MATOTI IS DEDICATED TO HARD WORK AND HIS CRAFT
ACTOR Anele Matoti is a familiar face on the big and small screen, and the stage. Since his teenage years, Matoti has been passionate about the value and power of storytelling and, with more than 14 years in the film and entertainment industry, his hard work is paying off.
This year has been a good one. Matoti, who is in his 30s, has starred in a number of local and international productions. Not only has he appeared in the Black Entertainment Television network miniseries The Book of Negroes, he has also had roles in the political drama 90 Plein Street on SABC2 and SABC1’s miniseries Forced Love.
He has featured in a number of television commercials and was recently recognised at the annual Loerie Awards in Durban, where he won a Craft Loerie for his performance as The Great Dlamini in the The Great Escape Chicken Licken TV advertisement.
I spoke to Matoti, a full-time actor, husband and father.
Tell us about yourself?
I am a young man born in Joburg and raised in Cofimvaba and Lady Frere in the Eastern Cape. I enjoy playing almost any sport, reading, and I think I can write.
I went to school at Kingswood College and Queen’s College, also in the Eastern Cape. When I finished school, I studied marketing before moving to my true calling. I am predominantly a Cape Town-based actor, although I move freely between Cape Town and Joburg.
How did you become an actor?
My acting journey started when I was in Grade 5. I knew there and then that it was what I wanted to do.
I did a diploma in professional acting for camera at City Varsity.
Tell us about your first role
My first professional acting role was in a German miniseries called No Heaven Above Africa, where I played the role of a farm foreman called Jimmy. It was a great start for my career as I got the opportunity to travel around South Africa doing what I loved.
My first local big break came in Shooting Stars, a soccer series that followed the trials and tribulations of a first division soccer club. In the series I played the role of Muzi Mpetla, the goalkeeper who had a heart problem that he kept a secret in order for him to live his dream of playing soccer and getting to the PSL.
How do you typically prepare for an audition?
I think it is very important to find as many similarities (as possible) between myself and the character I am auditioning for, so that I have more ease in getting into the character required.
It’s also very important to have a clear interpretation of the scenes that I will be auditioning for. All these things are key for me to stay in the moment when I am auditioning.
What does winning the Craft Loerie mean for your career?
No one ever goes into something thinking about winning awards. When I had a look at the quality of the writing I knew the commercial was indeed very good.
The people that I worked with at Egg Films were some of the best I have ever worked with in my almost 15 years as an actor.
Winning the award is an amazing feather in my acting cap. It is huge to be acknowledged for the work one puts in. I am all the more encouraged to continue to do my best and to never let the craving for success and doing more quality work die inside of me.
Which of your performances has left a lasting mark on you?
Playing the Great Dlamini is one of a handful of commercial work that I have enjoyed. In the movie and series world, I have enjoyed playing opposite Baby Cele in Home Affairs; playing the very dark and evil Xolisa in League of Glory opposite Siv Ngesi; playing an inspector in Miss Marple, a British television series based on the Miss Marple murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie; and more recently playing Dan Femi in 90 Plein Street.
The hardest role you’ve ever played, and why?
I once played a young man who crossed the Limpopo River searching for a better life in South Africa. I shot all the scenes in the film barefoot and with very little to wear in the middle of winter. On all levels as an actor that was by far the most challenging role I have undertaken. Unfortunately, the film never made it to the screen for reasons that had nothing to do with the quality of the work put in by all involved.
What would your advice be to young performers on career longevity?
Your passion and love for what you do will always drive you to keep going. I would encourage people with a passion for entertaining and performing to get involved with the acting craft. It is really driven by your love for it.
The actor has had a very good year, but his success didn’t come about overnight, writes Nontando Mposo