LE WIVES IS JUST ONE . . .
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A city girl, she invests her time in running her business and maintaining that immaculate image as the “prized younger wife”.
Ledwaba says: “It was a shocker getting this part – I actually auditioned for the part of Khwezi. And the next thing, I find out I’m playing Dumile. So it’s been much hard work (given her youthful roles to date). She is a bit all over the place.”
On Dumile’s feelings for Mnqobi, she reveals: “At first, she loved him for his power. She was brought into the family to bear him an heir. It hasn’t happened because she has been deliberately keeping from falling pregnant.”
The actress, who is now a new mother to a 14-month baby girl, says she observed women in similar real-life situations and mirrored their cultured mannerisms “to add texture to the character”.
“Right now, she is feeling threatened. She has always been Mnqobi’s dream girl and here comes someone beautiful and younger, and she fears that she might not be the popular flavour anymore.” NOWshe is an exciting addition to the matriarchal mix.
Khwezi has been a well-kept secret, but Mnqobi decided to make their relationship official – upsetting the hornet’s nest in the Simelane fortress.
Mbatha says this character was too appetising to pass up – and she gave it her all to clinch the role.
“I have only been in the industry for a year-and-a-half and have always been seen as the damsel (and daughter) in distress. That’s why I had to fight for this role. It is a complete rotation on what I’ve done. Khwezi is complex. She is on a mission (that’s not immediately revealed). So all the horrible things she does are validated by her redemption story.
“There’s much more to her. The audience will understand why she is so dead-set on marrying this man and getting into his family,” Mbatha continues.
And Khwezi is far from ruffled by her hostile reception from the other wives.
She notes: “Well, she won’t be chopping onions or becoming BFFs with Dumile. It’s going to be interesting to watch the madness unfold. Every single episode has the deepest, most amazing and most frustrating cliffhanger. This is what great television is about.”
With such a titillating description, I’m sure a fired-up Mr Umshini Wami himself will be tuning in with the rest of South Africa, perhaps, even talentscouting for wife number seven from the fictional world. LOL!
is a new home-grown drama airing on e.tv in February 2015.