Kagiso Modupe’s ruffling a few feathers…
ACTORS in South Africa’s entertainment industry tend to avoid making any controversial comments. The threat of being blackballed is all too real. And, ultimately, it’s a risk many can’t afford.
But that doesn’t mean frustrations don’t exist when you look beyond all that glitz and glamour. They do.
Kagiso Modupe, better known for his role as Mangi Nyathi in e.tv’s Scandal, which turned 12 earlier this month, has boldly decided to share his thoughts and observations in weekly Instagram videos.
But before chatting about him ruffling a few feathers, he reveals why his soap journey has been so rewarding.
He says, “Ja, it’s been a very long time. You know, for me, I’ve always said that with each storyline, I want to teach. When the drug storyline came up, I wanted to show how detrimental drugs can be and how they can mess up your life… I wanted it to be authentic. I did a lot of research. I spent time in a rehab centre… I’ve always said to the producers, bring a solution to the problem so people can see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Speaking about his more recent storyline in which his wife Dintle sleeps with his dad and then his cousin, he defends: “It shows that family bonds can be broken and, at the end of the day, we just need to come together. It’s also a story about love. Mangi truly loves this girl and believes she can change. How many people go through that – where they believe in someone and that person keeps hurting them?”
Mangi has gone through a series of life-altering experiences: imprisonment, the downward spiral he experienced as a drug addict, and more. He also has his residual daddy issues.
He reveals, “He’s made peace with the fact that his daddy is who he is. He also knows his dad is a poison in his life. But he is always giving him a second chance.”
With Sello Maake KaNcube having left the show, the storyline ended with Mangi severing ties with him.
Back to his Instagram videos, he explains, “As someone who has been in the industry for over 16 years, I have seen how it has changed. And, for me, it’s not changing for the better, it’s changing for the worse. We are trying to copy Hollywood but we are not meeting those standards in terms of the production, salaries and so on.
“I’ve seen how television has changed from it being about talent to it becoming about numbers and how many followers you have. I started those videos to show the true side of the industry. There are a lot of young people who come to the industry as aspiring actors and get a reality check. One of the things I talk about is the kids that spend over R250 000 to study performing arts. And they are hoping to get a job as an actor only to find that people are getting jobs, without any experience, just because they are big on social media.”
Is he worried about committing career suicide by being this vocal?
Modupe maintains, “I didn’t just jump into it blindly. It’s part of years and years of frustration. I feel that people need to know about it. I talk about how difficult it is as you can’t get a home or car loan as you are seen as a contractor. I talk about what it’s like to be at a funeral, mourning and having someone come up to you to take a picture, or a legendary person dying a pauper… I talk about issues that I go through. I know I’m going to p*** off some people. But at least I have had my say and my kids can learn to be vocal too.”
He also looks at how territorial channels are with actors who are unable to cross floors but aren’t incentivised for their loyalty.
Although he has been approached with offers of a talk show, he isn’t keen on going that route as he is not okay with censorship of the issues he wants to address.
Modupe’s outspokenness is saluted by some and dismissed by others, but there’s no denying that he’s setting an unprecedented trend.
Scandal airs on e.tv at 7.30pm, on weekdays.