Actress Angelique Munyange, 24, spent her formative years in Cape Town after moving to the city from the Democratic Republic of Congo when she was 11.
Her English was limited then, so she taught herself the language by watching the Disney Channel. Now the talented actress has moved to the US to pursue a degree in acting and filmmaking.
She received her Bachelor in Fine Arts at the New York Film Academy summa cum laude last year.
Munyange has experience as a writer, assistant director, producer and digital imaging technician. She is also a voice-over artist in both English and French.
Munyange told Weekend Argus her time at Parklands College sparked her love for acting.
“I got the chance to perform as a drama club member and take drama from Grade 10 to Matric. Watching movies and learning about theatre lit something inside me,” she said.
She also loves musical theatre.
“I participated in high school (concerts) and joined the choir. But I'm focused on television and film. So musical theatre is something I will pursue in the future.
“As I got to perform and learn about the history of the arts and performance, it really amazed me how it was a tool used to share the history of the world and connect with the past,” she said.
In 2017, Munyange decided to pack her bags and shoot for the stars. She moved to Los Angeles in the US to join the New York Film Academy.
She said the first thing she felt when she landed was fear.
“I felt like I made a mistake, it was like I finally understood the decision I made. To move to a new continent where I did not really know a single person. But when I met my room-mate and my neighbours before school started, I felt the joy and excitement come back,” she said.
Some of the highlights for Munyange was the first big job she booked, as well as the first time she saw some of the big landmarks, like the Hollywood Sign and Sunset Boulevard.
“It really solidified the fact that I live here,” she said.
Munyange produced, wrote and starred in her own short film, Words Never Said which is about to begin a festival run. She has been in other successful short films including Sebari Milach which won a silver prize at The Loerie Awards.
And how does she balance being an actor, writer, assistant director, producer and digital imaging technician and voice-over artist? She laughed, saying it was a great question that she was still trying to figure out.
“The interesting thing about this career is that there is almost an expectation to be capable of doing something else within the industry. My college (New York Film Academy) taught us how to do everything in the film world,” she said.
Munyange revealed she recently shot the pilot of a series she co-wrote with her friend Hilary Ijieh.
“We are about to start pitching to different networks and that is extremely exciting. Outside of that, I am working on other episodes, I am always auditioning and just did a commercial,” she excitedly shared.
She encouraged young people to be their own biggest advocate.
“Something I had to learn in this industry is you have to be your biggest fan and you have to really give yourself the love you want to receive.
“Be your biggest cheerleader. It is obviously a great feeling to receive that external love and validation, but when showing yourself that love, will keep you going in difficult times,” she said.
Weekend Argus