Tessa Twala who was born in 1990 is a 32-year-old Swazi actress, model and entrepreneur. She is best known for playing the role of Lexi Thabane on Mzansi Magic soapie Zabalaza. She also starred on Ring of Lies as Gugu which was her second biggest role.
Biography Facts
Full name: Tessa Twala
Gender: Female
Date of birth: 1990 (age- 32)
Place of birth: Matsapha, Swaziland
Nationality: Swazi
Occupation: Actress, Entrepreneur, Model
TV Shows: Entangled, Ring of Lies, Zabalaza
Early life of Tessa Twala
Tessa Twala was born in 1990 in a small town of Matsapha in Swaziland. She relocated to Cape Town following her mother who was lived and worked there. In one of her recent Instagram posts she revealed that she almost died when she was a toddler and she started speaking English at the age of seven.
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She did her first job as a waitress at the age of 15. When she was 22 years old she moved to Johannesburg to pursue her dreams in becoming an actor. [¹]
Acting career of Tessa Twala
After moving to Joburg in Tessa attended her first ever auditions which were for Zabalaza. In February 2015 she landed a role of playing the role of Lexi Thabane, in the Mzansi Magic soapie Zabalaza. Lex was a PR assistant quickly realises that she will never be treated as an equal at Slick Vic Media and joins a competing company on her way to a position of power.
In 2016 she landed another big role of playing Gugu on Ring of Lies alongside Conni Chiume, Baby Cele and Bohang Moeko from season 1 to season 2. She played Thando Nkosi on My Perfect Family season 4 and played Futhi on Its Complicated. [²]
She also played Mbali on Isipho season 1 and Naledi on iNumber iNumber season 1. In 2022 she landed a role of playing Tshepi on Mzansi Magic drama Entangled season 1 alongside Vuyo Ngcukana.
Tessa on facing colourism and Xenophobic discrimination
Tessa had experienced discrimination because of her light skinned colour. People were calling her Yellow bone and she was not impressed and she was not afraid to shut such voices up.
“I can tell you right now, I don’t care what colour or complexion you are, I will call you out. People who know me will tell you, if you try to to be racist, sexist or anything to discriminate against me, I will tell you ‘no, don’t do that, not with me. Stop!’ I also hate people who stand by and just watch because that makes you an enabler,” she said.
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She also experienced Xenophobia but she do admits that her experience was subtle than other foreigners who went through nationalistic discrimination.
“I didn’t get formal training to act but I took classes and I learnt other things on the job. It was a decision I made so that I become better at what God has called me to do. That way I get my gigs on merit,” she added. [³]
