Didintle Khunou has just belted out the first few lines of Hey Big Spender, and I have immediately grasped the essential truth about her. I have the same certainty that her high school maths teacher must have had when Didi was 16 — that she was destined for the stage.
The daughter of a medical doctor and an entrepreneurial mother, raised on a farm in Klerksdorp, she always loved playing the piano and the flute, took dance classes and sang in the school choir.
But it was this talent scout of a teacher who did the math and cast Didintle in a charity showcase she was staging at the school. “I realised then that, like, wow, teachers play a very important role in a person’s life, because if they see your talent, they can empower you to go into a certain direction. And that’s exactly what she did.”
Hey Big Spender was her first big number, and her resonant, rich voice transports me to the school stage — in the middle of the frenzied lunch hour at Olives and Plates in Exclusive Books in Hyde Park Corner. Didintle’s choice for our lunch is so popular for its consistently delicious Mediterranean offerings that I feel positively redundant in singing its praises.
Her parents were unfailingly encouraging when she applied to the Wits drama school to pursue the obvious career path. “I was lucky enough to have parents who were, like, really supportive.”
Her post university path led directly to the stage — her first big break was in the lead role of Celie in The Color Purple, for which she won numerous accolades and awards. She has worked in TV and films ever since in a dizzying array of characters, demonstrating her range as an actress — from the spirited bad girl on Generations: The Legacy, to perfect comedic romcom timing in her latest film on circuit now, A Scam Called Love.
When you pour an aspect of yourself into something, and you have to share it to the world, it can be quite a vulnerable feeling
— Didintle Khunou
Inspired by her mother’s entrepreneurial drive and the fact that there aren’t enough women-led productions, she has launched a production company called Galalela Mosadi — it is an extension of her belief in the power of the arts to effect positive change in society. “I think drama and literature act like a mirror for people to reflect on the ideologies and cultural belief systems that we’re allowing ourselves to be governed by.
“I think storytelling is important for people to be reminded of their humanity, especially because we live in a very individualistic kind of time — everyone is out for themselves, and we need to be reminded of our humanity, our flaws, points where we need to improve, points where the human race is doing well, points where we need to continue that kind of work.”
Didintle’s own path to a higher version of herself has taken the form of giving herself permission to release her first track, Say It. “I had a pinch-me moment in Cape Town last week on Heart FM. It was the first time I heard a song I made playing on radio. When you pour an aspect of yourself into something, and you have to share it to the world, it can be quite a vulnerable feeling, because you’re sharing a part of yourself, and it’s open to interpretation.”
I love her ability to be vulnerable and honest about the long process of trusting yourself enough to put your voice out there, because I think most people imagine they are alone in their feelings of inadequacy. “I’m at a phase where, because I’m becoming a producer now, I’m just interested in honing my voice, being in tune with my inner voice, knowing what I want to say through my work, and sharing it.
“So I’ve just outgrown that impostor syndrome and I'm learning that it's OK to be single and in your 30s and also a creator. With the deaths of so many close friends in the industry, it’s a reminder that our time is limited. And so the time you have right now is essential. It’s precious.”
What would she tell that talented 16-year-old now?
“Stop asking people for validation. Stop asking people what they think. Just trust that you are smart, you are observant enough, you are intuitive, you can sense when something feels right or wrong. Just trust yourself. Trust yourself a lot more, is what I would say.”
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