The River' actor Unathi Mkhize: I'm not a showoff in reality'

The River' actor Unathi Mkhize: I'm not a showoff in reality'Actor Unathi Mkhize, who plays Nkanyiso in The River' opens up about his impressive bad-boy character on the telenovela.

by Rae Seleme

01-12-2022 13:09

in Soapies

The River' actor Unathi Mkhize as Nkanyiso. Image via Twitter @iol_lifestyle

The River actor Unathi Mkhize, who made his first big break on the 1Magic telenovela in May as Nkanyiso has viewers (mainly women) in a chokehold as they gush over his impressive bad-boy stint.

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I AM MORE OF A GOOD GUY THAN NKANYISO' The 24-year-old actor Unathi Mkhize tells Sowetan that he's the total opposite of his ladies' man character Nkanyiso Hlophe.

Mkhize describes himself as a laid-back, chilled-out guy who likes to take life easy compared to Nkanyiso.

I am more of a good guy than my naughty character. I mean, it doesn't really help that my character is this shirtless guy who hardly buttons up his shirt or even has a shirt on. The fun part about playing Nkanyiso is that he's very different from me. Yes, I love exercising and keeping fit, but I'm not a showoff in reality.

Nkanyiso is that hidden bad boy persona in me that I hardly left free but at least I get to experience it by being shirtless and romancing different women.

Mkhize also tells the publication that he mostly gets attention from ladies and fame has been tricky for him.

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I had to adjust and understand that I now belong to the public because of my on-screen character, the thespian said.

I completely understand the fuss they get when they see me. I mean, these people spend their weekdays at 8 pm watching me and my fellow cast members act out our storylines so I have to be a gentleman enough to embrace that.

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UNATHI MKHIZE: OTHER TALENTS The River actor is also a skilled scriptwriter and a director and studied at Africa Film Drama Art, where he obtained a BA Honours degree in Motion Pictures Medium, according to Sowetan.

In my second year, I wrote a piece, a one-man show which was an hour long. I acted in front of a sold-out crowd and left everyone speechless I even thought to myself at the time that after this, every production house is going to want me', but that was not the case, the heartthrob expressed.

I soon realised that that's not how the industry works. Although I held down an hour-long show with no setting, and just me narrating and engaging with the audience, I knew then that I had the capabilities of making it in the industry.

Mkhize adds that acting has been something he had been honing since he was in high school.

With acting, I allow myself to feel things and become vulnerable. Acting has been somewhat like a healing process for me.

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LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/soapies/nkanyiso-the-river-act...
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