We were lucky to catch up with Pamela Nomvete recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Pamela , thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was 18 at school, a friend asked me to be her partner in a drama festival. I started taking acting lessons to prepare and was bitten by the acting bug. My teacher recognised this and encouraged me to go to a drama college in Wales so I could develop my craft- and the rest is history.

Pamela , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got my first job in a play the year I graduated from college. A man called John Matshikiza opened that door to me. I have been in the industry for nearly 40 years now and have covered all the disciplines from stage to screen. I have worked extensively in South Africa and the United Kingdom. I became a household name in South Africa in 1995 to 2006 when I hit a crises in my life that drove me to step out of the limelight. I returned to the UK in 2007 and continued to act. My experience in South Africa was so profound that I decided to write a book called ‘Dancing to the Beat of the Drum’. It has been published both in South Africa and the UK and is currently available on Amazon.
I am performing at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in London’s West End and will be appearing in a limited television series called ‘Nightsleeper’ on BBC, due to be released in September this year.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2006 after a disastrous marriage I hit rock bottom and ended up living in my car on the streets of Johannesburg. It was only for two weeks but it felt like a lifetime. At the time I was a household name so my destitution was not anonymous. I managed to climb out of that situation and returned to the UK where I started the process of rebuilding my life and career. At the age of 40 I wrote my first book, a memoir. At the age of 60 I was nominated for a best supporting actress Lawrence Olivier award for playing the role of Calpurnia in a performance of To Kill A Mockingbird at the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End. My faith as a Nichiren Buddhist provided me with the means to keep tapping into my inner strength and desire to keep unlocking my potential. I completed a Masters degree in Creative Writing at the end of 2023 with Merit at the age of 60.
I can really see that our potential is limitless if we a prepared to stay open, determined and motivated to keep going! Our attitude will inform how we face each challenge and overcome them.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish that social media existed earlier in my life. It may have helped me gain more control of my success. There are negative aspects to it but I think it depends how we utilise it. The fact that you can connect with ordinary people and actually see people who are supporting your efforts is really amazing. You really begin to understand that we are all interconnected and that what I explore creatively can impact people in a very positive or negative way. It therefore encourages me to be mindful.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @pamelanomvete
• Facebook: Pamela Nomvete
• Linkedin: [email protected]