Able

Android Surgeon

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Karl

Barend

Policeman on Train

Stagecoach Whip

Bandit

Male Tweeker

Carel Nel is a South African actor acclaimed for his range, depth, and intensity on screen and stage. With a career spanning over a decade, Nel has made a name for himself both locally and internationally, earning recognition for his commanding performances and compelling character work.

He is perhaps best known for his role as Karl the Android in Ridley Scott's sci-fi series Raised by Wolves, a performance that showcased his ability to bring nuance and humanity to even the most unconventional roles. He also portrayed Abraham Lincoln in the historical miniseries Grant on The History Channel and appeared in the Emmy-nominated remake of Roots.

Nel's screen work includes a wide variety of international and South African productions, such as the SXSW Ecological Horror Gaia, True crime series Catch me a Killer, dystopian action series Blood Drive, the courtroom drama Shepherds and Butchers, the sci-fi western Young Ones, the poetic drama The Endless River, and the French-Belgian thriller Flight of the Storks. His ability to shift seamlessly between genres has made him a sought-after actor in both film and television.

On the festival circuit, Nel has earned significant acclaim. In 2016 and 2017, he won back-to-back Best Actor Awards at the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival for his work in Hum and Slaaf-the latter of which he also co-wrote. In 2019, he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his portrayal of Oedipus in Oedipus: The Musical.

A trained theatre actor, Nel studied Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, where he was born and raised. After completing his studies, he relocated to Cape Town, where he continues to build a diverse and dynamic body of work across film, television, and theatre.

On stage, he has appeared in more than 20 professional productions, including Athol Fugard's People Are Living There (for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor) and Die Rebellie van Lafras Verwey, which earned him the prestigious Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Actor. Other notable theatre credits include the one-man show Slaaf (nominated for Best Solo Performance),'n Begin, Die Fliek, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Demon Bride, Koöperasiestories, Balbesit, The Garage Sale, and Anton Chekhov's Die Kersieboord.

Carel Nel continues to push creative boundaries through his commitment to bold, layered performances. Whether portraying complex historical figures or original characters in speculative worlds, he brings a grounded emotional truth to each role, earning him a reputation as one of South Africa's most compelling and versatile actors

See photos of celebrities before they hit the big-time.

Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

#	Name	Score	Year	Known	★	Noms	Votes
1	Raised by Wolves	3.75	2020	•	7.4	1	92810
2	Gaia	3.09	2021	•	5.6	0	7713
3	Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom	1.50	2013		7.1	1	30068
4	The Salvation	1.00	2015		6.7	0	46378
5	Young Ones	0.95	2014		5.8	0	10920
6	The Last Days of American Crime	0.50	2020		3.8	0	12957

Carel Nel

Actor

Self

Credit Score: Carel Nel