Meet actress Natasha Dlamini. . . from depression to the cusp of international stardom

Yvonne Ncube, Showbiz Correspondent

IT is not surprising that children have imaginary friends, an imaginary world and an imaginary self in which they can be whoever they want.

It’s a trait they will quickly abandon as they get older, realising its puerile. However, for Natasha Dlamini, born in Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni suburb, it’s a trait that foreshadowed her future self.

Little Natasha would enter her imaginary world and pretend to be a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, or whatever she desired. 

As the actress in her slept through her adolescence, a flashback struck her as she entered the casting room for auditions. That’s when she realised, “I belong here.”

Today, Natasha (25) is living proof that small characteristics in children are essential as she has risen to become one of the country’s most acknowledged female actors, changing the narrative and inspiring many.

Last week, Natasha’s rise, continued as she was part of the cast of the highly rated isiNdebele Sci-Fi, The Signal, that premiered in Bulawayo at the Zimbabwe Music Academy.

Natasha tells stories under a different flickering light. Follow her as she takes us down the bumpy road to the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Growing up I have always had imaginary friends and for me those imaginary friends allowed me to escape to a world where I can be anything. I could be a lawyer, a nurse or a doctor. They allowed me to become whoever I wanted to become without judging me. Little did I know that my spirit was preparing me for what I was going to do forever. The world was a small thing that I could conquer,” Natasha said. 

She had to go through trials and tribulations to discover her dream because she was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

“I attended my primary school at Josiah Chinamano Primary because then we used to stay at Emakhandeni. I was always that shy girl but very focused because at home I come from a very humble family. My parents divorced but they did try to do the co-parenting thing and it was beautiful. I was not that “A” student but I was average. 

“For my secondary I went to Ekusileni Secondary, a boarding school in Filabusi. My mom was like you are going to go there, because she didn’t want me to be disturbed by a lot of things at home like seeing where we were lacking. I have always been that child who grew up fast and she just wanted me to enjoy my life. She was trying to say you are not an adult, you are still a baby so go and enjoy your life,” Natasha narrated. 

She said she started high school late in the third term after failing to pay her school fees for the previous two terms.

“I started my Form One at the third and last term for my agemates because I didn’t have fees money. And when I got there a lot of people were just laughing at me and teachers already had an attitude regarding what I was going to learn in that short space of time. They didn’t understand that it wasn’t intentional, I mean if I had a choice I would have gone there earlier. 

“So, it clicked to me that I would have to work hard to prove myself that I can be in the same space as everybody else. I worked so very hard and at the end of the year I became part of the top five. I tried to maintain that position and later on I joined public speaking and debate because I felt the need to stretch myself. Since I was that shy girl, for me to rise to the top I needed to be another girl. I wasn’t that good but I’m one person who learns from other people,” Natasha said.

She moved over to Dombodema High School in Plumtree for her Advanced level.

“I started to come out of my box and I started to believe in myself even more. That’s when I realised that I am great at whatever I do. I competed for the Junior council position and I won and I was the first junior councillor in the history of Dombodema. After my A level I usually say that’s when my life started. I attained 14 points like I said I worked hard at school because I did not have time to slack off. 

“All I wanted was to change our lives at home so I pushed myself because of that. I applied for a scholarship to do law multiple times and for six full years I didn’t get anything. I was at a point of depression because every time I applied, I was getting rejected,” she said. 

Natasha came across a casting call on WhatsApp, which marked a turning point in her life. Taking all risks, she went to the auditions in Harare, a city she was unfamiliar with and where she had no place to stay.

“I usually say this was the time when I needed to believe in the promises of tomorrow. So, the auditions were in Harare and I had never been to Harare but I decided to take the shot. I told my mother and she has always been a supportive person, she gave me her blessing and I went there. I took the 10pm bus because I didn’t have anywhere to sleep. I arrived in the morning and went for the auditions. 

“When I stepped into that room, I told myself that whether we get this role or not this is where I belong. I cannot explain the feeling but it was something out of this world. I told myself that if I have to do something in my life it has to involve acting and that was the first day I fell in love with acting. I qualified then I started acting but I was not getting paid. 

“And since I come from a family which was not doing so well, we needed that money for bread and butter. I was going everyday and doing things that I love but not getting paid for it but my mom was completely fine with it, she said as long as you are happy my daughter. I’m so blessed to have a mother like her,” said Natasha.

She said she went to South Africa in search of opportunities and equipped herself with relevant qualifications for her newly found dream.

“I then decided to go to South Africa and I did acting classes to better myself. Then in 2019 I came back home and there was Covid-19. In November 2020 I got an opportunity to go and compete for Miss Career Africa, an initiative that was started by Frank Rubaduka in Rwanda. His ambition was to empower one million girls by 2048, he had a wonderful heart. 

“I applied and I was one of the chosen three representatives from Africa. We went there and I won the overall prize in Africa. And in December the founder Frank Rubaduka drowned, may his soul rest in peace,” she said. 

Natasha said the acting classes paved a way for her to be called for big productions.

“I have got the chance to cast for big productions such as Tangled which plays on DSTV Channel 293, and Love is not enough, Unspoken Truth and The Signal. I am working on some big production but at the moment I don’t have the liberty to speak about it. I will shed light about it when the time is right. I am super excited because it gives me the chance to learn from others that have been on screen longer than I have been. I haven’t done many productions but it’s not the number of productions but the value of my brand that is important,” Natasha said. 

She said her latest experience on the movie The Signal was exceptional.

“I am amongst the cast of The Signal and what an honour it is. My experience in the film was an outer body experience. Daniel Lasker and I have a good working relationship which dates back to 2018 so having him as my director again was a great honour because he is the kind of a director who will believe in your efforts to build up your character. He is excellent in what he does.

“My co- stars, Dumie Manyathela and Tawanda Denga are my go-to people any day so being cast with them was a bonus because we have a great working relationship as well. Those two are great actors so feeding off from them was what helped my performance. I cannot wait for everyone to see The Signal. It’s a masterpiece,” she said. 

Guided by the adage “Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, so try and live everyday as if it’s your last,” Natasha is slowly taking over the throne in the film and entertainment industry. 

— @SeehYvonne

Article Source: The Chronicle