Luyanda Zwane had no idea that her life would change for the better when she took a leap of faith and auditioned with Bomb Productions in 2021.
The Umlazi-born actress told Sunday World this week that she got into acting during her matric year when she saw an Actors Spaces Instagram post, looking for actors.
“I was initially introduced to the arts in High school where I took part in school musicals, and drama competitions and I studied drama as a subject, said Zwane.
When Zwane finished her matric she bagged her first role on e.tv’s sacked telenovela Durban Gen, where she played the role of a young teenage girl.
She then moved to the city of gold when she landed her second role in Shaka iLembe.
Zwane said since March 2022 her life has changed drastically, positively, and greatly. She made her first appearance on Shaka ilembe last week as Vundlazi, King Shaka’s love interest.
“Shaka ilembe was life-changing for me, I was given an opportunity to work with the biggest productions and names that I grew up learning about in High School. It was also educational because I got to learn about my culture, my tribe, and the other tribes discussed.”
Zwane currently plays the character of Sibongile Mbambo in Mzansi Wethu’s telenovela Sibongile and the Dlamini’s.
Her character Sibongile is a humble, respectful, and intelligent rural young woman from Ixopo in KZN. She was raised by her father after her mother died when she was only 2 years old.
“Sibongile is quite a reflective character of at least 65% of black kids in South Africa. Those who have dreams and are dependent on the system in terms of financial aid. She is persistent even in the midst of turmoil and her dreams being put on hold,” said Zwane.
She said playing Sbongile has been both challenging and therapeutic because almost half of the things that her character has been through, she has personally been through.
“It has been challenging because I had to also confront my own traumas of not being able to go to school to study what I want. Sibongile pushed me to tap into emotions I never thought I would,” she said.
Zwane will be part of Showmax’s Outlaws and Netflix’s upcoming series titled Miseducation which will air on September 15. She believes these two series are one for the books.
Also Read: Vuyo Biyela bags new role on Sibongile & The Dlaminis
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