Luyanda Shezi knows that being herself will pay off

“Pace yourself in the industry.” That’s the advice budding actor Luyanda Shezi got from veteran actors Dawn Thandeka King and Hamilton Dhlamini who play her on-screen parents in the explosive telenovela, DiepCity.  

Shezi plays the role of 17-year-old Lungile Jele who she claims is a representation of "ama2000” because of her street-smart and jovial personality. Lungile has a very strict mother, embodied by Thandeka King, who always keeps her in check, and an unemployed father, played by Dhlamini, who does his best to make ends meet.

The experience of being kidnapped and tortured turned Lungile into a hard nut who strives at everything to be able to leave Diepsloot.

Having aired on South African television sets for two seasons, the tempestuous show is drawing closer to its last episode scheduled for March 3.

“I never thought acting could be a profession. I thought the performer in me was a part of my personality,” the budding actor tells SMag.

"I was that child who was very playful. I would run around the house singing, dancing and acting out some of the lines from shows such as The Bold and The Beautiful and Passions. Little did I know I’d become an actor myself.”

Although she chose a life in front of the camera, Shezi holds a BA in forensic criminology and a law degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

“It has been a phenomenal experience because I come from a different socio-economic background myself. I was brought up in a suburb and I went to a good school, so having to embody a character that didn’t get those chances was eye-opening, especially how the way she works hard just to make it out of Diepsloot.

“This role put me in the shoes of someone who lives a different life to the one I’m used to. I also loved going back to playing a young person because you get to tap into their imagination, dreams and ambitions... and their ignorance.”

Her unmatched acting skills and youthful appearance caught the eye of the award-winning creator and director, Mandla N, the founder of Black Brain Productions.

“I have formed many relationships with the people I worked with on the show. I’ve had insightful conversations that I will carry with me as I go ahead in the industry. What I loved the most was the wise words I received from my on-screen parents, Thandeka and Hamilton, which were to always remain professional and that acting is not all that glamorous,” says the 24-year-old actor.

“They told me how cut-throat the acting industry is and that there were negative sides to it but as long as I am still anchored to my passion, I will be able to sustain longevity and relevance.”  

Channelling the role of Lungile is not Shezi’s first acting gig. She was first exposed to the world of acting three years ago with a cameo role as Gugu on eTV’s Rhythm City.

“I have come to realise that there’s no formula to this acting thing. In my journey thus far, I realised that there are so many rules and gatekeepers but the trick that I told myself is to be truly and purely me, Luyanda Shezi, and someone will notice. I don’t plan to compare myself to anyone just so that I remain sane and focused."

And the future?

“I would like to one day act as a villain on a series or telenovela but the role must be a young person. I’ve never tapped into a character that’s not an obvious storyline… a role of a young person who had to grow up quicker than her peers and is faced with a decision that they have no choice but to take. I think a role like that would be very dynamic.”