Shaking things up
Thuso Mbedu is taking up the challenge of stirring trouble as Generations – The Legacy newcomer Okuhle.
The Moroka mansion is welcoming another resident on Wednesday 25 July when Sphe’s (Pearl Monama) spoilt-brat cousin Okuhle (Thuso Mbedu) knocks on the door. Okuhle left KwaZulu-Natal in mid-July hoping for a fresh start in Joburg after a falling out with her Cele elders and Thuso warns that her character brings “more drama than you can imagine”. “Okuhle is a manipulative opportunist and she constantly finds herself in messy situations,” says the 27-year- old, who didn’t even get to announce her new role herself. After winning the SA Film & Television Award for Best Actress in March, for her role as Winnie on drama series Isthunzi (2016- current), Generations revealed online that she was joining later in the year. “I actually didn’t get the chance to tell anyone – the soapie had already announced it. I’m excited to finally be here and tap into Okuhle – she’s a ball of trouble!”
Is joining Generations like a whole other ballgame? It’s amazing! The production crew and cast really did welcome me with open arms. The show is one of the biggest in SA – if not the biggest – and it runs like a well- oiled machine. I did not expect anything less because it’s been around for over 20 years! You started out in drama series – like Boni in Saints And Sinners (2014-current) – and you also joined young adult show Shuga: Down South (2014-current) in 2017. Are they much different to soaps? It’s a different ball game altogether. It’s much like playing tennis and soccer – they are both in the same industry [sport] but they require different disciplines. On soapies, the storylines develop over a longer time span and they are often shot on a set and not on location, so the characters react to the storylines in a different tone. You’ve only arrived onscreen now but you have been filming for a while. What is your favourite part of your character? Although I speak isiZulu, I have to speak with a rural Zulu accent. I spent a lot of time researching diverse accents that would best fit Okuhle. Is she different from your other roles? Yes! But I’m approaching her the same – to portray this character to best of my ability. You know what they say: you’re only as good as your last performance, so I’m putting my best foot forward.