If the star-studded cast is anything to go by, viewers are in for a treat when the new SABC drama series, The Executives, hits the screens.
The stellar cast consists of Lesley Musina, Pamela Zulu, Llewellyn Cordier, Camilla Waldman, Gcina Nkosi, Daniel Hadebe, Refilwe Modiselle, and Fezile Makhanya.
Lesley Musina chats to Drum about playing the lead role as chief magistrate Bonginkosi Khumalo.
“He is a wealthy guy, married but he has his shenanigans going on on the side,” he says.
“This is a really riveting story. It's told like a movie, so from the very episode it starts with a bang. I really hope viewers enjoy watching it as we enjoyed making it.”
He says Bonginkosi has aspirations to become the chief justice and there are people who do not want that to happen.
“He is essentially a good man, but just like everyone else he is flawed. Unfortunately for him, because of what he wants to achieve professionally, his personal life is getting the way. You know the expectation for judges is that they are perfect, especially in the apex court and Bonginkosi is not perfect.”
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His life and that of his family is turned upside down when a dead woman’s body is found in his office. Who will prove his innocence? Who will drive the dagger deeper into his back? Can Bonginkosi survive his sinful deeds alone and recover his innocence?
Without giving away too much of the plot, Lesley says Gcina Nkosi and Camilla Waldman, who play Thandiwe and Ruth, respectively are his mothers and they are of great influence in his life. Lesley, a Venda man, plays a Zulu character.
“I speak most South African languages with varying degrees of fluency. I speak a lot of Zulu in the show, and I am pretty comfortable. When his [Bonginkosi's] mother left KZN to Joburg she found herself stranded and she was pregnant with him, and a white family took her in. So, he grew up in that cosmopolitan environment,” he says.
Speaking of his co-stars, Lesley says everyone brought their A game to every shoot.
“It was just so inspiring and amazing to just see everyone wanting to take it up a notch with each scene. As you know, we feed off each other’s energies, so it is give and take and we make magic.
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“Having Camilla and Gcina play my mothers was a wonderful experience because they are both so gifted. Camilla is an acting coach and when I asked her to give me whatever tips she could, she said no because we were colleagues and partners, not a student and a teacher. I just have so much reverence for her and it meant a lot for her to give me props and say I must keep doing to what I am doing.
“Gcina is extremely talented and it was such a pleasure to work with her. At times I would ask her if I am saying some Zulu words correctly and she would simply smile and say ‘if you say them wrong, I’ll tell you’. I really enjoyed being part of the production,” he adds.
Lesley says viewers should expect fireworks.
The Executives premiers on Sunday 7 August on SABC 1 at 7.30pm.
