Actors Luyanda Zuma and Lemogang Tsipa are winning hearts and sparking conversation with their powerful performances in Shaka iLembe, Mzansi Magic’s epic historical drama.
Tsipa plays the iconic Shaka Zulu, while Zuma takes on the role of Liyana, a woman whose love helps humanise a legendary warrior king.
Their chemistry on screen is undeniable, but the pair revealed to Sunday World that their connection was real and effortless from day one.
Organic friendship
“For me, chemistry is like organic friendship. You cannot fake it; it’s either there or it is not,” said Tsipa during an interview with Sunday World at the publication’s offices in Johannesburg.
During the audition process, Zuma and Tsipa clicked immediately. Even before filming began, their dynamic felt natural.
“I was recently going through my gallery and found a call-back photo with Lemo. He was standing behind me making funny faces,” Zuma laughs. “I thought, ‘Okay, cool he’s vibing with me’.”
Tsipa adds that working with Zuma made things easier on set: “She was never stiff. We’d joke between scenes, support each other. That ease came through in our scenes.”
Their on-screen relationship brings both tenderness and tension. A love story blooming within a world of war, tradition, and power.
“It’s not just romance,” Zuma explains. “There’s vulnerability, fear, intensity and it all unfolds in a very raw space.”
Some scenes required a physical closeness that could have been uncomfortable in other settings. But both actors say trust was never an issue.
Mutual respect
“Lemogang was incredibly respectful,” Zuma says. “He never made me feel uncomfortable. We were just focused on telling the story truthfully.”
Audiences have praised Shaka iLembe for embracing the full texture of Zulu history. This includes scenes of nudity, traditional rituals, and unfiltered tribal life. But this honesty has not come without controversy.
Raised in KwaZulu-Natal, both actors say they were never shocked by these elements.
“For us, it’s normal. It is how we grew up, in rural KZN,” says Tsipa. “People from outside might find it confronting, but this is who we are.”
For Tsipa, portraying Shaka Zulu was not just a career milestone; it was a spiritual journey.
“There are too many parallels between my life and Shaka’s for it to be coincidence,” he shares.
Tsipa explains that his parents moved to KZN under spiritually guided circumstances. And efforts to relocate elsewhere failed.
KZN roots came in handy
“It’s like I was meant to grow up there to prepare me for this role,” he says. “If I had grown up in Pretoria, I don’t think I could have done this story justice.”
Both actors are now based in Gauteng for work, but their roots remain firmly in KwaZulu-Natal.
“My heart is still there,” says Tsipa. “I grew up with a mango tree that just gives you fruit you don’t even water it. That’s peace. That’s home.”
“We are carrying the stories of our ancestors, and that is the highest honour, added Zuma.
Also Read: Eswatini’s royal legacy steals spotlight in Shaka iLembe
