We’re a few weeks into season 3 of Lockdown, what are the highlights and challenges of portraying Monde this time around?
Every season comes with its unique challenges because the trajectory of the story is always different. Season 3 is a downward spiral for Monde, a lot of things are going wrong for her and being in that space is uncomfortable for anyone – whether you’re performing or experiencing it in real life. The greatest challenge is keeping the performances fresh and giving the character colour, so that the viewers always look forward to the different sequences and colours in the performances.
The highlight is still being part of this powerful story and working with a production company like Black Brain, which prides itself in producing and telling ground breaking stories. Meeting and working with the team and the different characters is a great highlight. Shooting at Constitutional Hill has also been absolutely great. It bears testament to our country’s history and having that meaningful space as a platform to showcase my talent has been lovely.
What are some of the similarities and differences between Monde and Zola?
Once you get into a character, there’s no time to be thinking about what you would or wouldn’t do. You need to live in that moment, as truthfully as you can. What I love and appreciate about Monde is the resilience she has, which for me sums up the strength and superpowers we as women have.
Monde’s strength, tenacity and ability to get back up is something I truly admire about her. That us something I consciously embed in my mind – you need to remember that whatever hardships you encounter, you always need to have that inner fire and fight.
What four items can’t you live without?
- I’m a tomboy so I can’t live without my cap
- Sunglasses
- I love experimenting with different hair. I also love and enjoy seeing the ‘different’ people that live within me that come to play when I switch up my hairstyle
- Mascara
With spring approaching, what fitness tips would you give readers who are looking to get in shape?
I’m currently a huge fan of lifting weights – they’re great for women and have helped me shape my body the way I want to. As ladies, we’re often intimidated by weights and believe that the only way to lose weight is to do a lot of cardio, which isn’t necessarily true. There are great benefits to lifting weights and I think ladies should embrace them – we’re very strong and our bodies are capable of doing so much more than we think.
How do you remain grounded and true to yourself?
What anchors me is my greater plan – I always try to remain true to the greater plan I have, which is the slip up some artists encounter on this journey. If there is no greater plan, you end up doing things for the sake of it which results in you going wherever the wind blows. With that said, I am aware that there’s a lot of self-discovery that needs to happen.
Staying humble is also crucial. Being in the entertainment industry doesn’t make you bigger than life. We sometimes forget that things will always happen the way they’re meant to, you just need to know what it is that you stand for and be deliberate about the spaces you’re in and make sure those spaces are conducive to your career growth.
