Thembinkosi Mthembu is at the right place at the right time, ready to be catapulted into the career of his dreams. 

The first discovery I make about the 28-year-old actor is that he prefers to be interviewed in his native isiZulu, and is not interested in compromising about it. Out of curiosity, I ask him why, and he responds with amusement.

“The truth is I can’t fully express myself in English. People assume that I’m being stubborn — it’s not that at all. I’m working on improving my English,” he says.

But nothing is lost in translation when it comes to Mthembu’s onscreen performances — he’s simply riveting to watch. Before his breakout role in The River, playing bad boy Mabutho, Mthembu had not-so-memorable small roles in The Gamechangers, Kalushi: The story of Solomon Mahlangu, and The Stream.

It’s through his supporting role as Junior in drama series The Republic that he gained the attention of Mzansi and of producers Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon. The pair promised to write him a supporting role in their other show, The River. Mthembu’s character has since grown into a lead role on the show.

“The first time I was told that I would play the lead I was shocked, because I know the leads of the show. Growing up, I admired actors such as Sindi Dlathu and Hlomla Dandala, and to be ranked among actors of such a calibre was an honour and a validation that I’m doing something right,” he says.

Mthembu’s upbringing mirrors that of Mabutho in that they both come from humble beginnings. Refusing to let his environment determine his destiny, Mthembu sought a life that was bigger than his home township of KwaNdengezi in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

“Our idols were few and [people] seldom aspired to anything greater than the life to which they had become accustomed,” he says.

Young Mthembu’s passion for soccer outshone the love he had for drama, but in the face of the prospect of a short-lived soccer career he fully immersed himself in the world of the dramatic arts.

“I have loved the arts since primary school. Wherever there was dancing and singing you would most likely find me in the commotion. I continued with drama in high school — I won’t lie, I took it because it was easy and I wanted to finish school,” he admits.

Determined to become an actor, Mthembu enrolled at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) pursuing a drama diploma, despite his family’s scepticism and disapproval. “When I told them that I was studying to become an actor they would tease me by saying that I wanted to become like Sibusiso Dlomo (the late Menzi Ngubane’s role in Generations),” he says. 

“My father would often question me about my decision to go into acting, reminding me of my background and that my place was here [KwaNdengezi] with them.”

Encouraged by his DUT mentor, after completing his studies Mthembu relocated to Joburg in 2018 in pursuit of an acting career.

“In my family, I am the first to have a home in Joburg. So now I’m like the gateway for those coming up behind me who are in pursuit of a life bigger than KwaNdengezi,” he says.

Five years into his acting career, Mthembu is in awe at what he has accomplished. “I’m happy where I am in my career. In the beginning, it was difficult to enter the industry, but since then I’ve been fortunate to work on the right productions. Even the roles that I’ve played have been good,” he says.

Mthembu, who has always dreamed of being part of a Shaka Zulu production, is now living the dream, having been cast in the upcoming series Shaka ILembe.

“To be part of Shaka ILembe has been a dream come true, because I know that this drama series is going to be around for a long time. What we are re-creating is not a fairy tale or a fictional story that was created by someone — these are true events. There are families, people, tribal kings who experienced what we are portraying,” he says.

“Many people will be scrutinising the language in the show, our demeanour, and the way we carry ourselves as Zulu royalty. On the other hand, there will be others who will tuning in for our performance and the beauty of KZN.”

Mthembu portrays King Dingiswayo in the show.

His wish is to pass his heritage on to his three-year-old daughter, who he hopes will be proud of what her father has accomplished.

 “To be part of the history of the Zulu culture is an honour. To know that one day, when my daughter is taught about Shaka Zulu, they will be shown the film of late actor Henry Cele and this new drama series. I’ll look back on this body of work with pride,” he says.

Mthembu continues to defy the odds in his acting career and life. His steadfast belief in his dream has seen him through adversity and has taught him resilience and to remain grounded in gratitude.

“There are many people like me who don’t come from good homes. I have experienced setbacks in my life and people telling me that I wouldn’t be able to act because I am not fluent in English. My advice to that someone would be to honour yourself. If you have set out to do something, do it with your heart and mind.”