Bahumi Mhlongo on losing roles because she’s famous
Katlego Sekhu
Bahumi Mhlongo recently joined Pearl Thusi and her daughter Thando on their podcast Say Less, where they discussed how celebrities do not always get equal opportunities in the television and film industry.
Reflecting on her own experiences, Bahumi shared that she understands both sides of the debate.
“Sometimes, people are picked for major roles simply because they have a strong social media presence,” she said.
“But there’s also the other side, where someone happens to be famous but is also genuinely talented. I can relate to that to some extent, because there were people who wouldn’t choose me for certain roles.”
Using her portrayal of Lebo Mathosa as an example, Bahumi explained that the producers had a specific vision in mind.
“It was a huge toss-up between me and others who weren’t famous. The producers wanted the younger Lebo Mathosa to represent the everyday person, which is why they made the auditions open to the public. The older Lebo Mathosa, however, would be someone the audience already loved.”
She recalled auditioning like any other hopeful after seeing the open call online.
“After my second audition, they told me I did really well. But the only issue was that they wanted someone unknown for that role.”
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