She recently joined the current season of 7de Laan as medical doctor Tumi, an eloquent, confident, and assertive woman from a wealthy family.
Linda Sokhulu tells us about her new role as Tumi. On the show, she is the youngest of four siblings, who lost her mother when she was 7. Her father, a polygamist, runs numerous successful businesses in which her siblings are involved, but Tumi chose a different path and opted to further her studies.
She is a qualified medical doctor but being the ambitious woman that she is – she went back to university and studied to become a qualified lawyer.
“Tumi is a hardworking, focused, and a go-getter. She is passionate about her beliefs and chooses to experience her life’s ambitions to the fullest,” Linda tells Drum.
She sees a bit of herself in the character.
“I'd say we're similar in going after dreams, in being hard workers. But we're different in our style sensibilities, she’s far more stylish than me,” she adds.
Joining the cast means twists and turns in the show.
“People can expect an unpredictable personality. Tumi, while smart, can also have a playful, naughty side.”
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Tumi’s relationship track record is not the most romantic, in fact, she had exposed her husband’s dubious dealings when her strong moral ethics wouldn’t allow her to look the other way.
She has since divorced him.
She enters Hillside in search of answers surrounding her mother’s death when something that her father’s first wife says triggers her to look deeper into the matter. Tumi desperately hopes that her grandmother, an unseen but familiar favourite in Hillside, will shed light on the situation. She settles in Hillside and builds strong relationships but remains determined to solve the mystery about her past.
Before joining 7de Laan, Linda played MamZobe’s sister and MaBusi’s biological mother Zodwa on uMkhokha in KwaZulu Natal.
Before that, she was on Rhythm City for two years until the show came to an end in July 2021.
"Besides the work I have been doing, I have also learned a new skill of writing,” which has been exciting and challenging for Linda.
In all the roles she has played in the past, Linda cannot single out a role that she did not give her all.
“Every role comes with its uniqueness,” she says.
“I can't say I have a favourite role, and they are all different; asking different elements of me and allowing me to grow as an actor. They all have a special place in my heart and career,” she says.
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The award-winning actress, who grew up in Durban where her acting career began, says her journey into the performing arts started with acting workshops at The Natal Playhouse, where she landed her first acting work in theatre, performing in Macbeth, Izwe lizothini and The Sky is Red.
“I started doing plays at the Playhouse in Durban in 1997. I took a long break to study. Then I moved to Joburg in 2003, working for an educational theatre company. In 2005 I started my work on television,” she says.
Over the years, she has done several theatre plays, namely Closer, You Fool, How Can The Sky Fall and Romeo and Juliette to name a few.
As a seasoned actress, she has learned a few lessons.
“Theory is a very important lesson to learn to be a good actor or actress,” she says.
“I've learned that it'll always be hard work being an actor in an industry of "feast or famine,” that it's important to believe in yourself and that diversifying your skills helps to keep you busy.”
