She quit acting to join the ministry.
Former Generations: The Legacy actress Mahlatse Letoka has quit acting to join the ministry, a move she doesn’t regret.
“I quit acting a few years ago, and I don’t plan to go back,” she said.
Although she studied drama, she was never fully comfortable as an actress. She felt out of place with almost every role she portrayed.
Hated fame that came with acting
Letsoka also didn’t enjoy being in the limelight much, as it was nothing she had imagined.
“I just wanted to act and not everything that came with fame,” she said.
“I felt that because I was in the entertainment industry, people didn’t take me seriously.
“When I got into the acting and show business, my self-esteem was down. I was okay when I was younger, but acting made me lose my confidence. There were people who loved me and some who hated my work.”
The criticism on social media did not make things any easier.
“People’s comments always destroyed my confidence. I always tried to run away from being there. That is why I would sometimes deactivate my social media account.”
Growing up in a Christian home in Limpopo, she got saved at seven years old.
TV vs Religion
“I went to an art and acting school, and I was introduced to Greek mythology. But I never left Jesus,” she said.
“When I got to university, I wasn’t living right, and my relationship with God wasn’t right. The war between the kingdom of good and darkness is real.”
Navigating TV roles and her religion was tough to balance.
She played the role of Xolelwa, who faced some difficulties, including going from being homeless to getting kidnapped and being forced into prostitution.
This role came to an end after her storyline was written off the script.
Roles felt awkward
“I had to do research on human trafficking for this role, and it was very heavy for me.”
She also played the role of Kone Makwarela in Thola and Thato Namanyane in Freedom.
“When I was an actor, I always felt out, like I did not belong. Some of the scenes they made us do felt awkward,” she added.
The born-again Christian now warns people about the coming rapture, which refers to “the last days” or “judgements day”. “People think it’s a joke and don’t take it seriously.”
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