ZULUBOY: ‘I WAS CONTACTED TO PLAY THE ROLE’
Zuluboy, real name is Mxolisi Madjozi tells The Citizen that he was cast to play the role of Mlungisi on Umkhokha: The Curse.
The actor adds that the role was given to My Brother’s Keeper actor Nkanyiso Mchunu without a warning.
“I was initially contacted to play the role of Mlungisi. However, I was not informed when they decided to recast the role. They didn’t explain anything to me. There was no communication whatsoever.”
“They recast me without letting me know. And I had flown all the way to Durban. I was living for seven days in a boutique hotel in La Lucia.”
Madjozi adds that they delivered the scripts, but he was never called to come to work.
The actor adds that he had several conversations with the production team, HR, and their legal team, but an amicable solution was still not reached.
Nkanyiso Mchunu who portrayed the popular character exited the show in September 2023 when his character committed suicide.
Zuluboy was cast to play Nkanyiso Mchunu’s role, Mlungisi in ‘Umkhokha: The Curse’
Zuluboy says he was cast to play Nkanyiso Mchunu’s role, Mlungisi in ‘Umkhokha: The Curse’. Images via X @mmutugutugu and @phil_mphela
MLUNGISI: ‘UMKHOKHA: THE CURSE’
Zuluboy also tells the publication that he decided to take legal action against Umkhokha: The Curse because he feels that South African artists are not respected.
“We, as artists in this country, have always been used and abused. No one is bigger than these production houses and no one is bigger than the channel. No one is bigger than anything. And we can’t complain.”
“We can’t say anything because we are simply scared that they’re going to cancel us or do whatever. I’m taking a stand to make them know that they should respect artists.”
An insider from Umkhokha: The Curse reveals to Zimoja that Zuluboy was on set for a week as he was sent to work but didn’t end up working.
“He wasted a good five days, reading scripts and practicing and this was later changed, and he was not given the role. He was made to believe he had the part and signed a contract, only to find out that Nkanyiso was given the part.”
The source adds that efforts by the production to counterpart were made but they were not to the actor’s satisfaction as he decided to take the legal route.