Gail Nkoane’s loving her Wild ride
WE Knewthat she could sing, but could she act?
That was the question when 2010 Top 14 Idols contestant Gail Nkoane was signed for the role of high-flying fashion editor Lelo Sedibe in M-net’s fledgling soap, The Wild.
Although The Wild has yet to celebrate its first anniversary, Nkoane has managed to silence her critics and make a good impression on viewers.
And the talking point this week has been her character’s fairy-tale wedding to Tiro Lebone.
The actress says: “It has been an amazing journey. A roller-coaster ride… and I’m not a roller-coaster person. But it’s the only ride I’ve truly enjoyed.
“It was amazing to see my own growth as an actress and as an individual when they recently showed The Wild: The Story So Far.”
On viewers loving her character, she says: “It is very humbling to get a lot of positive responses, considering this is my first acting gig.
“Lelo has grown from being in the magazine world to becoming a girlfriend and ‘housewife’ of a prominent businessman. I think a lot of people can see shades of themselves in her. And that was one of my greatest wishes when I took on the role.”
On Lelo’s earlier romance with Modise Tladi (Tumisho Masha), she comments: “They had been friends already. At the time, she was ready to settle down and he was at the same point. But it was just a convenient relationship for them. He didn’t give her butterflies like Tiro does.
“She loved Modise as a friend and person. But she fell in love with Tiro and she was willing to leave the magazine behind and stay at home for him.”
As for Tiro’s endearing qualities, “he has definitely got that swag that most women would be attracted to. He is a strong businessman, but he doesn’t throw it in your face. I think more than anything, he pushes her to be the best that she can be. She found a good friend in him. In the same way that he challenges and completes her, she does the same for him. And they are working on a new