Avumile Qongqo is basking in the glory of the success of The Last Ranger Mzansis first Oscar-nominated film since Tsotsi won almost 20 years ago.
Nobody saw the gritty Cindy Lee-directed short film coming until it was became an Oscars sleeper when the 97th annual Academy Award nominations were announced on 23 January. Just like that, lead star Qongqos career took a turn, with her making waves as the queen of local indie films.
Qongqo is no newbie, although she humbly refers to herself as a film novice. Much like her indie films sleeper hit status, she has had a long and quiet showbiz career, making a number of U-turns on her way to the Oscars.
In the early 2000s, she was a model muse and mannequin strutting the runway for top SA designers. She quickly found Miss SA fame, as first princess in 2005 Nokuthula Sithole won and again in 2007 Tansey Coetzee won. Then, in the early 2010s, she ventured into broadcast journalism as news anchor on ANN7.
Stepping onto the set of her cover shoot, the statuesque actor commands attention, towering over everyone. The set is gushing about her after she wrapped. Yes, shes a surreal vision frame after frame, but its her professionalism and poise that leaves a long-lasting impression. It becomes apparent that Qongqo has had such a long career because of her strong work ethic and remarkable discipline.