“Outlaws”, this November returns for a new season on Mzansi Magic, with a new Sihle.
Actress Noluthando Ngema will replace Nirvana Nokwe, who portrayed Sihle Biyela in the first season of the epic drama.
Ngema can’t wait to see herself on screen, as this is her first-ever TV break, and she is looking forward to seeing how viewers will react to the new season.
For her audition, the young actress, sent in a self-tape and had to wait weeks before getting a call back. During that waiting period, she kept having dreams of people telling her they’d seen her on television.
“I even bumped into strangers who said they loved my work, and I’d think, ‘I haven’t done any TV work yet!’ To me, it felt like confirmation that something great was on the way. When I finally got the call, they said they loved my audition tape and invited me for a chemistry test. And the rest, as they say, is history.”
To prepare for the role, Ngema had a few acting sessions with actress, director, and acting coach Ferry Jele. “She is such a sweetheart,” gushes Ngema.
“The sessions were so casual that they didn’t even feel like formal acting lessons. She helped ease me into understanding Sihle and getting a deeper connection to the character. I also did some character studies, watching other roles that I felt resonated with Sihle, to help me bring out the elements I wanted to tap into.”
Ngema also read a few books and spent time studying people, which helped her embody the character.
During the shooting of “Outlaws,” Ngema fell off a horse twice, admitting that horseback riding proved to be a challenge for her. “I’ve done horseback riding before, but it was my first time galloping, when the horse goes full speed.
“It completely caught me off guard; I didn’t expect it. One moment, I felt like I was flying, and the next, I was on the ground. It was fun, though.”
Another scene that was particularly difficult for Ngema was probably the very last scene. She explains that not only was it such an emotional and intense scene for Sihle, but also for her as an actor.
“The minute the director called ‘cut’, Sihle’s tears became my very own, because we both, in that moment, were bidding farewell to something so dear and precious to us. That was quite hard.”
Other new cast members, including Thandolwethu Zondi as Thunzi Biyela and Mamodibe Ramodibe as Buang.
“Outlaws” season 2 is set to start on Mzansi Magic from Saturday, November 22.
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