ACTOR Dr Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha received a standing ovation on Saturday, 30 September, after calling out directors and producers.
While accepting an award on behalf of Scandal! at the South Africa Film and Television Awards (Saftas), the actor said they must stop hiring people based on how many followers they have and focus on their craft and talent.
“Producers and directors, please cast actors, not models, because we want to act and we respect our craft. So, it’s not about the number of followers that you have. It’s about the craft that you bring to the fans. Those of us who are actors, nothing lasts like discipline and professionalism,” he said.
This statement made the actors who were present happy, and they gave him a standing ovation.
He was also applauded by people on social media and said the statement needed to be said.
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Dr Jerry spoke to Daily Sun as the council deputy chairman of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).
He said people should understand that not every actor can win an award.
This comes after people weren’t happy that some of their favourite actors didn’t win at the Saftas.
“Please understand, we can’t let everybody win, and we know there will always be complaints. ‘Why didn’t I win?’ Each year, in each category, there’s one winner. I was excited about all the nominees because it says they're doing good.
“Having been on the other side, I’ve had to accept that this year, I didn’t win, and that doesn’t make my work any less,” the actor said.
He said their job as the council is to make sure that the Saftas committee does their job well.
“We are the caretakers, the overseers, to make sure that the committee does its job and does it well,” he said.
