Local talented actress, Lerato Motswarakgole is back on the small screen. She recently made her comeback on the popular SABC 1 daily soapie, Generations. She had a short stint with the South African soapie late last year.
Lerato plays the role of a fourth year Criminology student, Zimbini Tlhaole. Zimbini is Dineo Tlhaole’s (Editor of Gloss Magazine in the soapie) half sister with a passion for fashion.
Lerato said that she had a great time shooting her scenes over the past two months which will air in the next three months. “I had tons of fun shooting my character with Katlego Danke (Dineo) who plays as my half sister,” she said. She further said; “I am not very sure, but I think my storyline will be on air from September until November.”
As if that is not enough, Lerato is currently busy rehearsing for a play called Land van Skeedels for Aarklop 2013, directed by Nicola Hanekom. “I feel very lucky and blessed to be able to do theatre and television production at the same time,” the hard working Capetown-based actress shared.
Hanekom is an accomplished South African actress who has written and directed plays and physical theatre for stage. Her short film is called Maar anyway, nog ‘n Dooie Feeverhaal and she has appeared in various television shows such as Isidingo, Charlie Jade, Plek van die Vleisvreters and Transito for kykNET, just to name a few.
Lerato struck a resonant note with theatre lovers when she was nominated as the only female at the time, for a Fleur Du Cap Award, which is the highest theatre accolade in South Africa.
She made her debut television appearance in BBC’s Silent Witness, followed by SABC 2’s Stokvel and eTV’s Mzansi Love Kasi Style. She also features in an international production shot last year, titled Flight of the Storks, which premiered internationally to great reviews. The movie is a television adaptation of Jean-Christophe Granges novel with the same title and was directed by the legendary French director, Jan Kounen.
The lead role is played by Harry Treadaway, whose star is rising having worked with the legendary Johnny Depp in the Lone Ranger. Other African actors in the movie include Grant Swanby and Richard Lunkunku.
Lerato has also set her eyes on developing the craft of acting locally and is currently planning acting workshops and bootcamps that will be staged across the country. “With the help of my South African co-workers and friends within the arts industry, this initiative will materialise,” she told Time Out.
Some of her friends who are part of this initiative are Thato Molamu, who plays as Nicholas on Generations, Motlatsi Mafatshe (Sechaba on Isidingo) and Chris Mapane who is a celebrated comedian and professional video model having stared in one of Dj Zinhle’s hit tracks alongside David Kau. Lerato also aspires to produce radio plays under her company in future.
In an interview with this publication, Mafatshe said that it was a great initiative to help nurture the growth of performing arts locally since a lot of people can be absorbed by the industry and thereby, bridging high unemployment rates. “It’s a great honour for me to be part of this incredible initiative and I pray and hope that it grows tremendously,” Mafatshe told Time Out.