As one of the youngest kids on the TV industry block, everything fell into place organically for the 22-year-old Thuthuka Mthembu when she got a call for a job on the award-winning show Uzalo in 2018, just a few days after her auditions. The Joburg born-and-bred dynamo is living out her dreams in Durban, where she says, “I’ve got roots that stem all the way to this side, so you could say that it’s where I’m ‘originally’ from. A true definition of being exactly where you need to be, when you need to be.”
Uzalo is my first acting gig. I’ve always had the desire and passion for being on-screen. I did commercials and features as an extra as a child, but Uzalo is the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my television career.
It’s been an amazing learning experience. I’ve never had to act before, and now that I’m playing such an incredible role is a huge learning experience for me. I learn something new every day. It’s been 18 months but there’s always something new to learn. Not just learning about “Nonka”, but about the industry too.