John Lata appeared as Eric in the 2008 spin-off DVD Coronation Street: Out of Africa. He was born in Vosloorus in South Africa and then moved to Johannesburg, where he developed an interest in the theatre. At the age of 18 he acted in the play Crime Doesn't Pay and then played the lead in the famous apartheid film Sarafina which starred Whoopie Goldberg. He is best known for his role in the South African soap Generations and various roles on the sketch comedy television series Dube on 2 and Dube on 2 - Reloaded.