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Netflix’s Young, Famous & African is back for a second season. Ahead of the season two premiere, City Press sat down with some of the cast and crew to talk about what South Africans can expect from the new season.
The show follows a group of affluent young media stars in Johannesburg, South Africa, as they build their careers, look for love and rekindle old flames.
The cast includes Khanyi Mbau, Annie Macaulay-Idibia, Zari Hassan, Diamond Platnumz, Andile Ncube, Swanky Jerry, Naked DJ, Nadia Nakai, Kayleigh Schwark and 2Baba.
Joining the stellar cast this season are Ghanaian musician Francine Koffie, popularly known as Fantana, Namibian Luis Tshita Munana, a designer and former Big Brother Africa housemate, and South Africa's Queen B, Bonang Matheba.
I don’t watch reality TV like that, so I had to watch this show just to prepare for the interview. From the first season’s last episode and the first two episodes from the new one, what I figured was the show’s drama didn’t look to be scripted at all.
We are bound to experience some drama with Mbau, Diamond and Andile's very different personalities. They got real and did some questionable things like date their ‘friend’s’ baby mamas, crazy stuff.
Showrunner Shahir Chundra said they looked for a group of friends that were ‘real’ and could become better friends.
“There are real connections; we look for people who could come in and either challenge each other or become better friends. It’s a beautiful dynamic we’ve created,” he said.
READ: Viewing Analysis | Bonang is back on screen and there’s more SA TV trash
“Netflix brought a couple of strangers who are big stars where they come from. From day one, around that table at Khanyi’s event, Annie and I, for instance, clicked immediately.
“I got to learn about things I didn’t know about my hero, 2Baba. I was on Live. I remember when African Queen came out. It was the song that unleashed and tore all the borders in Africa, there was no African music in South Africa until 2Baba came here.
“To get that insight from someone who was a virtual stranger by then... The show is different.That’s why you see people you’d not ordinarily see in a reality show,” Andile said talking about what made the show feel authentic even with its focus on materialism.
What to expect, the highs and lows
According to the cast, viewers should expect 'Drama, drama and drama,' in this new season.
Nakai said that it was great having the gang together and meeting the new cast members, but the amount of drama this season was just a downer.
“There were a lot of unresolved issues, people with a lot disgruntled further, it just felt very dramatic,” she said.
Luis added that people could lose their humanity in terms of just saying things without consideration.
Season two of the show is streaming now on Netflix.
