Edward Tsumele

Edward Tsumele

The stage is set for a bruising battle for the coveted prize of Best Actress in this year's prestigious SA Television and Film Awards between Scandal's Nthati Moshesh and Generations' Sonia Sedibe.

The two leading actresses, whose roles in both soapies keep audiences glued to their small screens, will, come February 7, know whether it will be the late Ashley Callie who will be awarded the prestigious Golden Horn posthumously or if it will go to one of them.

When we broke the news of her nomination, Sedibe sounded surprised.

"We all know that the late Ashley Callie was a good actress. When I grew up, I looked up to Nthati Moshesh and aspired to be like her. She is such a brilliant actress. She's extremely good."

We remind her that she is also in the same league, and ask her if she thinks she will walk away with the prize?

She laughs shyly and stammers: "I don't know. I don't really know how good an actress am I compared to the two. I am so happy that eventually someone decided I deserved the recognition."

Said Moshesh, who like Sonia did not know that she was nominated: "The nomination is a lovely validation of what you do by the industry. I really feel honoured. To be nominated in the same category as Ashley and Sonia is like being nominated by your friends. I have known Sonia for 15 years. Ashley was someone I really clicked with.

"However, this is healthy competition between the three of us."

The award ceremony will take place at the State Theatre in Pretoria.