Award-winning actor Zolisa Xaluva, who made a return to the small screens as a cut-throat businessman who does not mind getting his hands dirty, has parted ways with Smoke & Mirrors.
Xaluva, who played the role of Caesar on e.tv’s drama series, joined the show in April after it replaced Imbewu: The Seed.
According to reports, Xaluva was fired from the prime-time drama series. It is not the first time the actor has been reportedly fired from a TV show.
Final Chapter Productions, which produces the series, confirmed to Sunday World on Thursday that the production house has parted ways with the acclaimed thespian.
“At the onset of the new season of Smoke & Mirrors, the producers of Final Chapter
Productions came to a resolution to amicably part ways with Zolisa Xaluva,” the company said in a statement.
“Zolisa has been an asset to the show in his role as Caesar Ngonyama, and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavours.”
High standards
In 2022, it was reported that Xaluva, who played the lead role of Melusi on Gomora, left the show after a disagreement with the producers of the Mzansi Magic telenovela.
The producers tried to get rid of him, but MultiChoice [which owns DStv where the show was broadcast] refused to let him go. However, they eventually allowed him to leave.
Sunday World reported at the time that Xaluva did not see eye to eye with the show’s producers, which saw him ditching the telenovela to pursue other opportunities.
A source who worked on the previous set said Xaluva had his own high standards, and that he knew what he wanted.
He was also not scared to confront the producers if he was not comfortable doing something, according to the source.
The source added that some people would confuse Xaluva’s confidence for arrogance.
It was also reported that his frank attitude on several issues rubbed some people in positions of power the wrong way.
