On Friday afternoon, it was impossible to avoid the gloomy mood. Shona Ferguson, 47, was no longer with us. She had passed away.
A lot of people hoped that the news on social media was fake at first, and they were right. Nonetheless, as time went on, the painful reality of the situation became clear.
An official spokesperson for Ferguson Films confirmed that Shona died at noon on Friday, July 30, 2021, as a result of Covid-19-associated complications.
As a result, tributes from colleagues, friends, and fans have flooded social media in the wake of the incident.
Hona was a creative gem and a visionary, according to Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Shona Ferguson’s family and friends have expressed their sorrow by expressing their support for her.
Shona Ferguson, a media mogul, passed away.
The most memorable television roles that Shona Ferguson has played
WATCH: Speaking with Shona Ferguson about the film ‘Kings of Johannesburg’ and his meteoric rise as a producer: “He was a media mogul, innovator, and pioneer who possessed an unquenchable thirst for success.
The family of Connie and her friends are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
In addition, we express our condolences to the entire industry as a whole.” God grant him eternal peace.”
The experience would have been memorable regardless of whether you knew him personally, were acquainted with his work, or simply happened to meet him by chance.
In addition to his muscular physique, he was distinguished by his signature tattoos as well as his short boxed beard. Everybody he came into contact with adored him because of his gregarious demeanor.
When it came to work, he had a level head on his shoulders. His wife of 19 years, Connie, and he co-owned Ferguson Films.
Having started the production company in 2010, they have seen tremendous growth since then.
A power couple in Mzansi, they were feted. In fact, they were the epitome of the term “model citizen.”
Shona and Connie Ferguson are a couple from the United Kingdom. Illustration taken from Instagram
It was a team effort, both at work and in their play. The kind of balance they achieved was difficult to maintain, but they did so with apparent ease.
Anyone who followed them on social media could tell that they were both passionate about their families, good television, exercise, and travel.
Together with his wife, Shona is the father of an adult daughter named Alicia Angel, as well as a stepdaughter named Lesedi and a stepgrandson named Ronewa, among others.
Among their critically acclaimed productions are “The Queen,” “The Throne,” “Igazi,” “Rockvillle,” “The Impostor,” “The Gift,” “Unmarried,” and “Kings of Joburg.” They are also the owners of one of South Africa’s leading production companies. Numerous up-and-coming actors received their start thanks to them.
But the couple was not immune to controversy, and they endured their fair share of adversity during their time together. Shona and Connie, on the other hand, took it all in stride and handled it with admirable poise.
It has been several years since I first spoke with Shona about his career as an actor, and our conversations go back to that time. The result was that those conversations turned into casual catch-ups.
Connie began his acting career as Karabo Moroka on Mfundi Vundla’s popular SABC1 soapie “Generations,” where he became well-known. Ace was the role that he was cast in!
Later in April 2006, he switched to SABC2 and Duma Ndlovu’s Venda drama, “Muvhango,” which he starred in as a Venda warrior. Dr Leabua was a character that he effortlessly slipped into, and the audience adored him.
The actor has also appeared in the television series “Isidingo: The Need” and the drama “Scandal” on the e.tv network.
Ferguson has appeared in a number of television shows since establishing Ferguson Films.
When it came to acting, he was extremely serious about his craft. When it came to putting on his character, he would meticulously plan everything out.
It was important to him that each piece be distinct. A strong emotional connection with the audience was important to him. And, perhaps more importantly, he refused to be confined to a single role.
‘Scandal’ star Shona Ferguson portrays Alex. Illustration courtesy of the author.
To be sure, whenever I approached him about doing an interview for a new project, his response was always an unequivocal “Yes.” With his hectic schedule (he worked on every project himself), he made time to sit down and talk with me.
Our most recent interview was for the Netflix series “Kings of Joburg” in December of this year. The conversation took place over a Zoom call because we were on lockdown and socially isolated.
It seems like yesterday when I think back on it.
“You know, Connie, I was telling you the other day that you are probably the only journalist out there who will ask me for an interview and I will say, “Okay.” That made my heart sing.
Out of his delight at being the first show to air on the streaming service, he was especially pleased with himself for “Kings of Jo’burg,” a testosterone-fueled series that he felt “flipped the script.”
“We had done so many female-centric shows as a company, and, well, since the inception of Ferguson Films, the majority of our shows have been predominantly female-centric,” he explained further. Indeed, even a show with predominantly male actors in the cast, such as “Rockville,” was a female-dominated production.
The female-centric approach seemed to be the current fashion in South African television, according to the producers: We’ve begun to consider the possibility of producing a show that is primarily geared toward men in the next year or two. The genesis of the original concept was in this way:
Fast forward a couple of years, and I knew right away that the show would be titled ‘Kings of Joburg,’ there was no doubt about it.”
This is the cast of the television series ‘Kings of Jo’burg’ Netflix provided the image for this article.
Ferguson Films began a new era with the release of “Kings of Joburg.”
According to him, “This is the first show that we, as a company, are completely in control of.” Our very first show is the one that we have purchased. It is impossible for us to claim ownership of any of the shows that air on television. To be completely honest, I don’t believe any other platform could have provided us with this opportunity to learn more about ourselves.
Almost as if this is the first time I’ve been involved in a manufacturing process.
It could be argued that the film “Kings of Jo’burg” served as a metaphor for Shona’s meteoric rise to stardom within the entertainment industry.
We lost a true industry titan far too soon. The wings he spread are now in the presence of the Almighty.
Despite his passing, I am confident that Connie will continue to honor his memory. To his family, we extend our heartfelt condolences.