As part of our ongoing Uzalo takeover, we spoke to the talented Wiseman Mncube who plays the role of Sboniso on the show. Fresh from winning his first-ever SAFTA, Wiseman was in a celebratory mood on the day we dialled in for our telephonic interview.
The KZN-based thespian has been steadily working his way up the ranks of television talent and this has seen him become one of the most familiar faces in local television. With the world in the palm of his hand and his stock at an all-time high, Wiseman invited us to spend some time in the winner’s circle.
Inside The Winner’s Circle With Wiseman Mncube
Moziak Magazine: We’re big fans of your work, welcome to Moziak Magazine Wiseman. How are you today?
WM: I’m great man, it feels good to be back on set and back to work. Things are so different now, we have to take strict precautions and we are only on set when we are needed. But the production company made us feel safe that things could resume.
MM: There’s no better place to start than to (belatedly!) congratulate you on your massive win at the SAFTAs earlier this year. How did it feel to scoop “Best Actor”?
WM: It feels good, it feels great! Its any actor’s dream to win a TV award, and to win an award as big and important as “Best Lead Actor In A TV Drama” is an incredible feat. Not only to win it but to win it while being in the same category as some of the greats including Warren Masemola and I was the youngest category. It was my first ever SAFTA nomination and it turned into my first week.
MM: You won this for iHostela right?
WM: Yeah but the show is produced by the same production company, Stained Glass Productions, so it still felt like a win for the family.
MM: That must have been a big moment for you during what has been a challenging lockdown period for a lot of people.
WM: Definitely, it was. It was hectic for us artists and freelancers. Lockdown felt like a direct blow to us, but we had to be patient and wait for the opportunity to be back doing what we love.
MM: What was the Uzalo fanbase like during the lockdown?
WM: It was mostly calm to be honest, because the social media guys, the PR guys kept the public informed. They understood that even though they miss their favourite show, at least it was coming back.
MM: In general, what is your personal relationship with the fanbase like?
WM: “Well there’s me, and there’s my character. uSbonelo is the kind of guy who many people think is totally heartless, but the thing is, if you look into him you realise that there’s a reason why he turned out a certain way. I think people are so used to only seeing the character, and not the actor behind the character, it’s always funny when people see that in real life I’m not really like him.”
MM: What else will you be up to this year?
WM: We don’t know what will happen with these levels and with Covid, but I’ll tell you what, we’re going to keep our commitment to our fans that’s for sure. Nothing but love and nothing but real stories – that’s all I can say for now.
