- Mbalenhle Mavimbela resturns to the screen to play a lead role in Isiphetho: Destiny.
- She enjoys her character's independent storyline and seeing the series show new faces.
- After tackling the wine business, Mbalenhle is exploring the world of DJing with small gigs.
Mbalenhle Mavimbela is back on our screens with a role that parallels her journey to realising her dreams.
She takes on the character Buhle Zondo in eTV’s latest telenovela Isiphetho: Destiny, a woman who searches for independence only to realise it’s not as easy as she thinks. She keeps striving to leave Mzimhlophe but finds herself falling in love with where she is, doing what she truly loves.
Now that she’s back on the demanding set of a long-form series, TRUELOVE got a moment of her time in between shooting.
A telenovela queen
She tells us her favourite part about bringing Buhle to life.
“I think right now what I’m enjoying about her is that she is fighting to be independent. She’s fighting to follow her dreams … She doesn’t care about relationships, family or the noise around her, the main focus is to just find people that will help her achieve or reach her dreams.
“And I’m enjoying that because I feel like a lot of women have stepped up to that, to following their dreams, starting businesses and not being afraid so I really like that or I’m learning something from Buhle.”
READ MORE | Gugu Gumede is the cutthroat Connie in eTV’s Isiphetho: Destiny
Mbalenhle is back to working with past industry colleagues like Tsholofelo Maseko – who plays Portia in Isiphetho: Destiny – plus she also gets a chance to contribute to shaping fresh faces on the show like Noxolo Shabalala and Nokuthula Mazibuko.
As someone who got her first role on eTV’s Isipho, Mbalenhle says, “I honestly believe in new faces and seeing fresh talent but I also believe in having experienced actors to balance out because I was also once a new face and it was on eTV because it was my first role.
“So, I think they’re very big on going with new faces or giving us opportunities, which is amazing, and they balance it with the experienced people so that you learn from them. Because I came in as a new face in 2019 and learning from people who are also experienced is also something.”
Exploring different avenues
As much as Mbalenhle was made for the screen, she is adamant about not being boxed into one category, whether it’s in the entertainment industry or outside of it.
This ambition pushed her to start her own wine business while acting in what she describes as the biggest break of her career, The Wife, as it was ending. However, she admits that, “I started that business not even knowing what I’m getting myself into or not even doing enough research, so, that was a struggle.”
READ MORE | Mbalenhle Mavimbela on how The Wife's Hlomu inspired her wine brand - 'Everything always aligns'
Mbalenhle also decided to start her own production company and does masterclasses called Behind the Lens where she offers full-day on-set experiences for aspiring filmmakers.
But who would’ve thought the woman behind bringing to life enthralling characters like The Wife’s Hlomu and Isiphetho: Destiny’s Buhle has a knack for DJing?
Having held small gigs at places like Shimza’s The Hang Awt restaurant in Tembisa, Mbalenhle explains how she got into the world of spinning decks.
“Funny thing is that my friend called me and said, ‘Mbali, do you understand that I’ve always told you that you need to DJ because your taste in music is weird. Every genre, you listen to every kind of music’, and I’ve never really paid attention to that.
“My dad wasn’t a DJ but he had a DJ mixer at home, so he was playing around every time when we had family gatherings. I saw myself seeing an interest in it, but I didn’t really know how to get into that industry. So, you know you look at industries from like a distance and you’re like, that looks really cool, and I like what they’re doing but I don’t know how to get into it.
“So, then it wasn’t a thing where I was like okay, I’ll DJ one day or I have the love or passion for DJing. It was just one of those things where I’m like, okay, here are DJing lessons, here’s a opportunity, I’m always willing to learn and expand myself. I’ll never box myself to just being an actor, why not try it out.”
Taking time for herself
With all of these different ventures Mbalenhle has her hands in, the 27-year-old boy mom does what she can to prioritise breaks like travelling and spa days so that she can give her all to her almost two-year-old little one.
“My day to day is waking up and going to set but if I’m not going to set, I don’t miss a spa day, I make sure I take care of myself first. Like my son, I always speak to him to understand that I have to prioritise myself bro, like if I’m not okay, how am I going to be happy for you or take care of you or give you good energy! So, literally it’s prioritising a spa day or meditation day at a nice wellness centre.”
