Arnold Vosloo Biography (2024)

As far as I know, this is the current autograph address (I DON'T know his private address, so don't ask):

Agency for the Performing Arts
9200 Sunset Boulevard
Suite 900
Beverly Hills, 90069 C.A.
USA

Arnold Vosloo Biography (1) Arnold Vosloo was born on June, 16th in 1962 in Pretoria, South Africa, as the second child of Johan Daniel 'Deon' Vosloo (1927-2004) and Johanna Petronella. Both his parents were actors. When he was a child, he travelled around the country from one performance place to another with his parents and his sister Nadia (born 1958). Eventually, his parents settled down to allow their children a regular school attendance. They began managing a drive-in theatre in Port Elizabeth, where Arnold discovered his love for movies. At the age of seven, he had his first role in a school performance, and it was already obvious he had quite a talent. He went to Highschool in Alberton, where his family still lives.

After school he went on to the routine military service, but was dimissed because of health issues, and inscribed at the theatre school in Pretoria. He joined an actors group, where he first worked behind the scenes, doing lighting and props, and had stage experiences in the anti-apartheid theatre. Later he became a member of the Pretoria State Theatre. The theatre work already brought him several awards for his acting, the first one during his formation at the theatre school in Pretoria. Meanwhile he made first steps in TV and cinema, too, for instance in the show "Meisie van Suid-Wes", and in "Funny People" part II in 1983. In 1984 he got a more important role in the military-comedy "Boetie gaan border toe" about the ongoing conflict of South Africa with Namibia. This was his breakthrough in South Africa, and he started to be some sort of 'National Hero' because of this movie.

He tried to pursue his acting career outside of his mother country to get a wider audience, but also for political reasons (the censoring was relatively strict in South Africa). As he said, acting should have a social impact - but sadly in Hollywood, it's all about money. The first American movie Arnold Vosloo played in was "Steel Dawn" in 1987, a post-apocalyptical Fantasy. In "Reason to Die" 1989 he plays a psycho-killer and with that he already was somewhat appointed as villain - at least in Hollywood.

Arnold Vosloo Biography (2)

(Source: D. Jacobs: Die Vosloos, 2003)


In 1988 he had married his co-star from "The Revenger", Nancy Mulford, but was divorced three years later. In 1998, he remarried in Las Vegas to Sylvia Ahi, a marketing director. She has a son from a previous marriage and a grandson, born in 2007.

Arnold Vosloo Biography (3)

...with Nancy

Arnold Vosloo Biography (4)

...with Sylvia in 2004

Arnold Vosloo Biography (5)

...2011 during a visit in South Africa


Arnold Vosloo Biography (6)

...in 2020 with his sister and his mother

Even if now living in California and having American Citizenship since 1988, he has not forgotten his country of origin and its problems. Already in 1999, after "The Mummy's" success in the States, he hoped to come back and make a movie in South Africa, thinking that now local movie producers might get the necessary money for their projects if his name is involved. In an interview from 2003 he said, his heart will always stay 'african', no matter how long he will live in the US or how succsessful he will be there. He is engaged in wildlife protection, working close with the IFAW for its 'Think-Twice'-campaign. The acclaimed and award-winning movie "Forgiveness" in 2004 is also a product of his care for South Africa, its people and special problems after the apartheid-time. "With me coming to the States to work, I always said that I wanted to go back to South Africa and do something meaningful" he said in an interview concerning "Forgiveness" and: "I'd rather play 10 bad guys and then be able to make one 'Forgiveness'."

In private, Arnold likes various outdoor activities, biking, photography and reading. TV-interviews from 1998 and 2005 can be found in the movie sections. Read here a long interview from 2009!

Arnold Vosloo Biography (7)

Arnold Vosloo Biography (8)

...with his dog 'Sophie'

Arnold Vosloo Biography (9)

Biking, in 2008.

Arnold Vosloo Biography (10)

Daniel Jacobs: Die Vosloos. Nuttige Landsburgers, 2003.

The Vosloo-family is a huge clan with a long history, going back to the 17th century. The ancestor emigrated from Germany shortly after the 30-year-war, and worked for the Dutch East-India-Company.

A two-volume research has been published about them: Here you can read a Review (in Afrikaans) and order the book!

Arnold Vosloo Biography (2024)
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