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Child star to superstar

24 October 2011 - By http://www.thenewage.co.za/32576-12-53-Child_star_to_superstar

Clayton Swanepoel

When it comes to having paid his dues in the entertainment industry, 16 years on the small and big screen would be an ample apprenticeship in anyone’s books, and that is exactly what Wandile Molebatsi, star of The Wild and Rhythm City, has done. And his first starring role in the comedy film Skeem shows he is destined for even greater things.

The second youngest of four sons to a pastor father and social worker mother, Wandile, 27, isn’t shy to admit that he and his siblings gave his parents, especially his mother, a hard time growing up.

“We were a bunch of four hoodlums,” he says with a cheeky grin. “But our mom was also really tough.”

His mother was the first member of his family to see his star potential.

“She noticed I liked getting attention and she decided to get me an agent,” he says, and that’s when his path into the entertainment industry really began.

Success on screen came relatively easily and early for him and a lead role in an animated advert, which at the time was groundbreaking, got Wandile invited to the set of popular 1990s kids television show KTV. Suitably impressed, the director noticed Wandile’s star potential and invited him to be a member of the presenting crew.

“It was an amazing process,” he reflects fondly on his time at KTV. “And not just on set.”

As one of the KTV clan, Wandile instantly became the envy of a newly united nation of children in South Africa.

“The opportunity to be on air and to travel internationally was amazing,” he says. “And just being able to hang out with those kids and goof off on stage were some of my fondest moments.

“The people at M-Net worked really hard to ensure we were not just a kid’s show – we did loads of things off-set together like waterskiing.”

It wasn’t all a bed of roses though. “The only thing I recall that wasn’t so cool was missing soccer practice,” he says with a boyish grin on his face. “I used to hate missing it and at the time it was the biggest trauma.”

After leaving KTV and completing school, Wandile headed to Wits University to study drama and film.

Life after university brought with it its own set of lessons that could never have been taught in a classroom.

“What they don’t teach you at Wits Drama School is on-set stamina,” he says earnestly.

Considering the actor’s job to be one of the easiest on set, Wandile has become acutely aware of the need to maintain energy and lose any diva antics.

“The crew work so hard, the gaffers, lighting and sound people all work tirelessly and you need to be humble.”

The South ��һ�Թ��� comedy Skeem – due for release on October 28 – presented Wandile with his first lead film role. In the film he plays the naive and sometimes a little too honest Vista who, after making the decision to be a drug runner for a Cape Town gangster, has his car break down in the middle of the Karoo, forcing him to spend the night at an isolated holiday resort.

An unfortunate incident with the cash gets everyone at the resort plotting to grab the money, with some hilarious and dire results.

“What I love about Vista is that he is almost honest to the point of his own destruction,” Wandile says and begins to chuckle. “I can also relate to that and falling in love in the most complicated situations.”

Like his character, Wandile isn’t too fazed about money and is quite sure about what he wouldn’t do for money.

“I wouldn’t kill, lie or backstab for money,” he says. “When you grow up with parents who ensure you never want for anything and provide you with heaps of love and affection, you realise money isn’t what it’s about. I mean, you want the Bentley but know ultimately it won’t make you happy.”

Wandile clearly has his feet on the ground and praises Tim Greene, the writer of Skeem, for the film’s underlying message; opposed to greed. “I know the way he’s done it is to promote that money isn’t the be all and end all.”

Having grown up with a mother involved with the ANC in a social work capacity, Wandile is unafraid to express his political and world views and has an idea of what is needed in South Africa right now.

“We need to talk more,” he says sincerely. “There was a period where there was a lot of dialogue happening and we really need it. We are currently miles away from what Tambo and Luthuli wanted.”

If he could be one person in the world he’d be Jacob Zuma. “I think that what they’ve [the government] have done and are doing is immense,” he says boldly. “I just wish I was there to help out; it isn’t easy running a country.”

“My grandfather once told me there would come a point when all races would have money and the vast majority would still be unhappy. We are at that point now,” he says seriously. “It’s a painful thing and we don’t have to mess this up – we can’t mess this up.”

claytons@thenewage.co.za