Meet Mazvita Chanakira | Actor & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mazvita Chanakira and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mazvita, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Zimbabwe is alphabetically the last country in the world, and often it is the last country on peoples’ minds. Zim is widely known for its poverty, unstable economy and complicated history, yet it is a resource rich state that could become very successful if it only had the means. One could say that my country is synonymous with what it means to be an Actor; it is easy to see the glitz, glam and success of its resources, yet pursuit of this success is discouraged for the heavy risk of falling anywhere short of it. I believe the idea of certainty was robbed from my nation the moment colonisation took place and as a result, risk is baked into my DNA. We cannot leap with surety of landing and thus, I run off cliffs with a familiarity of a sky diver. Looking at the history of my people and deciding to be an actor is and will always be the biggest risk of my life and my career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Being Zimbabwean has brought vibrant colors to my performances and added nuanced layers to my acting—a gift from my birthplace. However, it has also meant limitations, a lack of exposure, and funding challenges in arts education and opportunities in the nation as a whole. The choices I have made were to open doors for myself, but I don’t want to merely walk through those doors; I want to build gates and invite as many people as possible to walk through them too. Thus, I decided that the foundation of my career in the acting industry should be academic.

My aspiration isn’t merely to work as an actor; I intend to act and perform until my time is done. Like a marathon runner, I recognize the importance of preparation. This industry is my race, and while my dream emerged years ago, I refuse to run unprepared. The 100m is a skill, but the 42.195 kilometers marathon is an art form, and I always strive for the gold. While I want to believe that nobody will ever take away my passion, I can’t afford to be that naïve. I’ve found that in moments or even on days when my passion has waned, my training, discipline, and skills can carry me through while I search and retrieve that which has wandered.

To gain exposure and grow as an actor, especially since I was raised in South Africa and have traveled the world with my family, I made it a habit to visit a different country every summer to continue my training while obtaining my BFA in Acting at Pace University with a minor in Film and Screen Studies. I believe comfort is often where creativity goes to die. For me, confidence in acting comes from preparation, attending different institutions, becoming familiar with things that scare me, and making a habit of immersing myself in genres where I am the least knowledgeable individual in the room.

Over the past couple of years, I have trained at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Shakespeare Summer School in England (2016), École Philippe Gaulier Le Jeu and Clown Summer School in France (2017), and the Epidaurus Lyceum Patricia Apergi – Aerites Dance Company Summer School in Greece (2018). In May 2023, I graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Fine Arts in Acting. I believe that I have gained a global mindset in relation to this craft, expanding my understanding of acting and what being a citizen of this world can teach me, both inside and outside a classroom setting.

Being accepted into all of these institutions hasn’t just meant an education for myself; I believe it has meant an education for my country. My dream is not to be one of the only Zimbabweans on Broadway and in film and television but to be one of many who have come from that land and made a mark in history. Zimbabwean artists have much to offer the world, and I believe in sharing the knowledge I’ve acquired and being enriched by the artists fostered by community, God-given talent, and passion. I have broken barriers and been the first Zimbabwean in many of these rooms. I don’t want to be alone; I want my neighbors standing next to me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
1. I would start with a workout because that’s the best way to begin every morning. 2. One must go for an NYC brunch, with a special mention of Osteria Accademia on the Upper West Side or The Penrose on the Upper East Side.
3. I love a blend of culture, so a gallery visit is a must. I’m never opposed to a classic MET visit, but a stroll through a random street of galleries is ideal.
4. Greenery is always something I seek in this concrete jungle, and a Central Park galavant often does the trick, or one in Park Slope.
5. My hunger at this point must be satiated by a scoop or two of Earl Grey from Van Leeuwen’s or just about anything from Spot Dessert Bar in the East Village.
6. Sustainable fashion is an environmental need, and thus, a pop over to any thrift shop—namely Beacon’s Closet (Park Slope) or Buffalo Exchange.
7. The night must be completed with a dinner at Thai Villa, followed by a Broadway show or a night of dancing at Hotel Chantelle.
8. If you are still standing, nothing ever hurt from ending the night with the legendary sounds of jazz at Smalls Jazz Club in the West Village.
9. Don’t forget to drink water

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I truly believe in the John Donne sentiment “that no man is an island,” and therefore I am no exception. I hold the deepest form of gratitude for my oldest brother Panashe Chanakira. If it weren’t for him watching me in my grade 9 school play, encouraging me to pursue acting and convincing my parents to allow me to follow my dreams I would not be an actor. To my parents, Caroline and Nigel Chanakira, thank you for your full support, love and nurture. To my brother Tadiwa Chanakira thank you for teaching to aim for the moon every time and to Ponayi Chanakira thank you for teaching me perseverance. To Jodi and Grace Chanakira thank you for being the best sisters my brothers could have found for me, To Casey Zduniak, I love you with every fibre and to my friends I call family, my days would be grey without you.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mazvitachana?igsh=ZWM4a2l5bHU3NnFn&utm_source=qr https://www.instagram.com/mazvitachana?igsh=ZWM4a2l5bHU3NnFn&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mazvita.chanakira https://www.facebook.com/mazvita.chanakira

Other: https://youtu.be/EyQshy0Bvg8?si=imOBNFqWLTKShrid https://youtu.be/trjPALUQB_E?si=7zAsdaP7ZTIK6wib

Image Credits
Ted Ely Jorg Meyer Hayden Dabbs Rick Cook