TO FANS of the television soapie Rhythm City she's Tshidi Khuse, a lost child, but in real life Nkuthula Ledwaba is a very intelligent and open-minded person.
Born in Mofolo, Soweto, she grew up in Soshanguve, Gauteng.
Ledwaba is undoubtedly an excellent actress who is well-grounded in reality too.
I picked this up when we spoke this week about her soapie character at the Sasani Studios in Balfour, Mpumalanga.
From the moment we started our little chat, Ledwaba sounded fascinating.
In the e.tv soapie, she plays a lost child who has burnt her fingers once too often. Her role starts as a naive girl whose life revolves around books. But things go horribly wrong when she enters a music competition.
"Tshidi always longed to be loved. After the death of her first boyfriend, Mandla, she was badly affected," Ledwaba says.
"She could not speak to her parents about her pain. Her biggest weakness is that she always looks for the best in people, which is unrealistic."
She says her evolving character has challenged her to work hard.
"I am happy that Tshidi has passed the teenage stage. She will be turning 21 soon. I have grown a lot since the time I started at the soapie. What made me grow up quicker is that I am my own biggest critic," she says.
But Ledwaba and Tshidi are two very different people and some of the things that her character does shocks Ledwaba, she says.
"Tshidi's biggest weakness is that she acts without thinking. But I take my time and look at all angles before I make any decisions," Ledwaba says.
She takes her art very seriously and says there is nothing more irritating than watching someone who cannot act.
"It is annoying to watch someone who cannot act because there is a lot of talent around," she says.
Ledwaba says the acting industry is about the look, not the skill.
"Dark-skinned people find it difficult to succeed in this industry. Some people get jobs because they are known," she says.
Ledwaba is also a musician and she is going to record her songs next week.
"My music is neo-soul and Afro-soul. I've identified people who will provide me with this sound. I know that I want to record my music, but I am not sure about releasing it," she says.
Coming back to acting, she believes strongly that all actors should unite and fight to have pension and unemployment funds.
"We are not hungry enough in the industry. We need to fight for these benefits together," she says.
Ledwaba says she knew since high school that she was going to be an actress. Her career was fine-tuned in theatre like many successful television actress.
She was in the UK for two years and there she trained in children's theatre.
"On my return I did a lot of children's productions. I also kept busy with industrial theatre," she says.
Nkuthula Ledwaba far from her Rhythm City character
TO FANS of the television soapie Rhythm City she's Tshidi Khuse, a lost child, but in real life Nkuthula Ledwaba is a very intelligent and open-minded person.
Born in Mofolo, Soweto, she grew up in Soshanguve, Gauteng.
Ledwaba is undoubtedly an excellent actress who is well-grounded in reality too.
I picked this up when we spoke this week about her soapie character at the Sasani Studios in Balfour, Mpumalanga.
From the moment we started our little chat, Ledwaba sounded fascinating.
In the e.tv soapie, she plays a lost child who has burnt her fingers once too often. Her role starts as a naive girl whose life revolves around books. But things go horribly wrong when she enters a music competition.
"Tshidi always longed to be loved. After the death of her first boyfriend, Mandla, she was badly affected," Ledwaba says.
"She could not speak to her parents about her pain. Her biggest weakness is that she always looks for the best in people, which is unrealistic."
She says her evolving character has challenged her to work hard.
"I am happy that Tshidi has passed the teenage stage. She will be turning 21 soon. I have grown a lot since the time I started at the soapie. What made me grow up quicker is that I am my own biggest critic," she says.
But Ledwaba and Tshidi are two very different people and some of the things that her character does shocks Ledwaba, she says.
"Tshidi's biggest weakness is that she acts without thinking. But I take my time and look at all angles before I make any decisions," Ledwaba says.
She takes her art very seriously and says there is nothing more irritating than watching someone who cannot act.
"It is annoying to watch someone who cannot act because there is a lot of talent around," she says.
Ledwaba says the acting industry is about the look, not the skill.
"Dark-skinned people find it difficult to succeed in this industry. Some people get jobs because they are known," she says.
Ledwaba is also a musician and she is going to record her songs next week.
"My music is neo-soul and Afro-soul. I've identified people who will provide me with this sound. I know that I want to record my music, but I am not sure about releasing it," she says.
Coming back to acting, she believes strongly that all actors should unite and fight to have pension and unemployment funds.
"We are not hungry enough in the industry. We need to fight for these benefits together," she says.
Ledwaba says she knew since high school that she was going to be an actress. Her career was fine-tuned in theatre like many successful television actress.
She was in the UK for two years and there she trained in children's theatre.
"On my return I did a lot of children's productions. I also kept busy with industrial theatre," she says.