Siyabonga Twala, who portrayed Khaya Bhodloza in season two of Empini, has been replaced by actor Mpumi Mpama.
Insiders claim that Twala’s employment with the Showmax drama series ended because of his alleged ridiculous demands.
Mpama said taking over a role that was already established was not difficult for him.
“I decided not to watch the previous episodes because, as an artist, I believe in interpreting a character in my own way,” Mpama said.
“If I had watched the earlier episodes of the previous Khaya, my mind might have subconsciously picked up on his mannerisms.
“That could have influenced my portrayal. To avoid that, I personalised the character and brought my own understanding to it.”
Bringing the character to life
Mpama shares that, as an artist, he did not feel any pressure to meet audience expectations because he is confident in his work.
He said: “Once you fully understand the character and bring the writing to life, that is what resonates with the audience.
“You cannot worry too much about their perception. Instead, focus on bringing the character to life.
“Remember, the audience does not know the script — you do. Your responsibility is to interpret it, so they enjoy what they see.”
There were rumours in 2024 that Mpama had been hurt on set while attempting a stunt.
According to him, there were numerous action sequences that presented him with positive challenges.
Do not execute the role without preparation
“Most of my previous roles involved playing gentlemen who were a bit dodgy and calm. I have had one or two action-heavy roles before, but this one required much more physicality and mind games.
“I even had to hit the gym to build stamina. Of course, not everything goes smoothly.
“There are always hiccups; you pull stunts and sometimes get injured. But that is normal for a show with so much action.”
Mpama, a Xhosa man portraying a Zulu character, stated that it is essential to fully inhabit your role.
“I studied different Zulu accents because the isiZulu spoken in Gauteng differs from the one in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.
“This is the advice for upcoming actors too; do not just take a role and execute it without preparation. Practice the language, mannerisms, and delivery until it feels natural.”
