Linda Ximba
Dudu Ngcobo, the 51-year-old Durban-born actress who has Uzalo viewers glued to their TV screens, got into acting purely by chance.
She got her first acting role aged 49 and says she never envisioned herself earning a living through acting.
Dudu plays the hard-to-please Dr Qwabe on Durban Gen on e-tv but it is Babekazi the bubbly character who loves her drink that she plays on Uzalo that has her fans on social media raving about her talent.
Speaking to Scrolla.Africa while attending a workshop organised by actor Ngabade Mazibuko at the Bat Centre in Durban on Tuesday, she said she grew up as a tomboy.
“But then my neighbour who was a student at Africa Film Drama Art (Afda) in 2014 asked me to help her out. They had an assignment to come up with a telenovela and she asked me to play a part in it. I reluctantly agreed because I never saw myself as an actor. Luckily there were scouts from different production houses in attendance.”
She said after the show the scouts sang praises for her performance and encouraged her to try acting.
“Since then I have never looked back,” said Dudu.
She has since landed gigs on commercials and acting gigs as support lead in series like Isithembiso, Muvhango, eHostela and Greed and Desire.
Dudu said she was happy being single and is happy to raise her three children and grandchildren.
The actress was at the Durban Top Ten workshop at the Bat Centre to offer guidance to budding artists. She thanked Ngabade Mazibuko who has appeared on Generations: The Legacy for coming up with a noble idea to empower young talent.
