Having captivated viewers in Isibaya and Shaka iLembe, Nkanyiso Mzimela steps into a new acting world in the telenovela Kwa Baba.
He portrays another rebellious young man with the role of Musa Mkhize in the new Mzansi Magic show. He unpacked to Sowetan what it was like to unearth a new layer in his career.
What have you been up to since Isibaya and Shaka iLembe?
I had to disappear to improve myself and improve the craft. I wanted to come back better than before. Sometimes taking time away allows you to grow as an actor and sharpen your skills properly.
Tell us about Musa Mkhize
Musa is the younger brother in the Mkhize family and he’s definitely not your typical little brother. He’s reckless, stubborn and unfocused but he’s also trying to find himself. He’s chasing a DJ career and living very much for the moment, which often causes problems within the family.
How different was this role compared to your previous work?
Very different. Musa is a kasi guy and I’ve never played a kasi guy before. I challenged myself with this role because I wanted even the way he speaks, walks and behaves to feel different from me. Because it’s a telenovela, I also had to maintain those character choices consistently throughout the season, which became a daily challenge as an actor.
What is the biggest misconception about youth in the township?
Many kasi guys want to be respected and recognised as people capable of doing meaningful things in life. Sometimes society places labels on them before getting to know them. With Musa, he constantly feels overlooked within his own family, especially because his older brother is seen as the successful one. That’s a struggle many young township boys can relate to.
What do young people need most?
Young people need to take advantage of the opportunities we have. Things have changed a lot over the years. Our parents had limited career options but today there’s YouTube, TikTok, AI and social media. There are so many ways to build a career doing something you genuinely enjoy. The youth needs to stop overlooking these opportunities and start asking themselves how they can make them work.
June is Youth Month. What does it mean to you?
Youth Month is a reminder of how powerful young people can be when they come together. If you look back at 1976, it was young people who decided they wanted change and took action. Today’s youth needs to understand change begins with us. If we want things to improve, we cannot keep waiting for older generations to fix everything for us.
What changes would you like to see in entertainment?
I would love to see productions taking more risks creatively. Every new show should offer something fresh and different. I also hope actors can have more creative input. Actors are usually expected to work with whatever they’re given, but it would be great if producers involved actors more in conversations about the direction of the character and story.
What role would you like to play next?
My dream role would probably be one I create myself. I’d love to tell the story of an artist’s journey: the struggles, sacrifices and realities that upcoming artists face before finally making it in the industry. That would be the role I’d connect with the most emotionally.
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