As a straight man, Mpho says his gay role is ‘different’

We’ve seen South African television scenes move from being conservative to reflective of real societal factors such as the complications that come with homosexual relationships.

In the third season of Netflix’s popular series Blood and Water – we were introduced to a new character, Lunga Vezi played by Mpho Sibeko, who finds himself in a love triangle when he falls for bisexual Chris (Arno Greeff) who happens to be in a relationship with Wendy (Natasha Thahane). 

As a straight man, Mpho says that playing Lunga was different from what he’s used to. 

“Firstly, I’m honoured to have been part of such a reputable show. When it comes to the character itself, it came as a shock in terms of where the storyline goes. But as a performer I’m so glad to have been entrusted with such a role. It was a bit of a stretch for me as Mpho but as an actor it’s always about telling the story and being a representation of the individual,” he explains. 

“The one thing I did appreciate is how the scenes were treated with so much sensitivity and we weren’t made to do anything that we didn’t need to do. There was also an intimacy coach who helped us get comfortable with one another. And the fact that some people were led on to believe that both Arno and I are not straight in real life simply means that we were able to tell the story well and that’s what we wanted to achieve,” he adds. 

To prepare for the role, Mpho says he had to escape from himself and step into the shoes of Lunga while understanding what story the character is supposed to tell. And although the role quickly became a favourite with viewers, Mpho reveals that being part of the production was not an easy journey. 

“I auditioned for a role in the previous seasons, and I was told to come and audition for a different role from the first one. So, I auditioned again, and I guess they found someone more fitting for that particular role. When season three was in progress, we just received a call where the director asked to see me. A part of me knew that I was going to be cast for this season and it was history after that,” he explains. 

The 28-year-old believes that most male actors tend to shy away from portraying such characters because they believe it would take their masculinity away from them. 

“I think that’s where ego and pride come into play because we pride ourselves on coming across as these dominant male figures and masculine people but as actors one must learn and shape ourselves into different characters,” he says. 

While viewers have seen Chris being explicit with his love interests in the previous seasons, Mpho explains that with Lunga, Chris showed a different side because he had fallen in love.

“That’s why it only boiled down to one kissing scene with no sexual transfers that would take away from Chris having a shift from what we know him as,” he explains. 

As is the case with most actors, Mpho kicked off his acting career in theatre when he was 11 years old. By the age of 14 he had landed his first TV role in the first season of 4Play: Sex Tips for Girls and by 16 he had a recurring role as JT on e.tv’s popular soapie Rhythm City. 

Since then, he has appeared in a number of shows including Gauteng Maboneng,  Isithembiso, Gold Diggers and The Estate.  

When asked what the secret to consistently booking jobs in this industry is, Mpho modestly attributes his success to being lucky. 

“That’s really between my ancestors and God because I’ve been very fortunate. But I also think the work speaks for itself and when you apply yourself. One thing I pride myself on is immersing myself in every character I play. Even if there is 100 of us who can do a certain role, I’m the only one who can do it like I do it,” he tells us. 

Out of all the characters he’s played thus far, Mpho says his character on Scandal! has been the most challenging. 

“Playing the character of a sexual predator priest who is also a scam artist was not only challenging because I don’t agree with the things the character does, but also because he was a Zulu character and I’m not Zulu. Having to quote Bible verses in IsiZulu was challenging and took a lot of preparation,” he says, adding that his character on Gauteng Maboneng was the most fun. 

“It was a comedy, so it was fun and light, and the storyline was not too heavy,” he explains. 

One day Mpho would like to portray the character of a mentally unstable person or a physically impaired individual because he believes it would challenge him in a good way. 

In the meantime, Mpho says viewers should look forward to seeing him in a new production that will be released this April.  

FACT FILE 

Favourite Music: Hip Hop & RnB 

Favourite Artist: Chris Brown 

Favourite Quote: Aspire to inspire before you expire 

Favorite TV actor: Sdumo Mtshali/ Zolisa Xaluva 

Favourite TV show: The Estate