Mbali Ntuli ’ s exciting TV comeback
MBALI Ntuli turned down a television role in 2010 because the money offered to her was half of what she usually charged.
Her acting career came to a brief halt for two years as she focused on a hectic schedule of voice-overs.
Prior to that, the busy actress was always moving from one project to the next and viewed the break as a blessing in disguise.
“I was busy but (the good thing) with voice-over work is that the schedule is more flexible. ”
The Soweto actress, who burst onto our television screens 11years-ago in the role of Kekeletso on Yizo
Yizo, is well-known in the industry for tackling demanding roles.
In the past she has played rich characters such as rural young woman, Khethiwe, in Gaz’Lam, and
Lindiwe Ntuli in
Fallen.
Now she is back on the small screen as Nelisiwe Hlatshwayo on lokshin soapie,
Zabalaza, which airs on Mzansi Magic on Mondays to Thursdays at 9pm.
“I studied Dramatic Arts at the University of Witwatersrand and had to drop out after only two years because my single mother could not afford to pay my fees.
“I joined a (casting) agency and as the saying goes, the rest is history, ” she explains.
The actress has also been featured on the now-defunct soapie,
Egoli, and had a role in a short film Stripes of Zebra in 2000.
“With the role on Zabalaza, once again I play a character who is mired in emotions because of her (complex) upbringing, being raised by an aunt after she was orphaned, and a love triangle she will be caught in when the story progresses,” she chuckles.
On being typecast in emotional roles, Ntuli says she does not have a problem with that, because it means she is good at portraying those characters.
Ntuli has set up her own television and film production company, Vintage Pink Productions. “I have paid my dues and proven my talent onscreen. Now it’s time to work on the ideas and concepts behind the scenes through television shows and films,” says Ntuli.
Ntuli ’ s private life is just that.
“I vowed when I started out that I would protect my private life to ensure the focus is always on my acting,” she says.
The 35-year-old Ntuli who once divulged the challenges of being in an inter-racial relationship with her ex-boyfriend, writer and director, Barry Berk says she still believes in love and the security of a family structure.
When probed about her current relationship status, she coyly says that she may or may not be seeing someone.
“For me love has no colour. So my next boyfriend might be black or white. It (really) doesn’t matter as love is beautiful anyway.” –