Actress and singer Simphiwe Ngema plays the lead character of Zanele on a Showmax film, The Winning Ticket. Zanele’s family wins the lotto and then nearly loses themselves.
Ngema describes Zanele as someone who loves her family, is hardworking, and believes in doing things right.
Family is everything
“For me, family and love is everything. I’ve always understood that money comes and goes, but what’s important is the love that you have,” said Ngema
Ngema said working with Lerato Makhetha as her husband was fun because he is a friend of hers outside the industry.
“We met when we were shooting Isidingo in 2018. So I felt comfortable, and there was chemistry between us. He is a great guy.”
She said she likes how the story unfolds, and the thought process.
“It is very interesting to see Zanele transition from being a driven girl with dreams. She eventually obtains the money to fulfil those dreams. But then loses sight of what’s truly important.”
Ngema said she is blessed to have her family around her. They keep her grounded regardless of what’s going on in her life.
“You know how it is in the industry, suddenly, everyone knows you when you become famous. But my family will always remind me that there’s no celebrity at home, I still wash the dishes. I have constant reminders around me of what’s important, thankfully.”
Future roles
Ngema said the types of roles she would like to play in future are those of being a good girl.
“I can also play an evil person, you know? I would love to explore something different. As actors, that’s what we aim for, showing versatility and taking on challenging characters. We don’t like being typecast. I definitely want to play something completely different from the roles I’ve done before.”
Dating in the industry
Dating in the industry comes with scrutiny and attention that also comes with being a celebrity. Ngema said she prefers dating someone who’s in the same industry. This is because they are comfortable and understands how the industry works.
“It’s not easy to date people who aren’t in the industry because they don’t understand the fame. The working hours and having to be on set for 12 hours and even on weekends do appearances. But when it’s someone who is in the industry it then becomes easier. This is because they are also doing the same thing and understand what goes into being in the space.”
