Tendaiishe Chitima | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1989or1990(age 34–35) |
| Nationality | Zimbabwean |
| Alma mater | University of Cape Town Wits Business School |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2013-present |
| Notable work | Cook Off (2017) |
Tendaiishe Chitima (born 1989or1990) is a Zimbabwean actress.
Chitima described herself as shy growing up in Zimbabwe, and did not consider acting as a career. She attended the University of Cape Town, studying media and journalism. Chitima took a drama course and loved it, deciding to become a professional actress. She did not tell her parents about her plan until after she graduated. Chitima later earned a master's degree in business. [1] During and after her studies, she acted in short films, including Jayson's Hope (2013), which was a Top 10 finalist for the Afrinolly Short Film Competition. [2]
At the beginning of her career, Chitima's roles were on South African television where she played maids and victims of human trafficking, exposing the plight of some migrant women. [3] In 2016, she played Blessing in the second season of the TV series Mutual Friends. She portrayed Adelaide, an orphan involved in human trafficking, in the TV series Isidingo in 2016. [2] In 2017, Chitima was cast as Anesu, a single mother who did not attend university, in the romantic comedy Cook Off . Her character has a passion for cooking, which is realized when her son and grandmother sign her up for a television cooking contest. [3] The film was made for a budget of about $8000, and she chose the role because she liked the social dynamics of the script. It was her first feature film and became a hit on Netflix, with Chitima describing it as a love letter to Zimbabwe. [1] She received the Best Actress award at the Zimbabwe International Film Festival, and Cook Off was named best film. [4] In 2018, she starred in the play Bloom Flame Bloom. [5]