Versed in the art of acting, well-spoken in the discipline of presenting, and polished in the craft of the voice over artistry, multi-talented TV personality Nkanyiso Makhanya is the type of man who gives a deeper and broader meaning to wearing many caps.
Known widely for his relatable portrayal of Njeza on SABC 1’s Uzalo, the KwaZulu–Natal star has made a name for himself in the entertainment sphere, also making appearances in Generations the Legacy and scoring gigs as a presenter of eTV’s Craz-e, SABC 1’s The Real Goboza, as well as The Morning Show on SABC 2.
Starting off his busy days by checking in with his call sheet and hitting the gym to keep himself in shape, the University of Zululand alumnus spoke candidly about what inspired him to pursue a career in the entertainment space,particularly the things he observed from the people around him.
“I’ve always been about following my passion and doing what I really love. I’ve seen people who were older than me that were miserable because they were doing jobs they didn’t like simply because they just wanted work. I chose this path because I wanted to follow my passion and to be happy at work. I didn’t want to live a miserable life. I did exactly that and this is why I am where I’m at today,” he said.
Nkanyiso recently starred on the Netflix film Umjolo: My Beginning, My End! alongside Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku,Yonda Thomas, and a host of South Africa’s big names in the acting business, including Baby Cele and Meshack Mavuso.
Pouring his expertise into the cast of his assigned character Sizwe Jama who is due to consummate his marriage with his betrothed, Mayi (played by Nokwe-Mseleku),Mkhanya spoke briefly about the similarities he felt he shared with Jama as well as how the other cast members helped him colour his character.
“Sizwe is someone completely brand new, compared to the other roles I’ve played before. But one thing I do share with Sizwe is that we both love our families. I love my family so much, so apart from that, we are two separate people.
“My colleagues definitely helped me to bring Jama to life,you know what I mean? Starting off with my family, they were also already in character so I was merely following their lead because I was acting alongside the legends like Baby Cele and bab’ Mavuso,” he said.
After having the pleasure of rubbing shoulders some of the all-time greats and the modern juggernauts of the acting industry, Makhanya admitted, without naming anyone in particular, that he did have people who inspired him and continue to, and that for him what mattered wasn’t thinking too much about that but instead doing the best he could to deliver the best performances possible.
“When you are on set and you are about to do your scene, whoever inspires you and is an influence to you goes out the window. It becomes a matter of doing justice to your performances and hoping that they do what needs to be done. But I do very much have people in the industry, locally and internationally, who I look up to,” he said.
It is rather easy to develop parasocial relationships with the characters portrayed in TV shows, which can lead to viewers developing theories about who the actors are in real life.
From portraying the street savvy and edgy ex–con on Uzalo to being the debonair family man he is on Umjolo,Makhanya spoke about some of the things he loved doing when he’s not bringing characters to life as well as some fun facts people might not otherwise know about him.
“Outside of acting, I will say that I love cooking, so I’m always trying out different foods, as well as going to the gym.A fun fact about me is that people also always say that I’m funny, but I’m not sure if I am even though they always say that about me,” he said.