Rare and irreplaceable: Terry Pheto is a leading lady on and off screen

Inspired by the unique story of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Glenury Royal, the third release of a special whisky blend made using limited editions of rare whiskies, we ask four bright local stars to share the rare, unique moments that have shaped their careers. 

I was this shy and reserved nine-year- old playing a little girl in my primary school play and, for the first time, I truly came alive,” says Terry Pheto, actress, producer, and founder of film company Leading Lady Productions.

Playing a role in an original theatre piece, Pheto says she felt free and was able to express herself in a way she had not been able to before. For financial reasons, she wasn’t able to study acting. Life instead led her to a theatre group in Soweto where she honed her acting skills and learned the discipline of being part of a production, The Toilet, for four years.

Soweto was also where SA’s top casting director Moonyeenn Lee spotted her as a rare talent. That fortuitous meeting was the catalyst for a career that earned Pheto her first screen acting role, Miriam in the Oscar-winning-film Tsotsi. She went on to play Zindzi Mandela in Goodbye Bafana and earned two award nominations (and won one) for playing Winnie Mandela in the Madiba series.

“Playing Miriam in Tsotsi was a definitive moment because it came from such a place of honesty and I didn’t know the choices I was making as an actor would land me that job.”

Powerful parts for leading black women, both locally and internationally, are rare, but Pheto has managed to stay booked while staying strategic about the choices she makes. “I do have some regrets but mostly, it’s been so important to reject parts that don’t resonate. Productions run for a minimum of two years so you have to choose who you work with very carefully.”

The exceptional talent, who has certainly made her home country proud, has successfully unlocked the local and international market, even joining the cast of cult soapie The Bold and the Beautiful back in 2011.

More recently, she scooped best supporting actress at the prestigious UK National Film Awards for her portrayal of Naledi Khama in A United Kingdom, as well as best actress at the British Urban Film Festival Awards in London for her role in the film Faces.

The multi-award-winning star, who regularly rubs shoulders with Hollywood stars and graces glossy magazine covers, is still the shy young girl who was born Moitheri. Few celebrities have been able to build a life away from the spotlight, and Moitheri says she works hard at protecting her privacy.

Read more about Pheto's role in the film, Faces.

The aunt and godmother to two friends’ daughters loves being around kids, being at home and says she’s an amazing cook who is known for hosting the best dinner parties.

For now, Leading Lady is her first priority, with two films out in 2020 “For me, it’s about telling a good story and putting out a good film.”

• This article was paid for by Johnnie Walker.