77 The triumph of youth Pearl Modiadie shares the secret to her longevity
Pearl Modiadie isn’t new to the game. And after years of steadily building an impressive career in a sometimes brutal industry, we’re still rooting for her.
there’s a familiarity that comes with being in Pearl Modiadie’s presence. Meeting on a Friday morning a day after her cover shoot, the 31-year-old actress and presenter is very much in her comfort zone. Technically, this isn’t my first time in conversation with Pearl. Well over a decade ago, frequently after school, I would try to call in on ETV’s Craz-e World Live show. After many attempts, I finally got through to take a shot at winning the cash prize of the day. I didn’t win the prize, but Pearl’s voice comforted me on the other side as she let me send a few shout outs to people live on air – something that earned me instant cool points with my friends. Pearl was part of a collective of young child stars, growing up in front of us on our TV screens. With a knack for taking on multiple opportunities and an immeasurable drive, it’s no wonder she’s been able to build a long and sustainable career when many have struggled.
With the humblest of beginnings, Pearl’s rise to fame is nothing short of inspiring – the star is well known for MCING high-profile events such as the SAFTA’s, Metro FM awards and Crown Gospel awards, and is the winner of the Best TV Presenter at the 2018 Mzansi Viewer’s Choice Awards. Her foundation reads like a story of connecting the dots, and support from people and
mentors who believed in her. In fact, most of our conversation is punctuated with memories and names of people who helped her get a foot in the door. One of her early mentors is Philly Mhlongo, a beauty pageant organiser in Tembisa, whose pageants she often entered and won: “Philly was and still is very active in the community. He believes in young women and in shaping their direction,” she says. He had invited her to be an audience member on YOTV, a show she watched religiously and wanted to be on like many children of the time. Soon after, she became a show regular as both an audience member and a contestant before landing her first proper TV job on SABC 2’s English Express, while also working as an extra on Backstage and Generations.
By the time she matriculated, the TV bug bit her, and she couldn’t shake it off. After taking a gap year to find an agent and attend a few auditions, she landed a presenter job on Sistahood in 2007. “Craz-e was amazing and fun, but I understood that it was still work. I got to interview really inspiring girls and women, people who were really taking charge of their lives.” Never one to settle, Pearl became a familiar face on some of Craze-e’s other shows, including taking a step behind the scenes as a content producer. “I knew from then that nothing was guaranteed in this industry and that there wouldn’t always be work in front of the camera. I enjoy having options in life.” The streak of self-determination propelled her to try her hand at radio, where she landed a slot on YFM in 2009 with her vibrant entertainment show Natural High.
Few people get the opportunity to cross over and amass huge audiences of different ages and from different walks of life on both the airwaves and TV as Pearl has over the past few years. One of her dreams was to host a talk show – which happened with SABC 1’s Zaziwa, an opportunity which she originally took on to help with her expertise behind the scenes. On the weekly show, Pearl sat down to give in-depth interviews with some of SA’s most beloved personalities, giving viewers a chance to find out more about their various journeys. By now she had become a familiar face, winning many hearts with her authenticity and vibrancy. The show became one of SABC’s most successful talk shows, so
“I know we’ve come a long way as a country,
which is why I practice my right of democracy and vote – too many people
fought and lost their lives for that right”
it was with much surprise when it was abruptly put on hold after five successful years. Never one to shy away from how she feels, Pearl speaks openly about having to work through the disappointment she felt after the show was cancelled with no warning last year, especially because she and her colleagues had built it from the ground up. “I never felt at any point that SABC owed me an explanation. In the industry we work in, we understand that not everything lasts forever. But we worked with a lot of young people, and a lot of them had families and responsibilities. I wasn’t worried for myself, because I had multiple streams of income, but others weren’t as prepared to see it go.” Other disappointments came in the form of losing deals with two major brands. Having the confidence to vocalise and negotiate her worth, this didn’t sit well with one brand, who went with another celeb right at a point where she was sure she had bagged the job. “I thought, you know, we’ve worked so hard. This is where we are; this is what we can bring to the table. It isn’t just about the financial things, but I believed there was real value in what I was offering.” Admittedly, the experience was a bit devastating for her, but it also led her to make the definitive choice to claim full ownership and responsibility of her brand and legacy before seeking outward partnerships. “What I know for sure is that no one owes me anything. Nothing has been given to me, and no one owes me what I think I deserve.”
