Whatever Happened To The Cast Of Chappie?

In 2015, director Neill Blomkamp (the mind behind "District 9" and "Elysium") released the story of "Chappie." It follows the journey of a police robot, imbued with sentience, as he receives a crash course in the nature of humanity. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, "Chappie" suffers a less-than-ideal upbringing in the hands of a criminal group headed by Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser (of the famed rap duo "Die Antwoord"). The revolutionary AI robot begins as an infantile entity and rapidly progresses through the human experience while navigating a city on fire.

"Chappie" is an overtly South African production, with its star duo and revolutionary director, but it also comes packed with a star-studded Hollywood cast (featuring the likes of Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver) and music created by legendary composer Hans Zimmer. The visual effects used to bring "Chappie" and his robot brethren to life is undeniably sleek; juxtaposed against the derelict façade of modern day Johannesburg, helping create a grounded reality for this fun romp through the criminal underworld. The sentient police bot is brought to life thanks to the motion-captured actions of "District 9" alumni, Sharlto Copely. While "Chappie" may be packaged as an action film about a naive robot learning how to live like a "gangster," running through its spine is profound questions about what truly makes us human. Here what happened to the cast of "Chappie."

The man responsible for the creation of our favorite AI is a technical wizard named Deon (Dev Patel). His programming is the blueprint that created the army of police robots governing the city of Johannesburg. Simply sitting back and marveling at his achievement is not enough though. Deon is determined to create an artificial intelligence that is truly alive, conscious, and unique. This drives him to undertake a risky endeavor that involves sneaking off with a decommissioned police bot in order to test his new AI. Deon's steadfast determination leads to the birth of "Chappie."

Patel started off strong in Hollywood with his first feature role in Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning, blockbuster hit "Slumdog Millionaire." He chose to cash in his clout with a prominent role in the live action version of "The Last Airbender" — a choice he may regret, given the film's universal lack of appeal. Patel then became a series regular on "The Newsroom" before he was cast as Deon in "Chappie." Since the film's release, Patel has continued to carve a path through Hollywood. He received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role in 2016's "Lion" and then had the honor of portraying David Copperfield in the biopic "The Personal History of David Copperfield." In 2021, Patel starred in the "The Green Knight." The star is slated to star in 2022's "The Monkey Man" alongside "Chappie" co-star Sharlto Copely.

The actress behind the role of Yo-Landi was none other than Die Antwoord singer, Anri du Toit (known professionally as Yo-Landi Visser). Her misguided lover, Ninja, fails to see the significance of what Chappie truly is, but Yo-Landi recognizes his innocence and the need for a nurturing approach to the robot's upbringing. In multiple confrontations, she is the only person keeping Deon from receiving a bullet to the skull or Chappie from being reduced to scrap. Visser appears to be attached at the hip to her life partner, Ninja, and as such has jointly enjoyed the duo's successes — but also, they have both suffered the same fate.

Like her companion, Visser hasn't had any other feature film appearances before or since the release of "Chappie." She directed a short as well as some music videos but hasn't done much outside the Die Antwoord music productions. When allegations surfaced around Ninja's assaults (both sexual and violent) it sounded as though Visser was equally complicit in the actions taking place. Zheani Sparks released a music video accusing Visser of luring her to South Africa where she was assaulted by bandmate, Ninja. She also can be seen in a leaked video of violent confrontation with a gay musician, cheering on the fight and shouting homophobic slurs. "Chappie" may be the last time we see Visser in front of the camera in a Hollywood feature film, given recent developments.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

"Chappie" presents us with a different type of Hugh Jackman. Unlike his other roles, which place the actor in the role of anti-hero or endearing protagonist, this movie experience shows Jackman in a highly unlikeable role as Vincent Moore. The ex-military bro is a fellow weapons designer at Tetravaal who is frustrated that the success of Deon's Scout-model police bots is robbing him of funding for his brutish robot design, known as The Moose. Vincent is a seasoned war veteran who has been thrust into an office cubicle and his lust for battle leads him to wreak havoc on both Deon and the city of Johannesburg. If you are expecting Wolverine to eventually display likable qualities, you are going to be disappointed.

Hugh Jackman is an actor who needs little introduction. The prolific addition to the X-Men team has been a Hollywood icon for over two decades. We will always remember him for his representation of Wolverine but he kept surprising us in later years when we learned he can also sing and dance. It is almost frustrating; no single man should possess this much talent... and muscle.  After "Chappie," Jackman went on to deliver his last role as Wolverine in the well-received "Logan" and dazzled us with his role as P.T. Barnum in "The Greatest Showman." Most recently starred in the 2021 sci-fi thriller "Reminiscence." The acting legend's schedule is loaded with upcoming productions that include playing the titular role of Enzo Ferrari in the aptly named "Enzo Ferrari."

Our first introduction to the criminal misdoings of Ninja and Yo-Landi also finds us face to face with a man who is absolutely out of his mind. When their initial robbery goes awry, our primary protagonists wind up indebted to a thug known simply as, Hippo (played by Brandon Auret.) This gold-plated beefcake is not above shooting a nearby bystander just to prove a point. The driving motivation for Ninja to pull off a big heist is to collect the $20 million that Hippo claims he is owed. Given how criminally insane this man obviously is, we can see how fear can be an incredible motivator.

Brandon Auret's representation of Hippo is maniacal and we found ourselves actually wanting more of him in "Chappie." If you share that sentiment, you have a plethora of cinema to find him in; since "Chappie" he has appeared in over 20 different TV shows, films, and shorts. Most notable is his appearance in 2018's "Scorpion King: Book of Souls". Auret also had a prominent role in "Broken Darkness" and played the lead in the film "Double Echo."

One of the journalists whose testimonial helps create the world Chappie lives in is represented by actor Chris Shields. His face conjures a feeling of familiarity and that's because his resume is loaded with appearances in countless TV series and major Hollywood feature films. Since his first appearance in "The Twilight Zone" in 2002, Shields hasn't gone a year without working on an entertainment production. 

Shields played Corporal Venner in "Battlestar Galactica" for several episodes and continued to capitalize on his staunch military essence with roles as soldiers in "Godzilla," "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," and hit CW series "The 100." — Shields also played a general in the feature film adaptation of "The BFG." The actor obviously knows what works best for him but his appearance in "Chappie" was a rare treat that helped set the stage well for the film. He has since had roles in a slew of TV series, including "Riverdale," "Nancy Drew," and "Catwoman." Up next for Shields is a role in a TV production of "A Christmas Stray" and the feature film "Crimson Point."

As the plot of "Chappie" progresses, it becomes disturbingly apparent how determined Vincent is to unleash his battle bot on the populace. A major turning point for his temperament occurs in a meeting with police staff where he tries to sell them on his monstrosity. The officers are annoyingly amused with his attempts to portray The Moose as a viable option for them. The police commissioner (Hobbs) expresses his disdain for the creation through mouthfuls of cream-filled pastries. Robert Hobbs plays the chief officer perfectly — his indifference to Johannesburg's turmoil creates the image of a seasoned member of law enforcement.

Robert Hobbs is a South African native who was an obvious choice for casting in "Chappie." The actor had worked with Blomkamp before on the set of "District 9." He has also had roles in major Hollywood productions such as "Invictus" and "Safe House." Since "Chappie," Hobbs has appeared in the TV series "Black Sails" and is a regular on the show "Warrior." He had a role alongside Matthew McConaughey in "Serenity" and also played Captain Collins in "The Mauritanian."