THERE'S NO STOPPING TERRY

WHAT do Hollywood stars Jada Pinkett-Smith, Laurence Fishburne and Antonio Banderas have in common with local girl Terry Pheto?

They are all signed to management agency Paradigm, a stable that recently signed Pheto as a client after they saw her playing the character of Winnie Mandela in BET mini series Madiba, alongside Fishburne.

Despite this nod from Hollywood, the 35-year-old says she currently has no intentions to abandon South Africa in search of a Hollywood breakthrough.

“Technology has allowed me to be able to audition for roles while I am here. That way I can carry on with what I’m doing here and be able to still audition for roles even if they are based in US or Europe, which is what I have been doing with the agency. I get my local agency to film the audition and then we send it abroad,” said Pheto.

This is something she did when she auditioned for a role in the movie A United Kingdom, a biographical romantic drama based on a true story of the forbidden love between Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, and English insurance clerk Ruth Williams.

In the movie, she plays a supporting role of Naledi Khama, Seretse’s sister.

Pheto says the role was a “continuation to all the dreams I had since living in the squatter camps”.

“I used to even shout them out and people would think I am crazy, but since being the unknown girl in Tsotsi, many doors have opened ... giving me endless opportunities.”

She was just 21 when she was discovered by SA’s biggest casting director Moonyeen Lee, who cast her as Miriam in Academy Award- winning movie Tsotsi.

Since then she has appeared in several films including Catch A Fire, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, How to Steal 2 Million and also had a cameo role in US soapie The Bold and the Beautiful.

Early next year her latest project, The Tribe, will hit local cinemas.

The film follows a young university professor who is saved from self-destruction by a former school mate and begins a journey to save his house, his marriage and his life.

Although her roles in international films have been small, Pheto says she understood that “everyone wants a lead role but we don’t have to be leads to be cast in stories that we want to work in”.

“I have said many ‘nos’ than ‘yeses’ because I am starting to learn that I have to pick my roles carefully as each role leads to another, no matter how small they are. I often choose roles that are inspirational, challenging and exciting, those that will stretch me,” she says. - article was published in The Times (21/10/2016)