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The Rise and rise of Thishiwe Ziqubu

Thishiwe Ziqubu is one of South Africa’s rare gems, a true talent who could give the likes of Hollywood star Lupita Nyong'o a run for their money.

Her debut as a cinema actress was in 2011 as the lead in Man on ground, a film directed by Akin Omotoso, setting her career on a meteoric rise.

She is a cinema actress, scriptwriter, director, producer and a loving mother of a seven-year-old girl.

Like many of her counterparts Ziqubu’s interest in acting and film began at a young age.

She studied scriptwriting and directing after high school then went on to the AFTA a film school. She also completed Acting for Film programme at the Los Angeles Campus of the New York Film Academy.

Some of her greatest achievements include:

Man on Ground

On Man on Ground she played a leading role of Zodwa in a story displaying the rise of Xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

This movie included a stella cast of stars like Bubu Mazibuko, Fana Mokoena and Eugene Khoza.

Hard to get

She stepped out and showed off in the film ‘Hard To Get’, a movie dubbed SA’s version of Bonnie and Clyde. She embraced her character as an angry girl and a rebel who is not afraid to take risks.

Ziqubu’s artistic storytelling skills are seen broadly in this film.

This year she is set to be seen in a drama film ‘While You Weren’t looking’ which looks at the treatment of gay and lesbian relationships in the country. She will also be hitting our TV screens with a role in Rhythm City as a con artist named Nox.

Hardworking Ziqubu, will also feature in a comedy show Wonder Boy for President working with Kagiso Lediga.

Ziqubu has big plans for her future and the SA film industry is only the beginning.

“The TV industry excites me, I want to be the next Lupita and I’d like to ace a lot of things. I want my own production company too,” she says.

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