Actor Matshepo Sekgopi opens the lid on life in the acting industry.
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The River star Matshepo Sekgopi’s, renowned for playing Dimpho, humble beginnings shaped her view and perspective of the world and what it had to offer despite her reserved persona. 

From when she was a child growing up in Kagiso, West Rand, the 25-year-old actor enjoyed dipping her feet in the world of creative arts and drama. 

She started out with beauty pageants, which opened her eyes to the world of performance and opportunities in the world of arts.  

“My parents noted the things I was interested in when I was younger. I’d juggle school and beauty pageants," Sekgopi remembers.

“Because I was exposed to the arts and performance at a younger age, my family decided to hire an agent who managed to get me auditions… I went to a series of them but nothing was coming through. I later lost faith in getting any voiceovers or acting gigs but didn’t stop auditioning.” 

When she least expected, she got a call from Bomb Productions informing her that she had nabbed the role of Zingi in popular SABC 1 show Soul Buddyz.

“I was getting compliments for my acting, people were telling me that ‘this was just the beginning for you, you’re still going to go far’ – that’s when I told myself ‘this is what I need to do growing up’.”

Then her role as Ntombi in Zone 14 sparked numerous other gigs in A Place Called Home, Isibaya and Ingoma.

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“Thereafter, things went quiet, that’s when I realised that in this career things pop and at times they go quiet. I guess those are the obstacles a freelancer goes through."

Despite the numerous characters she had portrayed over the years, Sekgopi believes that Dimpho in The River, playing alongside hugely talented cast including Moshidi Motshegwa, Sindi Dlathu, Presley Chweneyagae and Hlomla Dandala was her breakout role in 2018.

“Portraying Dimpho at first was very tricky but somewhat second nature to me. Being surrounded by all these Thespians, I felt that I had to bring it. They were not afraid to look ugly or vulnerable on television – which motivated me to believe that I too can also get there," Sekgopi says.

“I embraced the cast and crew and told myself that I was given a wonderful opportunity to portray a real black child who had all these big dreams.” 

Sekgopi has formed true bonds on the show. She is still in touch with Motshegwa, who portrayed her on-screen mother and controversially left the show after season one. Sekgopi considers her co-star Chweneyagae as a “true brother”.

“Everyone on set gets along; from the actors who live at the mansion, to the ones at the village, we are like one big happy family,” she says. 

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