WHEN it comes to popular culture, finding community in others is normally the way to go, however, for a Greenwood Park father and daughter, they have found community in each other, especially due to their love of cosplay.

Jay and Nicole Padayachee have pulled off some incredible looks on the floors of a few Comic Con Africa convention halls, including cosplays from Harry Potter, the DC Universe and, most recently, the Star Wars Universe as Rey and Obi Wan Kenobi.

Nicole (22), who holds a Bachelor of Law Degree (LLB) from IIE’s Varsity College Durban North, said her dad has broken down barriers her whole life.

Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type II from birth, Nicole said she hasn’t allowed her disability to deter her from doing the things she loves.

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“Living with SMA is difficult, and it varies from person to person, but it is a life-threatening, deteriorating disease that weakens all voluntary muscles, very similar to Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). I’ve always felt there are two roads to go down – you either let your disability control you or you take it head on. I always like to say I was dealt a hand of cards and I decided to play the game and not fold. I’ve also used this as an opportunity to bring awareness to SMA but also show that you can do anything with a disability. Yes, it can have a negative impact on your health and well-being, but if you have the right support system, you can break down barriers.

“That’s what my father has done for me. It’s very rare for a father to be so hands-on. I mean, how many people can say my father and I dress up in different cosplays? It is such a special bond we share, and we have been on so many journeys together. We have travelled the world to areas that aren’t always accessible. He actually carried me up the Great Wall of China. We’ve been to Disneyworld in the USA and Dubai and visited the Taj Mahal in India,” she said.

Speaking on the influence of her father, Nicole said they did their first cosplay in 2018.

“My father was always the influence, be it music or popular culture. We watched the Harry Potter films, the Lord of the Rings and the Star Wars movies. For my 18th birthday, he gifted me a collection of comic books he had since he was a child. We love all things popular culture. Another one of my favourites is the Mortal Instruments book series by Cassandra Clare. When Comic Con Africa was first announced, we knew we had to go, and we put together some ideas for the show. I think my first-ever cosplay was Kara Danvers (Supergirl) as her reporter alter-ego,” she said.

Nicole’s room is also dotted with various collectibles, including LEGO set pieces.

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For Jay, being able to share a love for all things pop-culture and cosplay has been the most special part of their relationship.

He spoke on how their Obi Wan and Rey outfits went down with fans at Comic Con in 2023.

“Anthony Daniels, who plays C-3PO in the Star Wars films, was going to be there so we had to go as Rey and Obi Wan. Believe it or not, the costumes we had were bespoke. I went to a fabric store, bought a collection of fabrics matching the colour schemes of each character, and I took it to a tailor in the CBD. All he had was a picture we’d shown him for reference, and he made the outfits. The reception from fans was incredible and so wonderful to see. Cosplay has shown me how there’s acceptance within the fandom,” he said.

Growing up, Jay had a love for comic books.

“I used to work next to a book exchange, so every single week, I’d go down and exchange comics. I even had a Spider-Man Issue 1. Back then, though, it wasn’t what you see now with the Marvel and DC extended universes with shows and movies. We were just kids enjoying ourselves,” he said.

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