Showmax’s first telenovela, The Wife broke the streaming record in November 2021 for the most first-day views of all-time of the platform, beating the record previously set by Uthando Lodumo.
The show, which is currently in its second season, has now tripled its first season’s record for the most first-day views on Showmax.
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Inspired by Dudu Busani-Dube’s bestseller, Zandile The Resolute, Season 2 sees fan-favourite Mondli Makhoba step up into the lead male role as Nkosana. He is finally reunited with the love of his life, Zandile (played by Khanyi Mbau), after breaking her out of jail at the end of Season 1.
The pair’s undeniable chemistry on the show has been a talking point for many, and because of this, the names Zandile and Nkosana topped the trending topics list alongside the hashtag #TheWifeShowmax shortly after the first three episodes aired.
In an interview, Mondli said that working with Khanyi on the show has been great.
“She's very gifted and she just pulls you into that world where you are supposed to be. It’s magic. I cannot wait for our audience to see more of that because, yoh, it's great,” said the actor – who is also a published Zulu poet.
He chats more about Season 2 of the show, playing Nkosana and the cast of the show.
What’s changing in Season 2?
Mondli: Having Zandile back brings out another layer for Nkosana, where we see him soft, where we see him loving. That side of Nkosana that we didn't see in the first season.
It also makes us understand why he had to work so hard with his brothers all these years. Why the heists? Why everything else they were doing to save money? Zandile is the reason why.
The challenge now is how Zandile fits in. Over the years, as he was working on getting her out, he was subconsciously creating a system that works for him, with the hope that Zandile will fit in. So now the question is: Will she fit in? Will she feel loved? Will he have time for her? Will she feel that she's got his attention? So let us wait and see.
The family is in a lot of trouble with regards to his brothers, so we also still have him as the glue of the family, trying to make everyone gel and stay focused.
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Tell us more about the dynamic with the kids, Hlomu and Zandile? What does Nkosana feel would be the best possible outcome?
Mondli: Obviously the kids love Hlomu. She's been there, helping them through everything, all the chaos that they have as a family. But Nkosana wants his family together. He wants to see Zandile and their kids play. He wants to see them gel as a family. So, he wishes and hopes that they love their biological mother more, that they have that bond that mothers and kids need to have.
How different is Mondli to Nkosana?
Mondli: There are similarities: Nkosana is the eldest at home; Mondli is as well. He's very protective of his family, which Mondli is too. So those similarities have helped a lot and make it easier to play Nkosana.
But Nkosana carries a lot of anger that Mondli doesn't. Each and every day I have to come back and get out of character and leave Nkosana on the set, otherwise you’ll hear bad stories.
Yes, he's complicated.
How did you prepare for Nkosana in Season 1?
Mondli: It's very hard when you start at the very beginning, when you're still trying to find the backstory of the character, but once you've done that, it becomes part of you. So, when I get on set, as I take off Mondli's clothes and put on Nkosana's clothes, that's the transformation. I start thinking like Nkosana. It starts there.
I'm a spiritual person. I know with these characters that we play, we are given to play. So, I go to a zone where I talk to Nkosana and ask him to play. So I feel like I’ve met him.
Tell us a bit about the chemistry with other actors.
Mondli: The chemistry between the brothers, it’s amazing. We have that brotherly chemistry going on, which makes it easier for us when we are in front of the camera.
