Kudi Maradzika

Kudakwashe "Kudi" Maradzika is a Zimbabwean filmmaker, screenwriter, producer and actress based in South Africa. She is known as the creator and executive producer of the Netflix original crime drama series Bad Influencer. She has worked across Southern Africa’s television and film industries and participated in development initiatives such as the Creative Producer Indaba, Locarno Open Doors and Realness Institute and Netflix’s Episodic Lab Africa.

Early life and education Kudakwashe Maradzika was born in Zimbabwe and is the youngest of four siblings. Her mother is a clinical epidemiologist, Dr Julita Chideme-Maradzika. She attended Dominican Convent High School, Harare, where she completed her O and A Levels.

Career

Acting and early work Maradzika began her professional career as a stage and screen actor, performing in various productions in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Early in her career, she appeared in local stage productions such as Love at a Crossroads co-starring with Tongayi Chirisa, for which she won the 2006 National Arts Merit Awards for Outstanding Actress. She also starred in Tanyaradzwa and was nominated for Best Actress for the 2006 Africa Movie Academy Awards. She studied Film Media and Production at the University of Cape Town’s Hiddingh Campus (2006 to 2010), where she trained in screen production, journalism, and performance. She has worked as a film professional and development executive in South Africa since 2012, working as a freelance writer, producer and director for companies such as Quizzical Pictures, Okuhle Media and Black Brain.

Transition to producing and writing After several years as a freelancer, Maradzika moved into content development and production. She worked as a senior producer for Paramount Network, working on content for MTV Base, Nickelodeon, as well as BET Africa and Comedy Central Africa, producing original African content for regional audiences, including series like Isono and SAFTA-winning Black Tax, and specials such as Mandela Day Project and Africa Day Benefit Concert. Whilst working at Paramount, she won a SAFTA for Africa's Biggest Brags for Best Youth Programme .

In 2021, she established Lincoln Green Media, a production company focused on creating African narratives for global audiences. Maradzika was later selected for Netflix and the Realness Institute’s Episodic Lab Africa, an initiative designed to develop and mentor African screenwriters and showrunners.

Recognition and awards Maradzika has been profiled in industry publications and creative development listings, including the Realness Institute Creator Directory and The Hollywood Reporter feature on emerging African storytellers.

Selected filmography Year Title Role Type Production / Network Notes 2025 Bad Influencer Creator, Executive Producer, Writer Television series Netflix / Gambit Films / Lincoln Green Media Netflix Original series Locarno Open Doors Participant (Creative Producer) Development Program Locarno Film Festival Selected participant in Locarno Open Doors 2023 Realness Creative Producer Indaba Participant (Creative Producer) Development Program Selected participant in the Realness Creative Producer Indaba 2022 Episodic Lab Africa Participant (Writer/Creator) Development Program Realness Institute & Netflix Selected participant in Netflix–Realness Institute partnership 2019 Comedy Central Africa Originals Senior Producer Television Content Comedy Central Africa Oversaw local productions 2018 BET Africa Projects Producer Television Content BET Africa Regional Programming 2010s Various stage and film roles Actor Theatre/Film Independent Acting and Voice over work