From Chief Azwindini’s surprise return from the dead to a myriad of both new and familiar faces joining the cast, Muvhango has already made a splash with its 25th season.
One of those familiar faces making a return to the long-running soap opera is Buhle Samuels, who returns to the role that shot her into the mainstream, the seductive and conniving Matshidiso Mofokeng.
“Coming back, it's been a conversation that has been ongoing for some time and I just felt like energetically for me it was the right time,” she tells TRUELOVE.
“I’ve been doing other things. I just wanted to delve into other projects and I just felt like at this time it would be lovely to revisit the character and, you know, just bring back that energy and kind of have fun with her, so I think it was just the right timing for me.”
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After a three-year break from the show, the 33-year-old actress makes her way back to Matshidiso’s manipulative and problematic tactics, doing everything she can to maintain her lifestyle.
Buhle describes Matshidiso as a leopard that never changes her spots and with an already drama-filled return, viewers are at the edge of their seats to see what else the controversial character brings to the show.
But, Buhle says, Matshidiso’s character is a far cry from who she really is.
“Matshidiso is very different to me, she’s ruthless – very ruthless. Akanavalo, she has no fear! And really her conscience just works in a completely different way to who I am. So, that's always very challenging in the sense that the contrast of my personality. I’m very considerate, I don't want to hurt people's feelings, you know, that's just the big differences between me and her,” she explains.
There are of course positives to playing such a headstrong and complex character, with Buhle sharing how she admires Matshidiso’s ambition, even if her actions are not necessarily encouraged.
“Her fearlessness – it can work in a negative way it can work also in a positive way, you know. She's very daring, she's a go-getter and when she sets her mind on something, that's what she does and she goes full force, pedal to the metal and ja, she's just that girl, so I love that about her,” she tells us.
To bring out that fearlessness to bring Matshidiso to life, Buhle compares it to letting go of herself and completely immersing herself in the chaos that is Matshisdiso, revealing that, “It's just letting go of all of that and just kind of allowing the dark – because there's dark and light in her – so allowing that dark and light to just thrive and just let it be what it is without judgment of self.”
With Muvhango bringing in new characters and old faces, viewers have been itching to see the return of castmates like MacDonald Ndou’s KK and Rami Chuene’s Khomotjo.
But Buhle is excited for Mzansi to see new relations between Matshidiso and Mulalo, played by Sydney Ramakuwela.
“As people have already gotten a glimpse, Mulalo and Mathsidiso are engaging so that’s going to be interesting because they’ve never really had a relationship previously or any sort of engagement in any form. So, it’s going to be interesting to see the dynamics between Mulalo and Matshidiso,” she reveals.
Over the past few years since viewers last saw her on their screens, Buhle has been dabbling and continues to push out projects currently set in motion. Some of those projects include a starring as the lead in a new romantic film All is Fair in Love as well as releasing the single Say No in partnership with non-profit organisation World Changers Candidates for their new anti-drug theme song.
"We actually prevented a bill being passed against the sale of alcohol at schools last year. We have also been working with the kids from Leondale High School who went viral smoking weed. We’ve recruited kids that pride themselves in saying no to drugs. We also helped them get off whatever substances they were using and focus on their grades," Buhle shares.
Your go-to outfit styling tips? The main thing is shape. So, whatever size you are… work with your shape, embrace your shape.
A favourite item of clothing? I like corsets because they are very feminine.
What have you learnt from the entertainment industry? I think it's important to be real, be you. I think the biggest message for me is just to stay true to who you are. Never let any industry that you're in change the quality and fabric of person that you are because whatever it is that you're doing in life is not a reflection of who you are.
What do you do in your downtime? I eat, I love food!
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An unconventional industry Buhle has found herself in is off plan property markets, a venture she has been exploring in a podcast since September 2023 with property sales consultant and co-host Antoinette Rebelo.
“I was looking into property, and I wanted to get a house plan and build it from scratch and we just built a relationship from there. We then just started discussing and kind of feeling like there's so many hidden things within the property space and property is such a big investment, you know.
“And it's very daunting, especially when it comes to off-plan where you’re just buying land and you want to build from scratch,” she tells us.
From acting to philanthropy and property development, Buhle is all about expanding her horizons and hopes to tackle more ventures, like animation.
“I’d really like to do animation. Animation is one of those things that’s like such a – I love everything to do with kids so a dream of mine would be animation. But, I mean, that’s just something I’d love to do but that hasn’t manifested yet in my life.
“But currently I’m working on other projects that are coming up. I can’t really speak about those projects because it’s not for me to say about the revealing of it. But other projects that recently I’ve worked on, there is something coming up. And then I’m also going to be doing something outside of acting.”
