Around the time she was in the seventh grade, South African actor Thando Thabethe auditioned for the lead role in a school play. It didn’t pan out the way she’d planned — she landed a small part in…
auditioned for the lead role in a school play. It didn’t pan out the way she’d planned — she landed a small part in the choir, “sort of singing ‘Kumbaya’ and not really doing much,” she recalls, with a laugh — but a spark was lit. “Even just being part of something that small at such a young age is what shaped me, knowing that this is something that I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Thabethe was only 14 when she landed her first major role in the hit sitcom “My Perfect Family,” acting alongside stars as Lillian Dube, John Lata and Baby Cele. “It was a cast of South African actors that I watched as a little girl, so I sort of knew the gravity of it,” she says. “But I think a beautiful thing about being young is you don’t overthink things.”
The series, which broadcast on Mzansi Magic, a network owned by South Africa’s MultiChoice, began Thabethe’s relationship with the continent’s largest media group. “I think the work that they’re doing is absolutely astounding — how they’re able to bring Africa to the world,” she says. “I think it’s so beautiful that they’re recognizing South African talent, and they’re giving it the space to live and flourish.
But her bucket list as an actor includes working with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino, as well. “I’m like, ‘Bring it on!’” she says.Growing up in a township in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal region, coming from what she describes as “not a very privileged background,”couldn’t easily admit to her dream of becoming an actor. When she performed in school plays, she kept it a secret from her family; when it came time to pursue a degree in higher education, she chose accounting.
“They really know how to nurture and grow talent. For me, it’s really been a very cultivating environment to be in,” she says. “I know that I’m able to foster different relationships under the umbrella of MultiChoice and under the umbrella of DStv.”
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