Lesego’s journey proves that believing in yourself makes the impossible possible
When Lesego Vorster received the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for Character Design for Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (Disney+), he was stunned. “It’s started to sink in with all the media coverage now and getting to accept the award on stage at the ceremony in LA. But I still pull it out every day just to check that my mind wasn’t playing a huge elaborate joke, you know, like those dreams where you learn to fly only to wake up and realise you had lost the trick of it.”
For Lesego, this wasn’t just a personal win — it was a proud moment for Africa. “The Emmy Award proves that there is a place at the international level for Authentic African Aesthetics. The Emmy is not only mine, it’s for the country, the entire continent and for the future generations of animated film-makers as an indicator that their existence is a must.”
Lesego’s success didn’t come from luck — it came from passion, learning, and believing in himself even when things were tough. After studying at the world-famous Gobelins l’ecole de l’image in Paris, he could have stayed in Europe. But he chose to go back home to South Africa. Why? Because he wanted to share what he learned and help others follow their dreams.
He joined a team at Wits University to create an animation internship that helped young artists find their voices. Later, when Disney reached out to African animators through Triggerfish Studios, Lesego was one of over 150 people invited to pitch an idea. Only 10 projects were chosen — and his made it onto Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire on Disney+.
When asked about his art, he said, “My style is simply authentically African. I use a lot of fun shapes, textures and patterns which borrow from all that I grew up seeing and is heavily influenced by what’s around me.”
But his story wasn’t always full of success. During college, he almost failed his first year. “I received a reality check after almost failing, then I became dedicated to my practice, enjoyed it even more, learnt how to say no to distractions and flourished until the end of my degree.”
That moment changed everything. It taught him the importance of focus, hard work, and most of all — self-belief.
And when asked to share advice with young artists, Lesego said it best: “My advice for aspiring animators and artists is to do it. Just do it. Believe in yourself and put in the work because belief without work is just a wish and that has never helped anyone. So work hard, work smart, support other artists and the universe will see it fit to return the favour a thousand-fold.”
Lesego Vorster’s journey shows that believing in yourself isn’t just about confidence — it’s about action. He proved that no matter where you come from or what challenges you face, your dreams are possible if you keep going and never give up. So the next time you doubt yourself, remember: even the biggest dreams begin with believing that you can.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/LChna8yg2_4?si=U4CApgBqUn0T2E0N
- https://www.wits.ac.za/news/sources/alumni-news/2025/just-do-it-believe-in-yourself-and-put-in-the-work.html
- https://app.pictory.ai/
- https://chatgpt.com/
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