Trevor Noah makes prestigious Fortune 40 Under 40 list, alongside Beyoncé

SA comedian Trevor Noah continues to make an affect globally, making the Fortune 40 Under 40 list of most influential people in the world.

The prestigious list was announced on Wednesday and highlights some of the world’s most powerful emerging leaders in the categories of finance, technology, health care, government and politics, and media and entertainment.

The entertainment category mixes established stars with some of the brightest emerging talent and includes the likes of Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, actress Zendaya, Insecure star Issa Rae, Beyoncé and our very own Trevor Noah.

Reflecting on Trevor’s career, the publication hailed him as “one of the most visible comedians in the US and beyond”.

“Since 2015, South African Trevor Noah has become one of the most visible comedians in the US and beyond as the host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, succeeding the wildly popular Jon Stewart.
“Noah is also an actor, writer, producer, and political commentator. He began his career in SA, where he was born to a black mother and white father, whose interracial relationship was illegal under apartheid. His childhood is the subject of No. 1 New York Times best-seller Born a Crime, which will be adapted for film with Lupita Nyong’o starring as his mother,” it wrote.

They highlighted his nine Emmy nominations and one win and gushed over his nine comedy specials and multiyear deal with Viacom, giving them first rights to all his future projects.

It is the first time that Trevor has featured on the list. The star also made his debut on the Forbes list of richest people last year, after he banked an estimated R430m in 2018.

He charted as the fourth-highest paid stand-up performer in the world, making his fortune mostly through stand-up.