Chantelle lands first role in Mzansi
Barely lessthan a month after signing with top South African management agent, JaffitManagement, Malawian actress Chantelle Phiri has landed her first movie role.
The actress has been picked to star in the movie Misunderstood which will be directed by Don Okoli and she is expected to feature alongside other actors and actresses from other countries such as Zimbabwe, Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria.
In an interview from her base in Sandton, South Africa, Phiri could not hide her excitement at the prospect of starting her new acting life in the Rainbow Nation in a movie whose shooting starts today (Friday).
“I will be flying to Cape Town today [Thursday] where shooting of some of the scenes will start on Friday. I was already given my script. I am excited to get the chance to be working with some big names in the industry such as Juan Le Roux, who will be director of photography,” she said.
Chantelle, who had her breakthrough on the local movie scene for her portrayal as Watipa in Charles Shemu Joyah’s award-winning movie The Road To Sunrise, has cracked the nod in her first movie audition since she got signed up.
Joyah said the success that the actress is registering in Mzansi, as the South African movie industry is called, is not only good news for her but the whole local industry as her story will inspire others to try their luck on the international scene.
Joyah said: “She enjoys acting. Secondly, she has a burning desire to improve and succeed. And she has that tenacity which is necessary for one’s survival in a highly competitive industry such as this one.”
Chantelle joins another Malawian-born actor Eugene Khumbanyiwa in South Africa who has also had the chance to star in top movies such Oscar-nominated District 9, Beautifully Broken, Chappie, Death Race and Rakka, among others. n
