WATCH | Shannon Esra says ‘Masked Singer SA’ challenged her beyond any TV character she’s played before

Mzansi’s favourite TV lawyer Shannon Esra says portraying much-loved Sandra Stein from The Queen and The River did not come close to how tough it was being on The Masked Singer SA.

At the weekend, the SA Film and Television Award (Safta) winner was unveiled as the celebrity identity behind Protea. She unpacks her experience to Sowetan.

Sowetan: What made you say ‘yes’ to The Masked Singer SA?

Shannon Esra: I couldn’t say no. It felt like such an honour after 30 years in the industry. A part of me wanted to say no because I was terrified, but another part wanted to do it for the fans. I wanted to know how they’d react when they eventually discovered it was me.

Sowetan: Was the experience what you expected?

Esra: Not at all. It was far more technical than I imagined. The secrecy alone was incredible, but performing inside the costume was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I could barely see, I had limited movement, and everything had to be carefully calculated. It felt like mental gymnastics from the beginning to the end of my performance.

Sowetan: What was going through your mind during the performances?

Esra: Pure chaos. People watching probably thought I looked calm, but inside I was counting every step because I couldn’t properly see the stage. I had to trust my body and my instincts. When the mask finally came off, I burst out laughing because the adrenaline was, in a way, leaving my body.

Sowetan: How different was performing as a singer from performing as an actor?

Esra: It was polar opposites. As an actor, everything I do is based on connection. I make eye contact with people. I react to other actors. I feed off an audience. Behind that mask, all of that disappeared. I couldn’t even see the audience properly, so I had to perform in a completely different way.

Sowetan: Your singing surprised a lot of viewers. Is music something you’ve always enjoyed?

Esra: I’ve sung before, but I’m definitely not a singer. I did an a cappella production at university and I sing briefly in my one-woman play My Left Breast, but musical theatre performers have my absolute respect because that level of performance doesn’t come naturally to me.

Sowetan: Which of your popular characters have had the biggest impact on you?

Esra: [Laughs]. That’s like asking me to choose a favourite child. Samantha Hugo from Lioness changed me because I was going through so much personally while playing her. But Sandra Stein will always hold a special place in my heart. The fact that young women still tell me that they studied law because of that character is one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received.

Sowetan: What do you think is still missing in the local industry?

Esra: Support. We need better funding, stronger regulation and more opportunities for original South African stories. We’ve got incredible writers and storytellers, but we need to invest in them. I want audiences around the world to watch our work and discover something new about our country that they’ve never seen before; that’s how we move the industry forward.

Sowetan: What’s next?

I have an exciting new project coming up, but unfortunately, like this show, I’m not allowed to talk about it yet. However, my goal hasn’t changed; I simply want to keep telling truthful stories that shape and contribute to the everyday lives of South Africans.

Sowetan