Netflix released its latest South African series, The Brave Ones from highly acclaimed director and actor, Akin Omotoso. The supernatural series journeys through three parallel words of the living, the unborn and the dead governed by the Tree of Life. The series stars some of SA’s best talent; Yule Masiteng, Sthandiwe Kgoroge and Bonko Khoza.
The series has been met with great reviews from critics, audience and industry peers. We chat to the show’s leading lady, Sthandile Nkosi who plays Ntsiki Gasa. Soshanguve’s Sthandile Nkosi, is a 29 year old BTech Drama and Theatre graduate who majored in Script Writing and Directing. The rising star actor with a desire for the arts speaks to us about her come up, landing her big role, the loss of her best friend, how to have the perfect skin this summer and what’s next for her all-mighty goddess.
Continue below for our full-length conversation, edited for conciseness.
As a way of introducing yourself, please tell us who Sthandile Nkosi is and where she comes from?
S: I’m Sthandile Nkosi, I’m a 29 year old theatre practitioner/film actress. I’m from Soshanguve, Pretoria. I studied Drama majoring in Script Writing and Directing. I have a BTech and diploma in the field.
What was your childhood like?
S: I had a very happy childhood. As far as being sheltered as a child is concerned, as far as having had both parents in my life is concerned. I’m the only girl child, with three male siblings, and I’m the last born. I was a very shy child, kept to myself. I didn’t really enjoy interacting with other kids. The only thing I enjoyed was watching television – watching dramas and trying to find out how people created characters and I was very fascinated with how people could just be whatever they wanted to be on screen and actually portray that. So for me that was my childhood – I loved sewing, I loved creating dresses for my dolls; I loved drawing; anything that was artsy. I would lock myself in my room and play with my dolls; create sketches and act in front of the mirror.
With the series being in our native languages, what do you believe is the importance of Africans telling their stories in their native languages on such a global platform?
S: I think it’s quite significant for Africans to tell their stories in our native tongue on global platforms because we are representing out ancestors, we are running for the people who couldn’t run. We are telling the stories in an authentic way. Even for us as actors, when I speak isiZulu I’m able to be descriptive and be comfortable on who I am addressing. For example, if I’m speaking about my father’s brothers, English can be limited – the only word is uncle while in isiZulu I can give specifications on my uncles (bab’omncane for young brothers, ubab’omkhulu for the eldest uncle) which gives it such a beautifully richness and allows us to delve deeper in the story.
We are also able to tell our stories to the aunties and uncles who may not understand English. It is important to always know who you are representing in your stories. The Brave Ones is speaking to people who are African, people from ekasi (the townships), the people whose land has been taken away from them, we are talking to those people and we are saying to them, take up your power you have so much power in you, your bloodline and family – you are royalty. Our native languages help us to go into our emotions with ease. That’s the importance of speaking our native languages. Emotions are universal, the message will reach our intended audience.
With the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, what type of stories would you like to be a part of
S: I would love to be a part of action driven stories. Stories that have to do with African history. I’ve enjoyed creating modern African history and working around what it means to be an African. It is important for the world to see those stories and I don’t feel that we have enough of those stories. I would love to be a part of stories dealing with African royalty – I would love to be an African Princess. I would love to play in a fairy-tale story like Cinderella with an African flair. I would love to create or star in a biopic.
What is your dream role?
S: An African Princess/Goddess. A traditional healer. I would love to be in a biopic for example being Amandla Stenberg. I would also love a role that will push me physically. I love how American actors can be given so much time to prepare for a role and truly transform to fit the character. If I need to have a six pack for a role, let’s DO IT. I would love to truly transform for a character and I believe SA is gradually getting there.
You run your own Youtube Channel, Perfectly Imperfect Me, what skin care routine would you recommend for anyone this summer?
S: Oh man, this summer is going to be really hot. My advice: it’s important to exfoliate – because when you exfoliate you removing dead skin cells and you allowing new skin cells to come up and they make your skin youthful and brighter.
It’s important to think about hydration. When we think about hydration we tend to overlook water. Get a toner (an essence toner is great) and then get a water bottle that you can use to spray your face and add moisturiser on your face. You giving yourself enough hydration. I suffer from TEWL – Transepidermal water loss. Your skin losses lots of water resulting in dry skin. So add enough hydration on your skin. Even if it dries up, your skin is like a sponge it will absorb it.
Get your vitamin C! Just make sure you do a patch test. Get sunscreen. Skin masks. Know what your skin type is. Do your own skin research. Add oils. Even at night time have a night time routine and always have a lovely smile. Energy always makes you look good.
Who would you take on a date? Dead or alive?
Alive – Jordan Peele – I would love to pick his brain. How he does his work, how he created the brand he made for himself and how to work for him LOL.
Akin Omotoso – also to pick his brain, how he does it all. How he went from Generations to Disney and Netflix originals and how I as an actor can achieve all that. I love challenging myself and growing my brand. So I’d love to surround myself with such people.
Dead- only my late uncle, ubab’omncane Doctor. He was my best friend and I unfortunately lost him a month before being cast in The Brave Ones. We would speak on the phone for hours on end about anything and everything. We would joke about how we would see each other on the 34th day of 13th month – which doesn’t exist. Lol. What that signified for me was an everlasting relationship together – it’s forever/ I’ll see you in another lifetime. The last conversation we had we joked as usual and he told me “I’m very much proud of you. I see you on TV. Keep on shining. Keep on being the person that you are” and we lost him a week later. I would love to take him on a date because I feel like he brought The Brave Ones to me. I was still in the mourning phase and I used my job to heal. I would say thank you for seeing me, thank you for seeing what kind of person I’d be before I saw it for myself. Thank you for always being my Angel. I’d love to catch up and tell him a whole lot of stuff. I’d give him his flowers and lots of love.
Why do you believe we should be watching this series?
S: This series is for the African child. This series is for the person who doesn’t believe in themselves. Those who couldn’t believe, those who stole from us, it brings awareness to us, it makes us also as African children be aware of what was stolen from us. You learn about your strength as an African child and human. It pushes feminine power and energy, praises our African energy and Gods. For a very long time we were told those people aren’t looking out for us, how when they’ve lived with us, they know our strengths, they have our blood in them. How can they not wish you well? It’s for the African child who doesn’t believe in their inner power and glory.
It’s important to watch this because it helps you reclaim all of that -the land that was stolen both literally and figuratively. It teaches you about love as a universal theme. It teaches you about betrayal. The series will encourage you in whatever situation you are, you can overcome it. Persevere. Keep praying. Believe in yourself. As you shoot for the moon, maybe you will land in the stars
The Brave Ones, a six-episode series is now streaming on Netflix.
Thank you so much for a beautiful interview. It was a treat. ✊🏾✊🏾✨
and that’s on journalism 👏🏾