified and the family can request them not being tied to their bed
I am so sorry I dont mean to turn this in to a negative or make it worse than what it is.
I fell in love with the movie shaka zulu and as an african american woman I felt a since of pride. I fell in love with Henry cele and I often tried to find something on HIm and I never could I have attempted to look on line a few times and his name or profile just wasnt on here.
I think people were afraid of him in real life too

NEVER LEAVE AN ENEMY BEHIND, OR IT WILL RISE AGAIN TO FLY AT YOUR THROAT !!!

He was a great actor, I am remembering that tv series, watching as a kid.
And it is sad that he is no longer with us.
best wishes from Serbia....

Ein super Schauspieler. Schade das er so bald gehen musste!

Henry Cele gives me chills everytime I watch my home series of Shaka Zulu. You are in awe when you see the portrayel of our rich history. My heart melts everytime I watch the movie, Mr. Cele shows us that our Kings were great. The whole cast was amazing. I 'm 33 years old now and have been watching Shaka Zulu since I was 10yrs. old...and I share this movie with my twin sons for them to have the experince.

Henry Cele gives me chills everytime I watch my home series of Shaka Zulu. You are in awe when you see the portrayel of our rich history. My heart melts everytime I watch the movie, Mr. Cele shows us that our Kings were great. The whole cast was amazing. I 'm 33 years old now and have been watching Shaka Zulu since I was 10yrs. old...and I share this movie with my twin sons for them to have the experince.

I was just watching the movie, Shaka Zulu with my mother. We've been watching it together since the 80's, and she's recently got it transfered over to DVD. I decided to research the history of Shaka Zulu online, and I stumbled upon this site. I am truly dissappointed to learn that Mr. Henry Cele is passed on, but only sorry for myself. I feel a great loss. However, I am sure he is not dead, but his great and positive energy has changed form and he still has life.
Thank you for the great contribution that you've made to my life by excellently portraying Shaka Zulu, and telling a story that has given me an idea of the rich heritage that I possess.

BIYETE!!!!!!!!!!!!, THE GREAT ELEPHANT- Elder you are and always will be sorely missed.

BIYETE!!!!!!!!!!!!, THE GREAT ELEPHANT- Elder you are and always will be sorely missed.

I was all of 14 or 15 years old when Henry Cele absolutely captured my attention in his portrayal of Shaka Zulu. It was probably 1988 when the miniseries first screened in Australia, and I sat glued to my mum's black and white tv with terrible reception. As the storyline of Shaka Zulu unfolded, Henry’s presence on location and on my screen carried me away to a place and time a young girl never knew existed. For many years afterward my mother still teased me about my love of this movie. It was one of those moments in your youth when you take a clear snapshot of an experience that gets in your head and you cannot forget it.
So a week ago I managed to finally buy a copy of the movie and I watched it over two days with remembered excitement, awe and pure enjoyment. Not at the tragedy of Shaka’s betrayal or the regrettable way in which African soil was signed over for English exploitation. I enjoyed being able to see for the first time with adult eyes and conscious awareness the magical acting ability of Henry Cele. How blessed was he to have the opportunity to show all who watch this 9 hour movie the commanding presence he had. While watching, I wondered if Chaka himself would have as much poise, radiating arrogance and sense of entitlement as Henry Cele portrayed on screen. Whether sitting on his throne, walking slowly into his…camp (sorry I cannot think of the more appropriate word), or pointing out the flaws within Western culture, spirituality and religion with Dr. Flynn, Henry Cele owned Shaka Zulu. I too, wished I had seen more of him in other roles – I will now watch The Ghost and the Darkness and The Last Samurai again just to see his performance. I could ask why couldn’t we have seen more of this mans talents; however, I will remain content to always see the bright light of God shining out of Henry Cele. Again, what an amazing opportunity for him to play such an important figure in South Africa’s history – how fortunate!
I truly love all the other characters and actors in this movie, they fill out the edges of Shaka Zulu beautifully and I certainly couldn’t imagine any other actors in their place.
I am not sad that he has passed. I feel grateful that Shaka Zulu screened in Australia and had such an influence on my life to come and sparked long held interest in Africa. I am also pleased that I am not alone in my admiration for Henry Cele’s portrayal – I have not known anyone else throughout my life who has watched this series and until now thought I was alone in my infatuation.
Peace, blessings and love to all
Amelia - Australia

What a talent in the way you portrayed Chaka in that epic series.......and what a waste we never saw more of you and your obvious acting abilities!

Henry Cele's performance was AMAZING! My heart is broken but I'm content with the body of work he has left behind. The Ghost and the Darkness is one of my favorite movies as well. Though his role was small, it spoke volumes. His smile will stay with me forever. We've lost a truly great talent.

I have watched the Shaka Zulu epic since 1986 till now, at least once each year, it Henry's potrayal of Shaka leaves me in amazament!
I wish we was given more recognition and honour in the form of awards and more high-profile films as he was clearly talented.
May his soul rest in peace - he was truly amazing!

Rest in peace Henry and thank you.

