It’s Harvest time for Lutho

BACK AND ON E.TV: AFTER STINT IN SEYCHELLES ROYAL FAMILY’S ENTERTAINMENT TROUPE

‘Everything I am doing now comes from a good and content place.’

An initially shy 29-year-old Lutho John, who rapidly becomes extroverted as we talk, is proof that dynamite can come in small packages.

John has broken through the ceiling of what is expected of a top act with his acting, singing and dancing talents.

Born and bred in Port Elizabeth, the only child of his teacher mother and engineer father, John has found a way to capitalise from always being the centre of attention.

Growing up

“I was a very happy kid, I was very creative and expressive and being the only child, I was exposed to a lot of things,” John said about his childhood in the Eastern Cape.

His parents divorced when he was young but he never had to choose between them.

His face glowed as he talked about how his father was such a hands-on dad that he was at John’s first big play and made a point of being at the next after that.

As John was the only child he was always the centre of attention, which he recalls he dearly loved.

He was also the first in his family to attend a multiracial school and this introduced him to a whole new world, one that would shape him for his destiny.

With help from Masasa Mbangeni, who is now an actress in e.tv’s Harvest and was a grade above him at school, young John stepped into the spotlight and has never looked back.

“Masasa was one of the first people who pushed me into house plays back in my early grade eight years,” he says.

Going to the big city

After his parents’ divorce, John admits that his mother held him back in his career.

But with the help and support of his father, he found the courage to chase his dream of working in the performing arts and moving to the big city.

But before getting there, he visited his mother’s village and gained reassurance about his customs.

“As a village boy, I became aware of who I really was because the people there treated me no differently.

“I got a sense of belonging and pride and, in fact, after my 18th birthday, I decided to go to initiation school and to this day I am proud of my decision.”

Having come back from the school culturally awakened, John packed his bags for Tshwane University of Technology where he obtained a degree in musical theatre.

It was during this time that he befriended Lebo Mathosa, who became one of South Africa’s biggest stars, but later died in a car crash in 2006.

“I left Port Elizabeth to come and audition at Tshwane University of Technology to be admitted to study and as I walked out of the arrival terminal of [OR Tambo airport], I see Lebo Mathosa.

“She comes up to me and plays with my face, writes her number on a piece of paper and then holds my hands and walks me into business class with an economy ticket.”

Lutho on TV

The pair’s friendship went on for years until two months before Mathosa’s tragic death.

By then, John had digested all the pearls of wisdom he had received about the industry and had also managed to land his first TV gig as the host of a youth show on SABC 2.

The young and naive John shot to fame as an emerging star.

He would later feature in local TV dramas and soapies like SABC 1’s Generations.

However, he chose a slightly different approach which led to him taking a four-year hiatus and moving to the Seychelles.

“After I had experienced some of the bad dealings in the industry, I went to the Seychelles where I was part of the royal entertainment troupe.

“I was singing and dancing for the royal family and their guests, who ranged from Denzel Washington to actress Sharon Stone and the presidents of countries.”

On his return to South Africa, he joined the cast of e.tv’s newest Monday night drama series, Harvest.

“I knew Harvest was a gift,” he says.

“Because of my time in the Seychelles, I was able to save money to afford to buy a house of my own and have a steady income and not depend on auditions to put the next meal on my plate.”

In the series John plays Litha, who is a scientist and one of two brothers who are the heirs to the family business.