Veteran actor Mpho Joseph Molepo is reflecting on his illustrious career that has made him one of the most unforgettable father figures on SA TV.
His most memorable roles have been in Generations: The Legacy, Ga Re Dumele, Isidingo, Zabalaza, Scandal! and Skeem Saam. Now he’s taking on the new role of Solomon, a father of three daughters, in the Mzansi Magic telenovela Kwa Baba.
Sowetan chats with him about playing some of the most memorable father figures on TV:
How does it feel to have played unforgettable father figures on TV?
It’s something I’m humbled by. I never set out to be “the father” in people’s eyes, but I’ve been blessed with those kinds of roles consistently. What makes it even more interesting is that fatherhood is something I had to imagine and grow into in many ways because my own experiences of it were not straightforward. So every time I step into a father role, I’m also learning something about myself. Fatherhood is layered. A father is not just one thing — he can be strict, loving, absent, present, flawed and still trying his best. So I never approach it as “good” or “bad”. I see these roles as human.
How has playing those roles affected your approach to fatherhood in real life?
It’s made me more reflective. You start realising the weight that fathers carry, especially in shaping families and communities. Even when I’m not on set, I think about responsibility — what it means to guide, protect and sometimes correct.
What type of father are you at home?
I cook a lot and I play a lot of music. I think I’m more of a fun father than a lion kind of father. I’m very easy with my children and family.
Do people recognise you as a role model?
Yes, and I don’t take that lightly. People often associate you with the characters you play, so you have to be conscious of that influence. But I always remind myself that I’m human first. The responsibility is there, but so is the need to stay grounded.
How different is Solomon in Kwa Baba from the roles you’ve played in the past?
I’m still finding the character. People might draw similarities on certain levels because of that fatherly quality that one needs to be able to have as a medicine line within the characters themselves. But definitely I’m finding the voice of the character. He’s more township-orientated. He’s not that rural and he grew up in Soweto. He mixes languages … he’s a school principal. He was a businessman who had been managing the family business. So there is a bit of education in him; there’s a little bit of an English tone in him when he speaks. There is a thin line, though, because the tone might be the same but different in terms of how they’re being portrayed.
What else are you up to?
I’m directing Sarafina as part of the Soweto Theatre programme and we’ve also been performing at schools. What’s been powerful is seeing young people engage with theatre in that way. We perform in the mornings for schools and it changes how they experience storytelling — it becomes alive, immediate and real. Then on weekends, we open the shows to the public, which creates a beautiful balance between education and performance.
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