[Behind the Selfie] with... Ndoni Khanyile

'You talking to me..?'

1. Where do you live, work and play?

Khanyile: I am a Joburg girl living and working in Cape Town. This whole beautiful city is my playground.

2. What¹s your claim to fame?

Khanyile: I have a tough constitution that can handle any of the food I encounter on my travels.

3. Describe your career so far.

Khanyile: I have been lucky enough to pursue many of my interests. I started in theatre and have explored stories on stage, in print and on screen. My versatility has become one of my greatest strengths.

4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.

Khanyile: A new book to sink my teeth into, all day catch ups with my friends, walking the promenade with my husband and a good old-fashioned house party.

5. What do you love about your industry?

Khanyile: As a storyteller, I get to explore many different realities that ultimately inform my own perspective. It is a privilege to have a platform that you can use to engage and exchange with people. It is a privilege I never take for granted.

6. What are a few pain points your industry can improve on?

Khanyile: This industry is not for the faint hearted! I feel roles are still so limited for women, especially the older one gets. I think having more women active in the production and creation of content would broaden and deepen the representations of women that we see. I would also like to see artists fairly compensated for their labour. We applaud artists, but rarely do we love them by respecting and compensating their efforts.

7. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.

Khanyile: On any given day, you can find me working on an audition, recording in a voice studio, researching our continent's big thinkers or chasing cattle while shooting on a farm in Rwanda. There's no such thing as a 'typical' work day for me and I love that!

8. What are the tools of your trade?

Khanyile: My mind, my imagination, my voice.

9. Who is getting it right in your industry?

Khanyile: So many people are inspiring to me right now. I am a fan of any artist, writer or maker that takes the initiative and creates their own platform on their own terms. We have tools available to use that help us reach our audience more powerfully.

10. What are you working on right now?

Khanyile: After shooting the six-part series Innovate Africa, I contributed to Al Jazeera's environmental show earthrise. On the acting front, I recently wrapped a German feature film that shot here in Cape Town. My current project is co-producing my husband David Isaacs' new web series.

11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.

Khanyile: Innovation, collaboration and co-working creative spaces are important right now.

12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

Khanyile: Inspiration often visits while I'm sleeping. I'll wake up with a thought that just won't leave me alone.

13. What¹s your secret talent/party trick?

Khanyile: On a good day, I can do some decent accents.

14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?

Khanyile: I am a complete gadget junkie!

15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?

Khanyile: Pictures of my travels and way too many emails.

16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?

Khanyile: Experience is everything at the beginning. Take all the opportunities that come your way as part of the learning curve. Knowing what you don't want can be as valuable as knowing what you do want. Your reputation is your calling card, so put the work in and treat people well!

17. Plug your contact details, punt yourself: List all the places people can find you/your work online.

Khanyile: You can catch me on Twitter and Instagram as @NdoniKhanyile and all episodes of Innovate Africa and earthrise on the Al Jazeera website.

You can read more about Khanyile on Al Jazeera's show, earthrise, here.

*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.