Masasa Mbangeni – actress on Netflix’s Heart of The Hunter, Blood & Water, and most notably etv’s SCANDAL!, with three smash hits under her belt – is a two-time SAFTA award winner and three-time nominee. A powerful spokeswoman and proponent for legislative protections for performers, and a mental health champion to boot. Off-screen the Wits-educated and Mandela Rhodes Alum, Mbangeni is grateful, articulate, introspective, and surprisingly grounded, especially with all she’s achieved. Here, the former demure girl turned TV villain details her passions, her pursuit of knowledge, and the prioritization of using her platform for good.
(main picture: Photographer: Mlungisi Mlungwana)
SHE GREW UP in KwaMagxaki. “My childhood home was filled with people…. I am the fourth of five children so the home was always full and busy. I would describe myself as a reserved shy kid.”
SHE BEGAN to dream up elaborate scenarios for her friends to play out. “My fondest memories are of me playing since I was 8 this is all I ever wanted to be.”
SHE ADMIRED Pamela Nomvete, as a child, “Ever since I saw [her] acting on Generations as Ntsiki Lukhele, a beautiful, black, intelligent and well-spoken woman, I knew I wanted to do what she did. My biggest dream is to produce a play co-starring alongside her or working with Viola Davis and Shonda Rhimes.
HER BIGGEST CHALLENGE was leaving home.“PE did not have an industry when I left for Jozi’s bright lights, so that was tough. Overcoming homesickness, living on my own in a new city, and my father’s death all whilst I was in my first year, was incredibly hard. But this was also my motivator because I knew home was 1000kms away and I had to make this work.”
SHE IS technically Jo’burger but longs for the come as you are, the unpretentiousness and simple pleasures of her hometown, Port Elizabeth, now Gqberha. “I miss my mom, her cooking, and her company. I also miss driving to Cape Recife and sitting in silence whilst watching the ocean. I miss Hobie Beach on a hot summer’s day and ice cream from Something Good Roadhouse!”
SHE’S CARVED a prolific career that spans theatre, television, and film. “My first professional play was at The Market Theatre in an adaption from James Baldwin’s play, “Amen Corner“. She went on to feature in a trilogy of plays directed by James Ngcobo, including Sundjata and Nogogo. She also played Antigone in Greg Hoffman’s production of Oedipus @ Koönú, which toured the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.
SHE’S BEEN DESCRIBED as cunning, diabolical, cutthroat, conniving, and treacherous – but only when playing Thembeka, the role that turned her into a household name and the character viewers love to hate. “I worked so hard and put in my hours and when I was invited to Scandal to join as a featured extra I took that opportunity. It was hard because I spent time wiping shots (literally taking the camera movement from one main actor to the next with no dialogue) but when I was allowed to have dialogue I grabbed it and Thembeka Shezi-Nyathi was born.”
HER MOTHER’s incredible work ethic and kindness have been instrumental.“[She] has always been a major influence in my work and how I endeavour to lead with love in my life.”
SHE CREDITS her first speech and drama teachers instilled her with confidence and control. “Elizabeth Hounsfield was a major influence in my career, She taught a little girl who was so afraid to speak, how to take up space – because I am worth it. Marlene Pieterse who taught me at Stageworld Theatre School instilled a soldier’s discipline in me that has stood me in good stead to this day. Women have been the backbone of my being and I owe them everything.”
SHE HAS A QUALIFICATION from Trinity College in London and an honours degree from Wits which allows her to teach drama. She is currently in her second year of studying Psychology which she pursued out of curiosity. She says her studies have informed her work as an actor. “While navigating a pandemic, I was teaching and studying. I was growing and exploring. I was also grateful for the time I took to teach because it allowed me to grow. That’s when I got to know myself, to learn, teach, and experience life. I think it’s important for artists to be able to do that to portray a character,” she said.
THE MAGIC HAPPENS in costuming. Although her lived experience helps her empathize with her characters, she tries to honour that their given circumstances and motivations differ from hers. “I look forward to the rehearsal process with the director and meeting up with wardrobe, make-up, and set design. I feel a character is born where all these elements intersect. My process is very collaborative.”
SHE HAS SPENT much of her adult life studying. She took Speech and Drama as a subject whilst at Alexander Road High School and also attended after-school classes at Stageworld Theatre School. She has devoted a lot of time to developing her craft. “I acknowledge the privilege that afforded me this education as well as my beloved mother’s efforts to fund my dreams.”She also commented on the democratization of the entertainment industry, “I recognize that the industry has changed, social media has disrupted television and performance in such a radical way that showcasing your talent is literally in your hands through your smartphone. Is education useful, absolutely. Is it necessary, not really. It’s truly your journey.”
