African history and tradition are being incorporated into TV shows by South African creators.
This was recently seen by viewers in Akin Omotoso’s “The Brave Ones,” and there is a lot of anticipation for Mzansi Magic’s next epic drama “Shaka Ilembe,” which premieres on television in 2019.
Meanwhile, “Blood Psalms” is winning over both streamers and reviewers.
More so because it maintains the integrity of the tale, particularly when the screenplay adheres to the native language.
And Thando Thabethe, who we haven’t seen in any other role before, is a vision as the Emissary of Heka.
She is shown in the first few episodes of this most ambitious Showmax Original project as sitting on a throne with a serpent perched on her shoulders, her eyes entirely black, and her hair glowing green fire.
With parts in a variety of productions, including “Reyka,” “Housekeepers,” “Generations: The Legacy,” the “How To Ruin Christmas” trilogy, and “The Right Guy,” Thabethe has established herself as a powerful performer to date.
The versatile 947 radio DJ also served as the presenter of the TLC chat program “Thando Bares All.”
The series, which is set in ancient Africa, surpassed “Game of Thrones,” “Steinheist,” and “Devilsdorp” in terms of first-day views on the streaming service.
Returning to Thabethe, she discussed her part in the show and confessed to being astounded by the writing.
I portray the deity Heka’s ambassador, she revealed. She is in charge of predicting everyone’s future. She is the narrator of everything that occurs in the real plot, if you have watched the trailer.
“She has that almost frightful gaze that makes you unsure of her motivations. However, I think it’s important that the messenger is a woman and that the narrative empowers women.
I thought, ‘Wow, what an enormous idea,’ the actress said. It is astounding to watch how much television is being produced in South Africa nowadays.
“I recall being confused about my location on the first day I was on site. I’ve been in television for 15 years, and I’ve never seen anything like that. The fact that we are progressing to a new level makes it thrilling.
Being just partially clothed the whole time was challenging since this program was being taped in the dead of winter. However, the most terrifying aspect of her job was being covered by this enormous anaconda.
In addition, she said, “I was with a huge anaconda on my first day on set. Although I won’t say I was afraid of it, I will never have one in my home. That in itself was difficult.
Additionally, snakes don’t coil in the winter, so you have to be quite near to them for them to comply with your demands. After that, I swear there were around 50 snakes on the floor the next day, which was insane.
One thing is clear as Thabethe keeps checking off professional milestones: as she solidifies her place in Mzansi, the actress’s career opportunities are endless.
Showmax is now streaming “Blood Psalms.”