Nomzamo Mbatha wears multiple hats in show business.
Not only is she a talented world-renowned actor, businesswoman and humanitarian, Nomzamo now adds the title of executive producer to her CV.
A recognisable face in the entertainment industry for the past 10 years since her television debut in 2013 on the Mzansi Magic soap opera Isibaya as Thandeka Zungu, Nomzamo is a household name.
She admits starring in the historical drama series Shaka iLembe as Queen Nandi while making her debut as an executive producer was no easy feat.
As an executive producer, Nomzamo brings a fresh perspective to the production process, ensuring the series holds true to the story of King Shaka and the powerful women that came before him, while also appealing to a global audience.
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Speaking to TRUELOVE, Nomzamo dives into her experience as a first-time producer while having to deliver a compelling performance as Queen Nandi.
“The challenge that I had [executive producing] was just finding my voice. How do I trust that my opinions are going to be something that’s going to be impactful, that are going to grow the project and I saw the more I spoke up, the more the stuff that I was able to contribute towards was really really instrumental in the project and also learning just the language of the business of filmmaking.
“So, I would definitely say when we were shooting, I prioritised being Nandi because that’s important. Because that is what people will invest in, and when we weren’t shooting, even on days when I wasn’t supposed to be on set shooting, I was always there. Just as a presence, making sure I’m in the [video tape operator] tent, chilling with the director, chatting with the director about different things about the story, and being mindful not to be too invasive and just respecting the process.”
Shaka iLembe has a star-studded cast, which includes the likes of Dawn Thandeka King, Sthandiwe Kgoroge, Senzo Radebe, Wiseman Mncube, and Thembinkosi Mthembu.
While she is star in her own right, Nomzamo reveals how intimidating it was working alongside top names in South Africa’s TV industry.
“[It was] very intimidating just because I have so much respect for local talent and what we have to offer the world and how dedicated we are. South African actors don’t get the cushioned treatment like Hollywood [does]. But they are still able to deliver the highest quality performances.
“And then, obviously, having to navigate the dynamics of the older actors was a bit of a challenge for me because … I have so much respect and I always will have that and it was a very strange dynamic for them to see me in the [executive producer] role but, overall, genuinely, I felt beautiful synergy between everyone.”
Not only does the series emphasise the creative talent of South Africa’s leading performers, Nomzamo shares her belief in discovering new talent, like Ntando Zondi who plays the young Shaka Zulu.
@truelovemagazine Ntando Zondi plays the young Shaka Zulu on Shaka iLembe. He tells us why it was important for him to take on this role saying, "I was strong enough to be brave to play a literal hero". #shakazulu #shakailembe #shakailembemzansi #kingshaka #zulutiktok #zulunation ? original sound - truelovemagazine
“We wanted to be able to get the best of the best but, in true Bomb [Productions] form and in true Nomzamo form, we also believe in unearthing new talent and giving them opportunities where they weren’t there before and, even for a lot of our cast who are very popular, this particular production is the very production that’s going to break them. It’s the very production that’s going to define the next role or the trajectory of their careers as well, we hope.”
Portraying Queen Nandi is something that Nomzamo has always dreamed of, and she uses this opportunity to not only tell the matriarch’s story but also place in the forefront the influential women behind Nandi’s love interest, Senzangakhona and their son Shaka.
“She’s always been portrayed from the point of view of the men around her,” Nomzamo explains.
“She’s never had her own stand-alone story and I think that is what we hoped to offer as producers on the show is that we wanted to offer the story of Nandi and the paramountcy that she came from.
“Before there was anything called kingdoms there were paramountcy's that existed. So, she came from eLangeni, from kwaMhlongo. What kind of young girl was she and what kind of woman was she? What did she stand for, what did she not stand for? In what way was she instrumental to the voice of women in her time and instrumental in growing uShaka? And also, we have kwaMtetwa, the women from kwaMtetwa, and then kaZulu. Yes, Senzangakhona was this grand and charming man that Nandi fell in love with but who was Senzangakhona’s mother? Mthaniya. And that’s why, even with KZN, when it’s like, ‘I’m going to KZN – ngiya kweli kaMthaniya’, so who was uMthaniya? And then Mkabayi, Senzangakhona’s aunt – this incredible, powerful force – who was she? So, we wanted to be able to have a perspective of the women.”
While the series shines a light on the background and perspective of the powerful women of the time, an important task to nail was the chemistry between Nomzamo and Senzo Radebe, who portrays Senzangakhona.
READ MORE | Senzo Radebe on his role in Shaka Ilembe - 'It felt like it was actually written for me'
Telling us more about how they got to that level of comfort with each other, Nomzamo says, “Honestly, I’m such an advocate for creating safe environments and it was very important for us to be safe spaces for each other because we’re going to be vulnerable right now and we’re going to be in a very exposed form, for lack of a better term. But it really was a conversation [that] you’ve got to hold.
“How does Nomzamo feel, is she feeling safe? And Senzo, are you feeling safe? Okay, how’s Senzo feeling? You know, [Senzangakhona’s] in this state of longing for her. She’s in a state of longing for him but also hesitant because she’s a young girl. And then also just talking through – you know, I don’t want us to French kiss because who came up with that, right? That came much later, so what would have been the thing? The thing would have been to smell each other. The sense of smell, the sense of touch, the sense of wondering ‘oh my God, how does your mouth taste?’ So, how do we get to that.”
Although Shaka iLembe is Nomzamo’s return to our local screens, she has been flying our flag high in international films like Coming 2 America and, more recently, Assassin, starring Bruce Willis.
Reminiscing on what it was like working on Assassin with Bruce Willis, Nomzamo reveals, “Oh, my goodness, so incredible, honestly. He is such a force of nature and a special being and I think what I most revere about him is that he just made people feel seen. Everyone on set – crew felt seen, cast felt seen, and he’s just a really kind man.
“Coming off of a big budget Hollywood film from Paramount studios like Coming 2 America, and then having to do this incredible sci-fi thriller action indie film and shooting in Alabama. So, just like a very different experience but a really really amazing experience and … I get why there’s a thing when it comes to onscreen actors of wanting to do indie, it's almost like our own theatre I guess but it was really amazing, and I continue to just [go] one brick at a time. I don’t look at the wall with all my hopes and dreams, I just look at what I need to do in the now to be able to build the wall so one brick at a time.”
