Otto Nobela (born 4 December 1993) is a South African actor and perfomer. He is best known for playing the role of Pablo in etv drama series Scandal!. He also starred in Queen Sono and The Brave Ones, as well as the film Wizard (Matwetwe). [1]
Biography: Otto Nobela 
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Real Name: Otto Amukelani Nobela |
Place of Birth: Pretoria, Gauteng province |
Date of Birth: 4 December 1993 (Age - 32) |
Occupation: Actor |
Years Active: 2017 to present |
Known For: etv Scandal! as Pablo |
Nationality: South African |
Early Life and Education
Otto Amukelani Nobela was born on 4 December 1993 in Pretoria, Gauteng province, South Africa. He grew up with a passion for the performing arts that developed during his high school years. [2]
He completed his secondary education at Edward Phatudi Comprehensive School. Nobela pursued formal training in acting and theatre, studying under Duma Ndlovu. He also enhanced his studies in acting under State Theatre in Pretoria. He also participated in workshops and programs at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria. [3]
His interest in acting reportedly sparked through a personal connection—a crush on a girl involved in rehearsals—which led him to explore local theatre productions. He mastered his skills through community plays and dedicated training before breaking into television work. [4]
Career of Otto Nobela
Nobela began his career in theatre, where he spent years developing his craft as a thespian. His breakthrough on screen came with the role of Nkwebe in the 2017 film Wizard. In 2020 he landed a role of playing Bulabule in Netflix drama series Queen Sono. Then in 2022 he also appeared on The Brave Ones. [1]
He became a household name when he appeared on etv drama series Scandal! as Pablo. The character he portrayed on Scandal! was that of a gangster known for his intense and unpredictable presence. He made a notable return to the role in late 2025 after a period away, with Pablo returning more calculated and dangerous. [4]
His other roles include in theatre role as Zenzo in Letters of Hope, The Bantu Hour and various stage productions. He is often described as one of the fastest-growing actors in South Africa, with a strong foundation in theatre that informs his screen work. [5]
Music Career
Otto considers himself an artist and has worked in the music industry with DJ Mapentane. [5]
Personal Life of Otto Nobela
He has a brother, Craig Nobela, who is also an actor (known for roles in The Queen and Genesis). The siblings have been noted for their shared talent in the industry. [6]
He was previously in a relationship with Tsakane Maseko, which reportedly began around 2019. Nobela is multilingual, speaking English, Xitsonga, and Tswana fluently, which aids his range in South African productions.
Nobela is also active on social media with handles @ottonobela on Instagram and X.
Otto Nobela Filmography
| Title | Year | Role | Platform / Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scandal! | 2023–Present | Pablo / Tinyiko | e.tv (TV Soap) |
| The Brave Ones | 2022 | Mcebo | Netflix (Series) |
| Surviving Gaza | 2022 | Mjukate | eVOD (Film) |
| Identity | 2022 | Goofy | SABC 1 (Series) |
| Queen Sono | 2020 | Various/Supporting | Netflix (Series) |
| Matwetwe (Wizard) | 2017 | Nkwebe | Film |
| Letter of Hope | — | Supporting | Film |
| The Bantu Hour | — | Sketch Actor | SABC 2 (Comedy) |
[1, 5, 4]
References |
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| 1. | O.tto Nobela acting career | imdb.com |
| 2. | Otto Nobela on First African Original Netflix, Scandal Dadaman, Mapentane and Matwetwe | Tshwane FM X-Tra (Youtube.com) |
| 3. | Ot to Nobela bio | soapiecelebs.co.za |
| 4. | Otto Nobela makes dramatic comeback! – By Andiswa Ngenyane on 14 Nov 2025 | Daily Sun (snl24.com) |
| 5. | famous for his cameo role on Scandal as Pablo. starred in Matwetwe, The Bantu Hour, Letter of Hope | Facebook.com |
| 6. | Did you know? 😍🔥 #etvScandal actor Otto Nobela (Pablo) and #GenesisMzansi actor Craig Nobela (Ishmael) are actually blood brothers in real life! | 247_MZANSI_Updates (Facebook.om) |