SHE HAS WORKED WITH international stars Chris Evans and Gerard Butler, and local soapie royalty like Hlomla Dandala, Connie Ferguson, and Hlubi Mboya. “Well, it’s my life’s work,” she says matter of factly. “It has allowed me to travel and see the world and has introduced me to incredible people through the characters I have played and the people I have shared sets and stages with. My heart is filled with the deepest gratitude.”
SHE IS MOST INSPIRED BY Viola Davis, Regina King, and Pamela Nomvete. “They are unapologetically themselves: black, beautiful, powerful, and incredibly talented.”
OUTSIDE OF ACTING she enjoys exercise and reading. “I love CrossFit and going to the gym, this helps me stay grounded and healthy. I also enjoy reading and am a member of a book club. I think it’s an important part of keeping my imagination fertile.”
DESPITE HER AWARDS AND ACCOLADES, she feels that the South African industry is too unregulated and not yet developed enough for awards to have any real significance in contract negotiation and remuneration. “It’s great to receive recognition but from a monetary perspective, it makes no difference.” She mentions that our system still has some way to go. “Our system is radically different to an American one, I audition like everyone else and don’t have the freedom to carve out a career of my choosing because of typecasting.”
SHE’S POLITICALLY INCLINED and a proponent of legislative change. South African actors are pushing for the President to sign the amendments to the Performers Protection Act (11 of 1967) and the Copyright Act (98 of 1978) which will provide legislative protections for artists to benefit from. Signing these bills means artists will have access to royalties and the like which their overseas counterparts enjoy. “Financial freedom means artistic autonomy, the opportunity to have choices, something very few actors in our country have. In the absence of that one rarely makes choices between commercial or artistic pursuits in the South African context, you are grateful for the opportunity to work.”
SHE BELIEVES in using her platform to raise awareness for social change.“I am very passionate about women, their health, and their safety. In my professional context, I have used my platform to advocate for safe conditions of employment devoid of sexual harassment and abuse of power. The advent of the #MeToo movement was a seminal moment in the creative and cultural industries throughout the world. And though I think there is still a long way to go to challenge the boys’ club that continues to abuse its power, I think we are on the right track with organizations like Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT) which work tirelessly to ensure the safety of women and marginalized groups on sets.”
IN HINDSIGHT she would hug her younger self and thank her for her bravery, curiosity, and audacity. “I would tell her to choose herself more – in everything and to be true to herself – first and foremost!
WHEN PERFORMING Mbangeni says, “The joy that I feel when I’m on stage, I can’t explain it to anyone. It feels like the first breath of a child. It’s sore and it’s uncomfortable but it’s a sign of life.”
“I don’t take it for granted to be doing the work I do in the economy that we live in.”
Major Roles and Series
· Heart of the Hunter (2024) – Played Malime Mambi
· Blood & Water Season 4 (2024) – Played Mrs. Makeba
· Devil’s Peak (2023) – Played Mbali Kaleni
· The River (2019-2021) – Played Akhona Mayisela.
· Legacy (2020) – Played Reporter.
· I Am All Girls (2021) – Played Thamsanqa.
· Harvest (2017, 2020) – Played Celia.
· Housekeepers (2020) – Played Nomahlubi.
· The Republic (2019) – Played Bridget Ranaka.
· Scandal! (2005, 2017) – Played Thembeka Shezi and a casting director.
· Thola 2 (2016) – Played Lip-less Woman.
· Silent Witness (2008) – Played Eunice
Awards and Nominations
- SAFTA Golden Horn
- Winner:
- Best Supporting Actress – TV Soap (Scandal!) in 2021
- Best Actress – TV Soap (Scandal!) in 2015
- Nominee:
- Best Actress – TV Drama (Harvest) in 2018
- Best Actress – TV Soap (Scandal!) in 2017 and 2014
- Winner:
Casting Director & Producer Credits:
Casting director and producer of the short film Amagama ka Nokutela (2022)
Delon le Roux is a project manager and freelance fashion writer. Formerly an editorial and runway model in Asia, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Media, Communications, and Culture from Nelson Mandela University, complemented by a recent master’s degree in Strategic Management and Business Law.
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