Mother of all problems
Linda Sebezo reveals why her new brothel-owning character Mam Rebecca is one of her favourite roles in a career that spans more that 40 years.
Mam Rebecca is a no-nonsense corrupt and greedy businesswoman who doesn’t take no for an answer, says seasoned actress Linda Sebezo. And she just happens to be Linda’s hottest new character in the steamy telenovela series The Black Door, which kickstarted e.tv’s night-time schedule overhaul in April this year. “The producers called me to come audition for Mam Rebecca and I was a little nervous after reading the script,” explains Linda. “I’ve played a lot of shady people in my career, but Mam Rebecca – or Rebs as she’s known – is by far the worst.”
When she’s not running her highclass underground brothel The Black Door, Mam Rebecca is schmoozing, wining and dining the local business elite to win new tender contracts. “She’s greedy and she uses her brothel to get her contracts to make money,” says Linda, adding that “she’s so much fun to play!”
GETTING TO KNOW REBS
What does this role mean to you? The telenovela is dark and Rebs is darker and extremely ruthless – she kills and she doesn’t have a heart. Even with her family, they feel like they’re just pawns in her game. She moves and manipulates people to get ahead. And if they serve no purpose to her, they’re gone.
What attracted you to the show? I’m so excited by how risqué and scandalous it is, but at the same time there are so many teachable moments in the storyline, in which viewers can learn from the characters’ mistakes and triumphs – and I believe they’ll learn a lot from Rebs’s tough upbringing and what she’s willing to do to keep her business running. I also like the idea of teaching people my age to not judge [sexworkers]. Come on, everyone has sex and there’s nothing special [or shocking] about it, so why should sexworkers be cast out?
Are there any similarities between you and Mam Rebecca? Like Rebs, I’m from the hood and I speak the language. I grew up in Soweto and I can hold my own, best believe that. I don’t let anyone walk over me and I do things my way. That’s Mam Rebecca in a nutshell – no one stands in her way. I think that we’re also both go-getters – if there’s something that we see and want, we’re willing to take risks to get it! Is there a softer side to Rebs though? She is a mom and she does take some of her sex-workers under her wing… You’ll see her softer side when she is with her grandson, that’s the only time. Don’t be fooled with her – she’s always out to
make sure that her pockets stay full. so when she tries to help her workers like Khaya (Zamani Mbatha), that’s not because she cares. She doesn’t. Remember that Khaya is being forced to work for her – his dead brother stole from Mam Rebecca and now has to settle his debt. Mam Rebecca wants her money at the end of the day and nothing less.
When it comes to Rebs’s daughter Boniswa (Gabisile Tshabalala), I don’t even know where to start. Their mother-daughter bond has been strained as Rebs is disappointed in Boniswa. She gave Boniswa everything – she sent Boniswa to the best schools, and she showered Boniswa with love, only for Boniswa to turn around and date one of Rebs’s former colleagues. (Rebecca was a matron before running a brothel and a cover-up chemical company).
The man whom Boniswa fell in love with all those years ago got her into drugs and Boniswa’s life has never been the same. Rebs is angry that Boniswa was swindled by a man. How could she let Rebs down like that? Throughout the first season of The Black Door, Rebs and Boniswa will try to mend their bond because they want the best for Boniswa’s son. But there’s always that anger and let’s say judgement because Boniswa has been such a letdown. Tell us about your reaction when you watched the show.
My expectations were exceeded. While I was watching, I had a smile on my face as the first episode is how I imagined the telenovela to be: Dark and racy – a look into this exclusive brothel with vibrant personalities. When I read the script and the character bibles, I knew that Black Door was going to be different from any telenovela that’s out there – it’s everything I imagined and more. And you see characters like Khaya and Boniswa, they’re the everyday person who is trying to survive.
You’ve been acting for the 40 years, what keeps you going?
It takes a strong personality to make it in the entertainment industry. I love what I do, and I don’t want to disappoint myself. So when it’s tough, I keep my head held high and I keep it moving. I have learnt from many people in the industry to believe in myself. In the acting field, you have to develop thick skin because people are always going to be unkind if they don’t like what you do. It’s not that you’re doing it badly, they just don’t understand. Over the years, I’ve become confident in my skill, and I’ve learnt to believe in myself. When I walk onto set, I do my best. I prepare for my characters, and I don’t take any opportunities for granted. And characters like Mam Rebecca make it easy to keep on going on.
You mentioned that you use improv while filming…
Yes, my dad was a comedian and a great performer. When I was growing up, we would always make jokes in my family, so my humour and comedic timing comes naturally when I’m on set. My aunt was also an actress, and I learnt a great deal from her. However, the most important aspect about perfecting or improving your craft is preparation. Before I sleep, I go through my script because acting is serious business and no one should take it lightly – that’s what I tell the new actors. You can’t come to set without studying your character or reading your script, and then you ask “what’s my line?” midway through filming the scene. That’s unprofessional. Respect your craft and take it seriously if you want to succeed.