When I booked my first role, I felt completely validated in my pursuit, I had always wondered if I could actually do this for a living and once I booked my first job, it was like, "OK, someone other than me thinks I have a place on the screen."

A lot of people think that I am a new kid on the block because of this big role I got....it took me ten years to get that (her role on Isidingo)

After I shot Is’thunzi, securing an acting gig was quite difficult. I thought I’d have productions companies keen on working with me but that was not the case

I always tell people, a lead role can make or mar you. So, don’t be in a rush for that lead role. Start little; learn your craft, learn the basics so that when you finally land that big role you will know what to do with it so that it would announce you to the world.

I'm here to be me, which is taking a great deal longer than I had hoped.

I had a life-changing, massive audition for an international show that was going to be on Fox TV, but two months later I heard I didn't get it. I was gutted for months. After that I thought, 'I don't want to act for the rest of the year

It was a horrible process to get to this. It took me my whole life. If you’re new at this — and by 'new at it,' I mean 15 years in, or even 20 — you’re just starting to get traction.

I really wanted to go on Broadway but I was like - do I want to leave my dogs, my house and my friends for nine months? But then I thought, "Wait a second. If this wasn't being offered to me and I heard there was an audition I'd be desperate to have the job." When you're offered things, it makes it so much easier to be indecisive. And it's silly because you can pass on some really amazing things.

I was born nine months premature.

When I came to the industry, I thought it was going to be easy and that I would just come and there would be rules and that’s just it. But it wasn’t easy, as it was difficult and roles weren’t coming, nothing was happening and nobody believed in anybody as they didn’t believe in wasting their time on who they are not sure of.

I had to develop a thick skin because being rejected after numerous auditions is difficult. I learned that you can’t get every role, not because there’s something wrong with you but because you are not what casting agents are looking for pertaining the role

It was a horrible process to get to this. It took me my whole life. If you’re new at this — and by 'new at it,' I mean 15 years in, or even 20 — you’re just starting to get traction ... Give it a minute.

I was waiting to hear about 42. Nobody had called me. Nobody had told me anything. I had gone in for it 100 percent, but there was no reason for me to think I’d done well. Nobody had called me and said, "Hey, they really liked your audition." Nobody was like, "Hey, they’re really thinking about you." Nothing. But on that night, the play I was directing ended, and I went next door to a bar and was watching the end of the World Series, and I was like, "Yo, I’m about to get this role," and I knew it. And that was the night they called me. Just like — boom! — "It’s yours." … That year before 42, every pilot I went in for, it was like, "You’re gonna test for it and then somebody else will get it." It was a frustrating year, because I was so close to getting things that would have taken me to another place. But it was never actually happening. For some reason I couldn’t get anything. I only later realized that it was some divine intervention, because if I did some of those things, I wouldn’t have been available. You don’t get stuff, and it opens up other opportunities. But no, it’s not like I’d been waiting around for only the biggest roles.

We worked very very hard. I was forced into big parts from a very young age, probably sometimes being forced into playing roles that I wasn’t quite ready for but there is nothing like being pushed into something like that to give you maturity as a young actress