Zekhethelo Zondi is the breakout star to watch as she garners attention for her lead role in local film Laundry, which has screened at film festivals in Johannesburg, Marrakech and Toronto.
Her acting résumé also includes roles in Scandal!, Isifiso, Shadow, Collision and A Grave Confession, alongside two feature films currently in post-production. Sowetan gets to know the 15-year-old starlet.
“I want to go global and represent SA on an international stage.” — Zekhethelo Zondi
When did you realise acting was more than just a hobby?
In 2022, when I was 12, I shot season one of Isifiso and worked with Chris Q Radebe. I admired how he was able to unpack the character I was playing in detail. It shifted my perspective completely. It made me realise I’m not just acting; I’m telling a story and using it as a way to connect with other people.
Do you remember your first day on set?
My first time on set was when I was seven years old and I was so excited. I remember stepping onto the set [of Shadow], and the first person I saw was Pallance Dladla walking past; I was like, “Oh my goodness.”
There were cameras everywhere and people bringing me food. I kept thinking, “Wow, this is amazing,” and all I had to do was run my lines with this really cool actor. I was so excited. Seeing an established actor like Pallance Dladla on set made the acting industry feel real and reachable, not just something I was watching from the outside.
Who inspired you?
Zendaya. I grew up watching her on the Disney Channel, as well as her other projects. I also watched her interviews, and I remember thinking, “I really want to do this for a living,” because she inspired me so much. She genuinely made me feel something — whether it was empathy or happiness.
How does it feel for Laundry to have screened at festivals like the Toronto International Film Festival?
I feel honoured. It feels so surreal because I didn’t expect it to go this far. I knew that it was a great film from the moment that my mother got a call about the auditions for the role.
When I found out that it’s going to play at the Toronto International Film Festival, I was like, “What? Canada?“ And then, when it first aired in SA at the Joburg Film Festival, I got to watch myself for the first time and also walked the red carpet. It felt like a dream, a very beautiful dream.
Outside of acting, who is Zekhethelo?
Zekhethelo is very sarcastic. I’m a very funny person. I love writing and reading. I also enjoy listening to music, but one of the main things that I love is cinematography.
I love taking pictures and videos of things. It just makes me so happy. It’s like a little hobby for me.
What’s next for you?
I want to go global and represent SA on an international stage. I’d love to work with Viola Davis; I’m manifesting it. We’re going to share that stage one day, as well as Thuso Mbedu.
I also see myself moving behind the scenes, maybe producing, directing or writing.
Sowetan
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