Actress Dawn Thandeka King once kept a 9 to 5 office job in the tourism industry‚ but she knew she just had to break free.

The actress‚ best known as Lindiwe Xulu on Uzalo‚ has captured hearts recently with her starring role on Mzansi Magic’s new TV prison drama Lockdown.

It’s been a long journey for the star who several years ago decided to quit an office job in the tourism industry to pursue her passion for acting.

“I was exposed to tourism as a hotel tour guide. I later became regional manager of a hotel chain. Eventually‚ I outgrew that and ventured into sales and marketing but deep down my passion was to be a performing artist‚” she once told Sunday World.

Speaking to Drum recently‚ Dawn said she was “frustrated” by the office environment and was often depressed.

“I went through depression until I decided I couldn’t do it longer‚” Dawn said.

She joined a Durban theatre production in 2010 and within two years made her debut on Mzansi Magic’s telenovela iNkaba.

Now the star lights up screens as Ma Z on Lockdown‚ a role she said is completely different to anything she’s done before.

Hope you all enjoyed episode 2 of #Lockdown

“God had a plan for me‚” she told Drum of her journey. “He wanted me to be mature first so I could handle the fame.”