It's been a rollercoaster - SA actor Phumzile Sitole on her new 'Star Trek' role

South African actress Phumzile Sitole landed a new role in season three of Star Trek Discovery as Captain Ndoye.

Sitole made her first appearance in the third episode of the new season which is available on Netflix.

To the stars and beyond 💫 🚀

Catch our very own Phumzile Sitole who plays Captain Ndoye in season 3 of #StarTrekDiscovery 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/Kjo0uZCp7t

— NetflixSA (@NetflixSA) November 6, 2020

The Johannesburg-born actress says working on her acting career in the United States has been a rollercoaster journey.

She completed her Masters degree at Columbia University in New York in 2016 and has been working in theatre and television since.

Sitole was born in Pimville, Soweto and she grew up in Rivonia. She says she fell in love with the craft of acting while completing the Theatre and Performance program at UCT's Hiddingh Campus in Cape Town.

In 2018, Sitole joined the cast of the popular Netflix series Orange Is The New Black as Antoinetta 'Akers' Kerson.

RELATED: SA actress Phumzile Sitole excited to be part of 'Orange Is The New Black'

It has not been an easy journey at all. I came for my postgraduate degree... I graduated in 2016 and I've been working in theatre and TV since.

Phumzile Sitole, actress

I've been staying and getting visa after visa; working as hard as I can with my amazing representation this side.

Phumzile Sitole, actress

There's been a lot more rejection than acceptance... It's quite a rollercoaster. I'm lucky that I'm one of the actors who get to audition. Even through the pandemic this year, I was still able to find a scattering of auditions every now and then.

Phumzile Sitole, actress

Captain Ndoye, as played by the scene-stealing @phumzilesitole - a recap of Star Trek: Discovery's "People of Earth" https://t.co/1qQjYXAyVC #StarTrek #StarTrekDiscovery pic.twitter.com/32zFg2X3rO

— Trek Report (@trekreport) November 2, 2020

I really enjoyed @phumzilesitole’s performance as Captain Ndoye in #StarTrekDiscovery S3E3 #PeopleOfEarth. She played Akers in #OrangeIsTheNewBlack & Sharise on The Good Fight. The stoicism & compassion she displayed as Ndoye was remarkable, a fine addition to our #StarTrekFamily pic.twitter.com/Gg1oNtQsOV

— 🖤🖖🏼 Heather Rae 🔮⚔️ #BeKind #LLAP 🤍 (@BatlethBabe) October 31, 2020

Listen to Phumzile Sitole on CapeTalk:

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