30 July 2000 — “Metamorphosis: The Remarkable Journey of Granny Lee” documentary released about South African trans icon, South Africa
On 30 July 2000, “Metamorphosis: The Remarkable Journey of Granny Lee”, directed by Luiz De Barros and produced by Underdog Entertainment and Marc Schwinges, a documentary about iconic South African trans icon, Granny Lee, was released. Granny Lee, formerly known as Leonard Malcolm Christian Du Plooy and was born on 18 March 1919 and died in 1989.
Born to a mixed race (“coloured”) family in 1908, he spent the first part of his adult life teaching at the Christian Brothers’ College in his hometown of Kimberley. Then he changed his mind. Moving to Johannesburg in his sixties, he became the club scene’s most famous drag queen known as “Granny Lee”. She lived out the rest of her life as a white woman, notorious party animal and when she died at eighty-one she became the first person of color to be buried in Johannesburg’s West Park cemetery. Granny Lee’s story merges the personal with the political, a unique and fascinating story set within the racially and sexually repressive era of apartheid South Africa. The winner of numerous awards in South Africa, Metamorphosis has been screened at film festivals throughout the world.
“Hello you bitches. You want to know about my life do you? Well I’ll have you know — like no woman or man ever have done it, I have done it all. I’ve seen it all. They called me Granny Lee — Queen of the Discos, the white queen of Africa. I was infamous! Like the star that I am I shone through them all. Stick around and I’ll tell you the real story of Granny Lee.” — Granny Lee
“METAMORPHOSIS is a documentary that explores the life of one of South Africa’s most outrageous and vibrant characters — Granny Lee. By outfitting herself with over the top costumes, heavy makeup, a foul mouth and a passion for the nightlife she became the most notorious denizen of Johannesburg’s decadent clubland in the seventies and eighties. The story of Granny Lee is a fascinating journey that merges the personal with the political. It is a life of illusion, glamour and struggle in the shadow of the racial and sexual repression of Calvinist Apartheid. Come on in, have a drink and discover the legend of Granny Lee — the granny you’ll wish you had.”
— From the Underdog Entertainment website, written by Herb Klein
“Metamorphosis is a documentary that explores the life of one of South Africa’s most outrageous and vibrant characters — Granny Lee. By outfitting herself with over-the-top costumes, heavy makeup, a foul mouth and a passion for the nightlife she became the most notorious denizen of Johannesburg’s decadent clubland in the seventies and eighties. The story of Granny Lee is a fascinating journey that merges the personal with the political. It is a life of illusion, glamour and struggle in the shadow of the racial and sexual repression of Calvinist Apartheid. Come on in, have a drink and discover the legend of Granny Lee — the granny you’ll wish you had.” — IMDB
“In 1989 an eighty-one-year-old white woman died in a car accident on a highway to Durban, South Africa. A not altogether uncommon occurrence — except for the fact that the victim was in reality neither white, a woman nor eighty-one. When Leonard Malcolm Christian Du Plooy was born on the 18th of March 1919 to a mixed race (“coloured”) family he embodied all the contradictions of a country ruled by racism and hypocrisy. The first part of his life was spent in his small hometown of Kimberley, the diamond capital of the world, teaching and becoming the dandy about town. Renowned for his dancing, piano playing and his curious habit of knitting Lee was accepted by the ladies of Kimberley but viewed with suspicion by the men. But in his thirties he’d had enough of the small town mentality. He left for Durban where he taught once again briefly, but really began to throw himself into the city’s gay seaside subculture. Soon the flamboyant Lenny was running a brothel. He was also suffering from a skin condition, which was slowly turning him white. In his fifties, tired of the constant harassment by the Durban police he moved to Johannesburg. Here in the thriving gay clubland, during the height of the apartheid system, he was accepted as a white man, which allowed him to go where he wished. The transformation into Granny Lee began when a liberated Lenny started wearing woman’s clothing when going out. Soon the persona of Granny Lee became a full time occupation. Abandoning any sense of restraint Granny Lee, now a pensioner, soon became the city’s most famous club goer and drag queen. Her outrageous antics, sharp tongue, constant boozing and self-made outfits became a staple of the city’s nightlife. Lee was now an Icon, claiming to be in her eighties, who drew the crowds to clubs, bars and parties. He was living dangerously as a white woman in a country ruled by the racial and sexual repression of Calvinist Apartheid. When she died at the age of seventy she was still a notorious party animal. But Granny would still have the last laugh. At her wake the many mourners were shocked to hear the voice and laughter of Granny Lee insulting them all. She had recorded a farewell message to be played at her wake, resulting in confusion, elation and horror at the event. She became the first non-white person to be buried in Johannesburg’s Westpark whites-only cemetery. Even in death Granny Lee continued to break all the rules.”
— Herb Klein, Underdog Entertainment
Upcoming adaptation of the film, featuring South African trans activist, Simone Heradien
Announced in 2025, there will be an adaptation of the documentary, which will feature South African trans activist, Simone Heradien. Read more.
“For me, this film is not only my big screen debut, but a deeply personal celebration of trans visibility, legacy, and love. Stepping into this role honors the resilience, glamour, and defiance of LGBTIQ+ lives sought at times to be erased from history.”
— Simone Heradien, Hollywood Reporter
Simone worked together with Estian Smit and Sally Gross, who made Parliamentary submissions in 2005 to the alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act (Act 49 of 2003). Simone also has a chapter in the book of “Trans*: Transgender Life Stories from South Africa“. She is also a former Board Chair of Gender DynamiX (GDX).
