Fall in love with the ‘ninjas’ of Is’Thunzi all over again

Is’Thunzi took the country by storm when it first aired on Mzansi Magic. The drama series about the lives of four close-knit friends was quickly labelled one of the best shows on television.

And earlier this month, Thuso Mbedu, who plays Winnie, attended the International Emmy Awards in New York. She was nominated in the Best Performance by an Actress category, which is a huge testament to her art.

The show has obviously made the world sit up and pay attention. Here are a few reasons why.

Meet the ninjas

If you have real friends in your life, you should count yourself very lucky. We’re not just talking about those people who are there for you in the good times, but the ones who stick around when life knocks you down.

If you still don’t know what that looks or feels like, just take a look at Winnie, Thishiwe, Londi and Noxolo. These friends, who refer to themselves as “ninjas”, are the ultimate friendship goals.

As young as they are, they’ve had some of the saddest and harshest life experiences we’ve seen on TV. Imagine losing your parents and having to fend for yourself or being falsely accused of witchcraft because of something your mother did – these are just some of the battles these young women face on the show.

And, for this reason, their bond becomes stronger each day. They’re proof that life is better when you have real people in your corner.

International recognition

Thuso Mbedu, who plays Winnie, was evidently the breakout star of the show. Don’t get us wrong, every single actor gave a stellar performance and they all deserve awards. However, for two years in a row, it was Thuso who grabbed international attention.

The 27-year-old actress, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal, was nominated in the Best Performance by an Actress category at the International Emmy Awards. Her first nomination was in 2017 and she received a nod again this year.

Earlier in November, Thuso attended the awards in New York City and had many fans rooting for her. Although she didn’t win, we couldn't be prouder. She noted that going to the awards was a beautiful way to end the year.

Emotional rollercoaster

You’d better get those tissues ready because you don’t know when you might need them. At the beginning of this article, we introduced you to the ninjas and briefly told you about their life stories.

As you can imagine, watching people go through hardships – even though it’s just a TV show – is not easy. It doesn’t help that everyone on Is’Thunzi is a brilliant actor and makes you feel like what they’re portraying on TV is real life.

Will you cry? Yes, definitely. You might even have moments where you’ll want to press pause just to process all those emotions.

This proves just how good the show is. It has managed to take real-life stories and turned them a hit drama series that’s also relatable.

You can follow the ninjas’ lives by streaming the first season of Is’Thunzi on Showmax right now.

Stream season 1 of Is’Thunzi on Showmax »

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This article was paid for by Showmax.