Bio
Unathi Daniel is a South African actress and voice artist best known for her role as Little Stout Woman on the first two seasons of the SABC1 drama series Tsha Tsha, from 2003-2004.
Career
Unathi was born in Tsomo in the Eastern Cape and grew up in Cape Town, where she matriculated.
In 1996 she went to pursue a career in IT in Illinois, Chicago. She discovered she didn't like IT, so returned to South Africa in 1997 and studied a BA Law at the University of the Western Cape.
While there she was a member of the Creative Arts Choir and worked as a PA for the lecturer. At the same time she was a tutor of Indigenous Law in 2000-2001.
In 2001 Unathi moved to Johannesburg and did floating modules on literacy genre, theory of literature, theory of drama, advanced theory of drama, theory and practice of South African literacy studies with the University Of South Africa.
The practical part of the drama course took place at the State Theatre in Pretoria, where she learned skills like improvisation, voice training, basic movement, presentation and co-presentation. She also appeared in a number of theatre plays with E Productions.
In 2002 she worked on the magazine show Take 5 on SABC1, assisting with their campaigns as a freelance artist coordinator. In 2003 she appeared in Tsha Tsha as Little Stout Woman on the first seasons, while working for the University of South Africa.
In 2004 she did an advert for MTN which was shot in Cape Town and in 2005 appeared in a Nedbank advert (featuring twins).
During that year she was introduced to Vusi Kunene and he introduced her to various industry contacts, which resulted in television voiceover work in Xhosa and English.
Some of the projects she has done include Dettol, Eskom, Radio Pulpit, Millennium, to name but a few. She continues doing voiceover work and another Nedbank commercial.
She is a founder of a talent agency called Arizona casting, where they manage models, tv presenters, musicians, choirs, dancers, acrobats, make up artists, MC's, poets, actors, voice over artists, promoters, activators, comedians and impersonators.
Unathi is also an HIV/ AIDS counselor, doing pre- and post counselling. She is also involved in different projects including the delivering of clothes and blankets, as well feeding of street kids.
She also visits schools in order to teach them about HIV/AIDS, answer their questions on the subject, motivate them and assist them with career guidance (i.e. what courses they need to do to become a directors or producers, what to do if they want to start careers on acting etc).
Her mother called her Manhanha (nickname). She has two siblings: an older brother (Lwazi) and a younger sister (Sinesipho). She currently resides in Bryanston, Johannesburg.
Hints on auditions:
Always arrive on-time, be prepared, make your first 20 seconds count, confidence is very important.
Favourite quote:
"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up." - by Babe Ruth