Upile uThixo Bongco is a multi-award-winning actress, published author, vocal artist and dramatic arts facilitator. She graduated with her BHons in Drama in 2018 and her BA in Drama and Psychology in 2017 at Rhodes University. This multifaceted young artist fell in love with storytelling at the early age of six, where she played the lead role in the classic fairy-tale, Alice in Wonderland. Since then, she has performed in many award-winning theatre productions both locally and internationally. In 2021, Upile made her television debut on eTV’s primetime soapie, Scandal. She has since appeared on DurbanGen, What About the Boys, Gqeberha the Empire, Isiphetho – destiny and most recently, the educational drama, Higher Grade.
Upile is a patriotic storyteller who is concerned about the mental and psychological health of black South Africans. As such, she is dedicated to using her skills in acting, writing and teaching to tell untold stories and to facilitate healing through education, performance and drama therapy. Big Shoes to Fill is her first literary attempt at addressing this concern and Upile is confident that collaborative efforts between the educational sector and performing arts industry can only guarantee greater social impact.
