Education
Thaning attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, graduating with a degree in theatre and film.
Thaning attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, graduating with a degree in theatre and film.
As a swimmer he most notably competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. As an actor he has appeared in a number of films and television series. Thaning represented his country in two sports, playing water polo for South Africa at the Heliopolis Tournament in Cairo, Egypt in 2003, and later for swimming at numerous tournaments.
As a swimmer, Thaning specialized in freestyle events.
He claimed numerous short-course South African titles in sprint freestyle (both 50 and 100). Thaning began acting in 2002, and has appeared in numerous television shows and films since then
He played Captain Phillip Brooks in the seven-part 2008 South African miniseries Feast of the Uninvited. He also acted in international films, such as the 2010 Winnie, which starred Jennifer Hudson, and the 2012 film Dredd, in which he played Judge Chan.
Other characters portrayed by him include O"Malley in Black Sails and Jared Taylor in SAF3.
Thaning competed in the men"s 4×100 m medley relay, as a member of the South African team, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens., teaming with Gerhard Zandberg, Terence Parkin, and Eugene Botes in heat two, Thaning anchored a freestyle leg to finish the race with a split of 49.25, with the team finishing thirteenth overall in a final time of 3:43.94.