Feast your eyes on the December ‘celebration’ issue of SMag, out tomorrow

Ke summer bosso!

Take a first look at the December “celebration”issue of SMag, out tomorrow. The edition is anchored by a new vanguard of “It” stars on the small screen. 

Noted for her roles in Netflix’s iNumber Number, Jozi Gold and Silverton Siege, Noxolo Dlamini will remember 2023 as a blessed year. This is the year she turned 30, won a prestigious SA Film and Television Award, debuted in the political thriller Death of a Whistleblower at the Toronto International Film Festival, and returned to stage with the Magnificent 7 at the South African State Theatre. And all of it happened in September, her birthday month.

From risqué series Fatal Seduction to period drama 1802: Love Defies Time, dancer-cum-actor Prince Grootboom has been an unstoppable force in 2023.

Everywhere Skeem Saam actor Hellen Motsuki goes she is met with adoring fans shouting “Melita!” Her femme-fatale onscreen persona has rocked Mzansi in the deliciously pulpy and darkly twisted storyline about infidelity. Motsuki loves all the attention – it has taken her over a decade to score a career-defining role. 

Below are some highlights from their cover stories:

Motsuki on being left shaken when a viewer threatened to beat her up while she was shopping over Melita’s infidelity storyline: I was minding my own business when this woman hit me on the heel with her trolley. I thought that it was accidental. When I looked back at her, she started to curse me out.

I was confused – until she threatened to slap Melita. To protect myself and my son, who was terrified, I left the trolley there with my groceries and walked away. When I got to the car I was still shaken. It took me about two days before I could laugh about it.

Happily married Motsuki on portraying a home-wrecker onscreen: I needed help, in particular with the romantic side of her, because when she was first introduced she was a humble and focused career woman who didn’t have time for men.

When they switched to her being a home-wrecker, it took a lot of work. I have been married for such a long time and have forgotten how to even flirt. I had to practice on my husband and use puppy eyes. As a married woman I had to understand that a woman like Melita feels no guilt.

Grootboom on filming those scorching love scenes on Fatal Seduction: The first couple of intimate scenes were uncomfortable. However, after a couple of weeks’ shooting, I got comfortable. It was always a closed set, which added to the comfort and safety when shooting nude. We rehearsed all the sex scenes two weeks prior to shooting.

Kate Lush and her team of intimacy coordinators would fly in and help. We had to give our consent before we started shooting and wardrobe would be on standby, waiting to cover us after we were done. They wanted everyone to be safe. It was a beautiful seven months, and I would do it again.

Dlamini on playing Nala in The Lion King’s international tour in 2018: I didn’t just decide that I’m done with The Lion King, I was let go. They felt that my voice wasn’t consistent – every night they were like, ‘Is it going to be great or is it just going to be OK?’... In the first leg of the tour when we were in the Philippines, they were very supportive. Then we went to Singapore and things started shifting, and I felt it.

I asked, but they were protecting me. Then we had the meeting. But it was OK because it was so hard – getting out of bed was difficult. I couldn’t pray because I felt like, ‘Why do I keep getting to spaces and not being good enough?’