One for Hollywood

There’s a new crop of young actors emerging in Zimbabwe. Who will be the next Mai Huni, Pretty Xaba or Mai Sorobhi?  Lorraine Malunga (17) from Mucheke in Masvingo is one who will fit in their shoes in years to come. She is a typical teenager with acting prowess that could make some actors green with envy.

Last weekend, she left the crowd in stitches during the Youth Cultural Arts festival held in Masvingo during a play called “Family Saga”. The Mucheke High School student, who acted as an uneducated second wife, shone during the theatre workshop.

Yes, it has been proven that the delightful young girl can play any role and what really makes her remarkable is the tone she uses. She has won an award as the Best Actress at School under the BASO programme which centred on humanitarian issues last year.

The same year at YOCAF she was voted Best Actress while her school scooped the first prize. Was it because of her? Well, move over Angelina Jolie, Zimbabwe has its own leading lady destined for an Oscar. The short-haired young star recently took time to talk to Cool Lifestyle’s Swagga T (ST) about her experience working on stage and how she balances school and acting.

ST: When did you first become interested in acting?
LM: It was about two years ago that I decided I wanted to be an actress. Friends used to call me Amai Azuka from Nigerian movies because of my accent sometimes when I shout at them. Acting is now my passion and can’t wait to be on television.

ST: What is your favourite role in a play and why?
LM: (laughs). I can play any role, just give me a minute and you can see the wonders as I master what’s in store. My favourite role is the office management. I can play very well because I love authority. I have also played a crippled lady which was challenging because for the whole play you have to be like that. We sometimes do auditions at school to see who can do better in the given role.

ST: So, how did you prepare for any role?
LM: Because I don’t have my manager, my family helps me run through lines though they are not that hard to memorise. For our drama we spent weeks practising. Our teacher, Mr Nyasha Mazvimbu, is a phenomenal director. He uses simple words to help us know how we should feel in a scene and act it out. He is the best director.

ST: How do you balance acting and schooling?
LM: Acting is my passion. I am in Form Four and exams are around the corner so books come first. I am principled. Now that the competitions are over, much time is on books. I want to go to Advanced Level and study arts, especially Shona. Apart from my accent and broken English during plays, I am good at English.

ST: What was the most surprising thing you learned about working on a drama scenes?
LM: I wasn’t expecting it to be as easy as it was. Everyone always say “don’t be shy, just be yourself” although at first you will be timid, but it’s really not that hard at all. I expected a lot more confusion with my peers. Acting as someone’s wife . . . from that point you get a nickname.

ST: Who is your role model and why?
LM: I love Jennifer Lopez because of her style. She is a woman with many faces depending on a situation. I also like Nigerian actor Patience Ozokwor popularly known as Mai Azuka. She acts very well.

ST: Apart from acting, what else are you good at?
LM: I am a dancer and play any music. I will show you my other side.

ST: What do you intend to do after finishing school?
LM: I want to venture into acting and given the opportunity in the industry, I am going to shock the world and win an Oscar. I am hoping to do movies and have more opportunities in the future, because I really like it a lot. Working in movies is my dream.
I’m lucky because my friends joke, saying things like,“Hey what’s up movie star”, but no one has tried to be my friend just because I’m an actor. I have true friends, and it feels really good to know that. Seeing myself on the big screen would be a dream come true for me.

ST: Any words to your peers?
LM: Chase your dream as the sky is the limit. Cool Lifestyle, thank you so much for giving us the platform to shine, seriously children’s stories are not really covered in the Press.