Growing up in Ivory Park, and then later in Tembisa, the late ’80s baby describes herself as having a normal township upbringing, where she grew up in a tight-knit family, for which she expresses nothing but love and appreciation for. She is open about what it meant to lose her mother at 18, something she says was unexpected – which was confirmed through a recent visit to a medium.
Witnessing her clear-eyed honesty on social media, Pearl isn’t afraid to talk about anything to her followers, especially when it comes to her relationships, describing herself as the ultimateloveroflove.Shetweetspeopleopenlywhentheyask her about her new relationship, after being spotted together on countless occasions. She’s also been very open about past relationships, including her most recent one with whom she broke off an engagement. “I’m open about my relationships because I want to have a human experience regardless of
“What I know for sure is that no
one owes me anything. Nothing has been given to me, and no one owes
me what I think I deserve”
what I do. Not everything is guaranteed, even love, but while you’re in the moment it’s about living life fully and enjoying it.” She describes her current partner as bringing peace to her life, and as someone who is self-assured and not afraid of her light. Her next biggest thing since turning 31 last year is wanting to start a family and becoming a mom. Whether or not that comes with marriage doesn’t phase her.
Social media has had its dark side for the reluctant celebrity, when a follower accused her of stealing the format for the SABC 1 show Raw Silk, to which she responded directly and compassionately to her accuser, although she found the incident defaming and compromising on some of the other work she was doing. She notes that as creatives she knows what it’s like to see something that could be your idea on the screen, especially with so many similar concepts and formats. “I tried to be empathetic by putting myself in her shoes. I was like, ‘I’m really, really sorry if you may have tried to pitch something similar, and are now seeing it on TV, and it’s making you mad. But I won’t get down to your level.’” Pearl is currently holding it down as the dazzling host of Raw Silk on SABC 1, and has been collaborating with one of the show’s young designers – paying it forward by wearing her garments on stage and at award ceremonies.
In March, Pearl extended her repertoire with a new acting role on Rhythm City. This is not the first soapie she’s played in, having already had some short, yet memorable, roles on both Generations and Scandal. This time around she’s taking on the role of a tenacious and outspoken photojournalist. “I like what acting does for me no matter how short the role. It’s one of those things that brings me a lot of happiness.” Outside of acting, she’s still enjoying her time on Metro FM, where she’s been for four years, working closely with and learning from industry giants, like Melanie Bala and Thomas Msengana.
One of her greatest achievement has been buying her father his own house, a property that she presented to him in 2017. Upon acquiring the house, she went on to demolish and rebuild it from the ground up – turning it into something she feels that her father truly deserves. It was a huge surprise for her father, who thought that he was accompanying Pearl to a friends house one day, only to have her tell him that the house was in fact his own – that experience for her is incomparable. “I thought that I can’t be enjoying my life, travelling and buying whatever I want when things back home aren’t together. That wouldn’t make me proud”. Now, Pearl feels like she can focus on herself; she can have her own family and work on her own house, which she’s recently bought.
Pearl is hopeful about the future of SA youths, although the inequalities and exuberantly high rates of unemployment trouble her. “It’s hard to celebrate Youth Month when there are young people who want to work, are capable, focused and disciplined, but the opportunities aren’t there.” Although she is inspired by her peers who decided they wouldn’t wait for public validation to create their own opportunities, like Lasizwe Dambuza, who’s been using social media and YouTube to create unique content; Moshe Ndiki, who is taking over the TV space after creating his own online content; and Thickleeyonce, who started her own clothing range after struggling to find clothes that fit. These are just examples of the many people who are shaping their own futures, which gives her hope that unemployment can be terminated. “I know we’ve come a long way as a country, which is why I practice my right of democracy and vote – too many people fought and lost their lives for that right,” she says in relation to the recent elections, “but I’m hopeful about our growing nation.”