Meet child star Mangaliso Aluta Mthembu from One Weeks

Child star Mangaliso Aluta Mthembu has been scene-stealing in One Weeks, Chris Q Radebe’s hit Showmax Original family comedy. 

One Weeks follows Fana (Zakhele Mabasa-Mokone), a charming high-school dropout from the streets of Soweto, who can’t believe his luck when he finds himself dating Lihle (Sihle Ndaba), a successful lawyer. He then has to rely on the help of Lihle’s sharp-witted 10-year-old daughter, Angie, to avoid losing Lihle to rich men. 

Watch the trailer for One Weeks

On X, fans have been singing Mangaliso’s praises for her hilarious and heartwarming performance as Angie, who’s also affectionately known as Frozen or Woolies on the show. As Hlumelo (@HFesi) tweeted, “MANGALISO ALUTA MTHEMBU. A STAR IS BORN. #oneweekshowmax” 

“I’m thrilled that the show is finally out and I’m thankful for the positive comments and overall support from the public,” says Mangaliso, an 11-year-old who turns 12 in September. 

She says her One Weeks journey has been a two-year process that was initiated by her proud and very hands-on momager, Zama Kheswa. “In 2022 my mom told me that there was this show that required a child, so she and I took action and did a video audition, which was sent to production,” she says. “After a few weeks, I was informed that I got the role. I was so excited! Fast forward to December 2023 and we then started filming. The rest, as they say, is history.”

“I enjoyed acting alongside Aunt Sihle and Uncle Zakhele,” she says. “We just had so much fun and it hardly felt like work. The best part was us all being in the green-room after rehearsals. It was really just a fun vibe of chats and singing. Oh, and working alongside Uncle Siphiwe Mtshali and Uncle Mpho Malatsi was just pure chaos. If you thought those two are funny on-screen, you have no idea how silly they can get behind the scenes.”

One Weeks isn’t the first show Mangaliso wanted to be part of. “I’m someone who watches a lot of shows and I’ve always wanted to see myself on TV,” she says. “My current favourite show right now is Umkhokha and my favourite cast member is Hope Mbhele. I remember posting a video of myself expressing my love of the show and my interest in acting alongside Hope as her child in the show. I didn’t realise the traction that video would get as many people viewed and reposted that video. So putting myself out there and wanting to be on TV is second nature to me.”

So what’s next for the child star? “After One Weeks, I’d like to either be on a kids reality show or maybe play the role of a gangster’s child.”

Catch Mangaliso on new episodes of One Weeks streaming every Monday on Showmax.  

Join the conversation: #OneWeeks