Ayathandwa Asher Nakuphi – otherwise known as just Asher – is a 23-year-old young man who comes from Humansdorp. He grew up in Alice, where Nelson Mandela went to university. His major for this year is screen acting, with a minor in stage acting.
FREE ARTIST
Asher feels most like himself when he is creating, be it through a performance or music. He credits his mother as his biggest inspiration His mother has also been the biggest influence in his life. ‘She taught me humility, perseverance, and above all, how to develop an iron will.’
Who’s his favourite actor? ‘Jamie Foxx, without a doubt. His versatility and ability to bring every role to life is something I aspire to do with the roles I will play in the future.’ One of his favourite movies is Django Unchained, a Western where Jamie Foxx plays the leading role.
I ask him if there was ever a time that he doubted himself. He is honest in his answer: ‘There were times when I asked myself if acting was really for me but then I remember why I do what I do.’ The art of telling stories and being able to create reminds him how much he enjoys doing what he does. ‘Whenever I find myself in situations of doubt, I just remember why I chose acting and performing.’
AFDA STUDENT
Asher decided to study at AFDA after his schoolteacher encouraged him to. ‘I hadn’t heard of AFDA before. Once I checked them out online, I loved what I saw. I saw a future for me.’ Motivated by the thought of improving his acting skills, he enrolled and fell in love with acting. Originally, he had thought of studying sound engineering or music, but acting ultimately stole his heart.
For the first time, Asher had the honour of performing at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. ‘This was my first year attending or performing there and it was definitely one to remember.’ All of Asher’s previous performances had been in Gqeberha; for him, to perform in a different town in front of a different audience excited him. ‘I would love to do it again and again.’
DREAM JOB
What is Asher’s dream job? ‘I want to own businesses during my professional acting days. In this way I can create enough jobs to make a change while I’m on this earth.’
I also ask him which he would prefer: never having to worry about money or being happy for the rest of his life. He gives a smart, logical answer: ‘I can create my own happiness, but I can’t always create my own money. I’d rather never worry about money.’
RESEARCH QUESTION
Asher’s research thesis focus for this year is as follows:
‘Representation or misrepresentation, cultural appropriation or not?‘
The reason why he chose this research topic is linked to the short film that will be shot this year as part of the Honours program.‘I had a lack of understanding towards the deaf community, in particular. It made me realize that representation matters in all aspects of film,’ Asher says. ‘I want to learn more about the do’s and don’ts of representation in film specifically.’
Asher is a fantastic representation of someone who is always speaks and acts with kindness. What you see is what you get when it comes to him. He is friendly, asks thoughtful questions and there is a softness in his approach. Asher is vastly talented and has multiple gifts, and explore them through music, dancing, and acting. There’s a depth to everything he does, and everything he does, he does it with a joyful heart.
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‘Here’s a trailer of a movie we shot in my hometown last year,’ Asher tells me. ‘We want this movie to bring awareness to problems in the community and also to inspire the youth. If they saw someone that they know from the same neighbourhood as them on screen, they too could chase their dreams.’
