Your Top 3 TV shows of all time (besides Gen and G & D):
It has to be Emzini Wezinsizwa back in the day - it was funny and we always had to watch it at home. I loved the fact that growing up, since I wanted to act from a young age, they spoke in our languages. It was a show about men living at a hostel together - that's what I loved about it. That's where the inspiration for actually being on television came out.
There was something about watching black people at that time in South Africa on TV. It gave me that goal that it's actually possible for me.
Now my favourite show has to be
Empire. I love Cookie Lyon, I see a lot of myself in her, that's why I absolutely adore Empire.
And
Is'thunzi. It's about four girls our age struggling and it talks a lot about what we go through as females, as black and female.
Your all time fave movie:
Law Abiding Citizen. The movie shows you that just because you hurt somebody 10 years ago, don't think they have forgotten it.
If you were an animal, what would you be?
A leopard 'cos I can run fast, I can climb trees and I can swim. I'm a multitasker.
Your life motto:
You are what you settle for. I think my downfall was always putting other people first but I would always come second because I put other people first and forget about myself.
I've gotten burned so many times by doing that so I've allowed people to mistreat me and then I complain but it's shocking because
I allowed them to do it because I settled for the treatment.
If you don't want to settle for being second best, then make sure you win it. All the time. Number 1 or nothing at all.
I realised that this year. I went through the most this year, 2017 has been a life changing year for me. A lot happened from romantic relationships to friendships, work. People will just use you to milk whatever they want from you and then they will just throw you in the bin like nothing. So I've learnt a lot.
In the entertainment industry you are forced to become something else, even outside of set, because if you're too sweet, you're not cut out for this industry if you're too sweet. You need to know when to stand your ground and don't even be apologetic about it otherwise they're going to play around in your head.
When your career starts to blossom or you're on TV, your friends think you've changed but it's so strange because they're the ones that change, they're the ones who start treating you differently because you're appearing on TV and they make it seem like you're the one who's changed.
There's a thin line with that that I picked up this year, that people will change. They give you a certain pedestal because you appear on TV - they tiptoe around you and we're friends, supposed to keep it real all the time.
The scariest thing you've ever done:
Riding The Tower of Terror at Gold Reef City. And standing up for myself because I've always been scared to do it. I've always seeked validation, I've always wanted to please people so standing up for myself was a bit of a challenge for me.
Japan or America?
Wow, tjo, I benefit from both. Japan - the technology, America - a Hollywood star. I'll go with Hollywood star, America.
Truth or dare?
Truth.
Money or fame?
Money.
Bonang or AKA?
Bonang.
If you were in a different profession, what would you be?
I'd probably be a doctor. Like the ones who go into theatre and save people's lives. I think I have the heart for it. I love people and no matter how bad things are, you always treat them with respect first, love them first, before they even do anything so ja, I'm really good with people so I would say it would work out for me.
The TV show you most want to be on:
The Queen. I
need to be on that show. It's beautifully written and I love the Fergusons. It's a powerful story and I want to be associated with powerful people, powerful storylines and with brilliant actors and actresses that actually put in work for such a beautiful outcome.
You can tell when somebody preps for a scene from the way they perform so I just love everything about The Queen.
The best thing about playing Thabi:
She's a free spirit, she does everything that pleases her, she's comfortable in her own skin. She loves herself and she knows what she wants and she knows how to get it. I
wish I was like her actually.
I broke out of my shell this year. I'm not apologetic about it and I'm really loving the woman I'm becoming. I shock myself sometimes but it's refreshing.