While Dlamini's transition from actor to social media star might have yielded good results, many other screen stars look down on joining the platform, especially given the pressure they face to garner a large following at casting calls. This has also seen seasoned or qualified actors eclipsed by content creators for acting gigs.
“At this point, we can't live without social media, even as people who have studied the art of acting. You can't run away from it if you are really trying to make it,” says Dlamini.
“At the end of the day, filmmaking is a business and there's a bottom line to achieve through an audience that needs to be watching,” she says, “I've seen a bit of a difference when going for auditions where it's gotten better, with more frequent callbacks. It's scary because it's a whole different ball game and I had no idea what I was doing on social media. But now I'm just having fun. Just do it.”
Other than her hopes to bag a long-term role on screen, she is looking to evolve the characters as they graduate, make their own money and navigate independence.
“The whole point of these videos is to be inspirational and spread awareness,” she says, especially for her young audience.
“I don't want them to go through life thinking that they're going to make mistakes and there's no coming back from them. You can learn from the mistakes you keep making in life, you can't just wake up one day and have everything that will make you feel OK. I want them to have character development.”
Dlamini says she also wants to add new characters as she progresses, but is not sure who they will be or what they will be doing yet.
‘Oh my gosh, friend’ – Portia & Palesa slay TikTok one unpaid bill at a time
'Soul Buddyz' star Thando Dlamini, the brains behind the zany duo, says she's using the spoof to inspire and guide youngsters
Image: Supplied
In 2022, Quinta Brunson made history when she became the first viral meme sensation to bag the prestigious Emmy Award for lead actress. Brunson's win was a lesson in how young actors who use social media to amass fame or showcase their skill set could make their dreams come true. The same could be said for Issa Rae, whose HBO hit series Insecure would see the latter go from YouTube star to Hollywood royalty.
In the same vein, former child star Thando Dlamini is becoming a TikTok favourite with her kooky characters Portia and Palesa.
Landing a role in 2000s hit series Soul Buddyz, Dlamini became a household name playing Nozipho in two seasons of the show. Since then, she has turned to TikTok, dominating the scene with her Portia and Palesa duo in a comedy of errors.
While scrolling on her TikTok page, she came across the filter she uses to bring the characters to life, believing that it captures the typical look of dramatic women on social media.
Image: Supplied
“It reminded me of those ladies who do 'get ready with me' videos and live vlogs,” she said. She posted one video spoofing the trend and it was an immediate hit with social media users. Their names, much like their performances in the videos, are off-the-cuff and unscripted. In many of the videos, the pair are faced with surviving unpaid bills, dangerous sugar daddies and materialistic maladies typically brought on by the ditsy Portia character.
“I don't know if they're my alter egos, but as soon as I put on that wig and filter they have lives of their own.”
Garnering thousands of followers in the past year, Dlamini finds the characters resonate with her viewers because the pair is relatable, an element helped by Dlamini sourcing some of the episodes from real-life events faced by influencers. She finds this is especially poignant for young girls who “have just gotten into varsity and are trying to make their way through life by 25". It also speaks to young folk in the club scene and the adventures they experience.
“I've been in many of those situations before,” she laughs.
While Dlamini's transition from actor to social media star might have yielded good results, many other screen stars look down on joining the platform, especially given the pressure they face to garner a large following at casting calls. This has also seen seasoned or qualified actors eclipsed by content creators for acting gigs.
“At this point, we can't live without social media, even as people who have studied the art of acting. You can't run away from it if you are really trying to make it,” says Dlamini.
“At the end of the day, filmmaking is a business and there's a bottom line to achieve through an audience that needs to be watching,” she says, “I've seen a bit of a difference when going for auditions where it's gotten better, with more frequent callbacks. It's scary because it's a whole different ball game and I had no idea what I was doing on social media. But now I'm just having fun. Just do it.”
Other than her hopes to bag a long-term role on screen, she is looking to evolve the characters as they graduate, make their own money and navigate independence.
“The whole point of these videos is to be inspirational and spread awareness,” she says, especially for her young audience.
“I don't want them to go through life thinking that they're going to make mistakes and there's no coming back from them. You can learn from the mistakes you keep making in life, you can't just wake up one day and have everything that will make you feel OK. I want them to have character development.”
Dlamini says she also wants to add new characters as she progresses, but is not sure who they will be or what they will be doing yet.
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