PEARL'S JAM
Thusi eyes movie stardom
THE public broadcaster may have cast her out into the cold for three weeks, but radio personality Pearl Thusi is taking it all in her stride.
The 28-year-old is on the verge of bagging two further film deals following her role as Brenda in the movie Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu.
The film, which will be released in South Africa in September, last week won the South African International Film Festival’s RapidLion awards for best director, best film and best soundtrack. Thusi was nominated in the best actress category, but lost to Mariya Aronova of Russia.
Thusi said this week that she was in the process of signing contracts for two new movies, but would not reveal any details until all was confirmed.
Looking radiant, the actress and TV presenter seemed unfazed by the commotion around her show on Metro FM, which is owned by the SABC.
She was dropped from her usual Sunday 1am to 3am slot three weeks ago after she dumped the SABC1 music show LiveAmp in favour of DStv’s Lip Sync Battle Africa.
This followed a brief suspension from Metro FM earlier in the year, reportedly over her and co-host Phat Joe’s constant scrutiny of colleague Bonang Matheba, who called Thusi an “old shoe” during a Twitter spat.
On Wednesday, the broadcaster held a meeting with Thusi and after two hours of deliberation both parties had a change of heart and Thusi was reinstated.
SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng said the SABC had to show “consistency in management, and retention of its on-air talent is a key imperative to our business. I have instructed management to ensure consistent application of the SABC’s directive regarding on-air talent working for direct competitors.”
Last week, Thusi said she was not sure why she was being given the cold shoulder.
“I resigned from LiveAmp because I chose to work on Lip Sync Battle Africa, which I understood would [otherwise] have been a conflict of interest as both are music shows.”
This week, she was relieved, saying: “I am happy to be back at the SABC although I am not sure [whether] I will have to assess everything on a job-tojob basis as there was no discussion on what the statement meant.”
Despite the controversy, Thusi’s quest to make it in the entertainment industry — which began when she entered Miss Teen South Africa in 2003 when she was 15 — remains strong.
Over the years she has polished her acting skills in shows including SABC1 drama series Zone 14, SABC3 soapie Isidingo and BBC comedy drama The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency alongside award-winning soul singer Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose of Dreamgirls fame.
This sparked her interest in presenting, which she started on gossip show Real Goboza before working on music show LiveAmp.
She started her radio career working alongside Phat Joe before getting her own slot in 2014.
“Acting has always been my first love; it is what I wanted and what I am working towards,” she said.
Thusi is reluctant to talk about her rumoured romance with sports anchor Robert Marawa, but said she was “certain the man I am with is the one” she hoped to get hitched to.
“If this isn’t it, then I don’t know what will be,” she said.
Acting has always been my first love; it is what I wanted and what I am working towards