There is no way I can express how I feel knowing that we have lost someone so powerful and so talented. Words cannot explain the pain I feel at this moment. As a young child my father introduced me to the movie "SHAKA ZULU"! I like my father was so captivated by this film, this great warrior king that was so powerful and so very genius that we would watch it over and over again. Yes, Mr. Cele portrayed a character, but for many he was that african king "SHAKA". His presence demanded your attention when he appeared on screen! I would have never imagine him to be a soccer player because his calling was on that big screen! I cannot tell you how watching him impowered me to want to be the best at everything. This was a tremendous loss to mankind, but he is now in heaven where im sure they are marveling as he is being told how powerful his image alone was and how many peoples lives he touched! I cannot say more because I feel in some ways cheated because I have always wanted to meet the great "SHAKA" in person. I feel assured that just as he impowered us on the big screen that he was just as impowering in everyday life. "GOD" bless you Mrs. Cele and know that we hurt just as much as you at the loss but we also rejoice that he is now impowering on a higher level!

He will truly be missed and his work affected us all!

Henry Cele visited Puerto Rico about two years after the Shaka Zulu series was produced in South Africa, about the second time it was broadcast on local television, in Spanish (of course). The series was a HUGE hit here, a true cultural and sociological event. In a country where its strong African heritage is usually diminished or squelched, Shaka Zulu was THE talk of the country for months. Quite a lot of people were in awe of Mr. Cele's role: he looked like he was born for it. Regal, deadpanned serious, handsome, mean to the extreme... it looked like if Mr. Cele had channelled Shaka to the bone. To make things more interesting, the Spanish dubbing was made by a voice actor who gave him a booming, James Earl Jones'-like voice. To this day, you mention Shaka Zulu here, and the mental idea of this invincible, ruthless, extremely bright chieftain who couldn't be messed with still comes to mind.
Mr. Cele was gracious enough to make public appearances and give interviews here; he was truly moved by how children reacted to seeing him live. I got the impression that, as big as the series was a success all over the world, he was a bit stunned -maybe a bit uncomfortable- about how big his public image had become. We obviously lost track of him, and learned about his passing after the typical "whatever-happened-to" Google search. A true natural as an actor... he will be missed here. May God grant peace to his soul.

To the Cele family there has never been a movie in the history of America of the World that told a Story as well as Shaka Zulu, Mr Cele Portrayed Shaka better and with more Passion than any one on this Earth could have, i truly believe this was his Purpose on the Earth, and I alsp believe the Real Shaka is the reason Slavery Ended in the United States, check your History Books and you will find The Law of The United States around the Early 1800,s was made saying n more Slaves could be brought over from Africa around 1818-1820,s you would be punished if they caught you trying to bring Slaves out of Africa, but the Truth is they could not get past Shaka! My condolences goes to the Cele Wife, also the Ex-wife, and all Mr. Cele,s children, he was a great man, the Earth and the Movie Industry, and all the People of the World are so Blessed that Creator of the Heavens and the Earth was kind enough to Bless us with the Birth and the Life of Mr Cele, it is remarkable to see how one man can change a whole Planet, and i thanks his Parents for Lending him to the WORLD, may God Bless your Family, and may you spend time with Mr Cele in the next life to come. And please forgive the fact that i am just learning of Mr Cele,s death, he will always be as important to me and my family as the real Shaka Zulu!

We all miss you Mr Henry Cele. you were such an inspiration to a lot of people overseas who knew virtually nothing about their own culture. We watched Shaka Zulu at an infantry stage but today it brings painfull memories as everyone around thinks you are the real Shaka ka Senzangakhona. may your soul rest in peace.
Simiso Ndlovu (4lyfe Entertainment, UK)

I remember seeing the minseries Shaka Zulu as a young woman and I was absolutely mesmorized by Henry Cele's physical presence. He was such a striking man--tall and handsome. He embodied what I thought a Black/African man should be. I recently thought of him and decided to use wikipedia.org to see if I could learn what he might be doing lately and was very surprised and saddened to learn that he had died. I only hope he knew what effect his acting had on people, especially African-descent people, not only in South Africa, but all over the world. I extend my condolences to his wife and family. May Mr. Cele's soul rest in peace.

It is hard to find the words to due proper justice to a man that for myself was the epitome of "black pride" as a conscious young black youth growing up in the Washington, DC Metro Area... I am sure that for those who knew him well he is remembered as more than a great actor, but as a loving father, husband, and son... However, as a black man in the United States, Mr. Cele portrayed a controversial yet charismatic leader who showed African men in a different light than ever before presented... As a young boy I learned about the "great" conquerors like Napoleon, George Washington, Cortez, etc... But the psychological impact of learning about a strong African leader w/out the contraints of slavery was a catalyst in my development and self-esteen as a black man... I simply want to thank Mr. Cele for using his God given talent, and for the blessings that his role bestowed upon all of those that make up the African diaspora... Rest in Peace my brother, you will always live in the hearts and minds of the strong...

I was very shocked when i found out Mr Cele past away.... Mr cele was a very talented actor very passionate and fill with knollege.... I have some of his movies... And he really inspired me.... I always thought he would live forever..... In spirit he is and in his movies.....I give my condolences to the family..... Mr Cele was a great man.... And i as his fan he will be missed Rest in peace

I am sending Peace and Blessings to the Family...Mr. Henry Cele will always be "The Great Warrior King" in my mind and I was so sad to hear of his passing...He is with my Mother in heaven now (she too was a fan of the mini-series SHAKA ZULU!), and enjoying eternal life! May You Rest in Peace!

I am shocked to learn that Henry Cele has passed away one year ago 2007. I watched the movie Shaka Zulu many times, and was so proud of your acting and showing the world about this great african warrior!! Rest In Peace Sweet Prince.