Thuthuka Mthembu (Born: 28 October 1998, Age: 25 years old) is a South African actress known for her role on the SABC1 drama series Uzalo as Nonka.
Thuthuka Mthembu shot to fame after her breakout performance in the South African drama series, Uzalo, where she played the role of Nonka. She joined the ensemble cast of the long-running award-winning show in December 2018. Prior to this role, the South African actress had only appeared in commercials and featured as an extra. She is today living her childhood dream and hopes to make something of herself in the industry.
Thuthuka Mthembu Profile Summary
The Uzalo Starlet Was Raised By Her Mother
Thuthuka’s childhood is not the usual one as she was raised by a single mother; this has been and continues to be a significant factor in her life. The actress had no idea what her mum had to go through to provide for her as a single mother until she became a little older and wiser. Although there is no information about her mother’s identity and what she does for a living, it is evident from the series of interviews that the actress has had that her mother was a strong woman who gave her the best she could afford.
More so, the actress has described her early life journey as one saddled with unfilled dreams and instant gratification on her mother’s side as she always put her daughter’s needs first.
Thuthuka’s grandmother also played a pivotal role in her upbringing but like her mother, no information is available about her apart from the fact that the actress had mentioned being raised by two strong women, making it clear that it was her mother and grandmother. There has also not been any mention of her being raised alongside any siblings which make many believe she might be an only child.
Thuthuka Mthembu’s Father Died When She Was Very Young
The Uzalo starlet has been quite frugal when it comes to details about her father as facts about the man, including his name and profession, are not known. However, Thuthuka has revealed that he is no more and the pain of losing him was the darkest time in her life. This could also be the reason why her mother had to take up the sole responsibility of catering to her needs.
More so, from the way she talks about her father’s loss, it’s speculated that he was a good man during his lifetime. Unfortunately, the only way we can get an insight into his personality will be from Thuthuka but as of now, she still appears to be deeply hurt about the whole circumstance hence her refusal to share details.
She Has A Degree From AFDA
With regards to Thuthuka Mthembu’s educational history, she attended Durban High School before enrolling at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where she majored in Theatre. She was in the school when she was accepted into AFDA to study Writing and Directing. The actress joyously announced her enrollment on her Instagram page to motivate other young people who might be interested in such an opportunity.
The actress had also admitted that it was difficult to complete her studies during a Covid-19-ravaged year, but the pandemic and its effects on the industry made her realize the importance of education. According to her, it forced her to develop time management skills and foresight as well as balancing all aspects of her life.
In 2021, Thuthuka joined the list of people who graduated from AFDA, including the likes of Amanda du Pont, Thapelo Mokoena, Vuyo Dabula, Eric Macheru, and Khanya Mkangisa amongst several other famous people.
Thuthuka’s Fame Came With Her Role In Uzalo
Uzalo is a South African soap opera produced by Stained Glass Productions and owned by Kobedi “Pepsi” Pokane and Gugu Zuma-Ncube. It began airing in 2015 and quickly became a hit due to its riveting storytelling, excellent narrative, compelling directing, and stellar performances of its cast which Thuthuka Mthembu became a part of in 2018.
According to reports, the budding actress received a call for a job on Uzalo after auditioning a few days earlier and everything fell into place for her after she successfully landed a role on the hit series. To date, Mthembu portrays Nonka, a typical 18-year-old girl on the popular series. Her character is a very interesting one whose attention is torn between various aspects of her life such as studying and falling in love. She does, however, have a very strong and unwavering personality.
Thuthuka Mthembu has over the years been able to interpret this role in an impeccable way. For that, she has won the hearts of the show’s fans and kept them glued to the screen. As of now, she is one of the youngest actresses making a name for themselves in the South African film industry.
Speaking about where she hopes to be in the future and her character on Uzalo in an interview with IOL, the actress said what drew her to the character of Nonka was her story’s complexity and how it was a reality for many South African households. She went on to mention that she hopes to start her own production company and bag an international qualification, citing her role models as powerful women such as Oprah, Ava Duvernay, and Dawn Thandeka King.
Is The Rising Star Married?
Thuthuka Mthembu is publicly single as she currently does not have any known husband or boyfriend but her fans hope to see one of their favorite screen characters find love one day. However, on-screen, Sibonelo, another notable character in the Uzalo series, is Thuthuka Mthembu’s (that is Nonka’s) husband.
How Much Wealth Has Thuthuka Mthembu Garnered From Her Career?
The contract details of the Uzalo star with regards to how much she makes for her appearances are unknown. However, since she shot to stardom, it is speculated that she has made a lot of money from her role in the TV series and as of now, her net worth is estimated to be $80,000. More so, Thuthuuka’s success and fame on the series have also made her a social media sensation as she has more than 400k followers on her Instagram and about 30.7k followers on Twitter. It is thereby only a matter of time before more jobs and endorsement deals come her way.
