Petronella and I are similar': The Queen's' Thembsie Matu on her roleThe actress says she is similar to Petronella in terms of confidence.
by Rae Seleme
23-11-2021
in SA TV and Film
The Queen' actress,, Thembsie Matu as Petronella. Image via Twitter @MzansiMagic
Award-winning actress, Thembsie Matu, who plays the role of the feisty helper, Petronella, on The Queen has kept audiences glued to their TVs every evening.
--
Viewers have been raving about her since they met her in season two when she arrived at her husband, Mjekejeke's (Sipho Manzini) house in Tembisa.
Mjekejeke finally standing up for himself, Petronella is a bully #TheQueenMzansi pic.twitter.com/VNL57r6uni
JabulaniMacdonald (@Jabu_Macdonald) November 18, 2021
MATU VERSUS PETRONELLA Matu who's hailed by viewers as Mzansi's Madea with her quirky comments and advice told TshisaLIVE that her recipe to success is passion and imagination.
She told the publication in an interview that she loves what she does and tries to educate and entertain fans with the characters she plays.
--
She says she and Petronella are similar in terms of confidence as they go after what they want.
We are both no-nonsense women. However, I am not a violent person I don't beat men.
I hope Patronella teaches women to work on what they have: Be it a cleaner or cook or a nanny. And they mustn't put all their eggs in one basket.
Petronella is blowing the money #TheQueenMzansi pic.twitter.com/IGVTgW0VaA
Dlamini (@gcobani_gcobsp) November 16, 2021
She told the publication that she was able to branch into stand-up comedy because of her character and that her children also encouraged her to do it because her fans were longing to see her on stage.
Mom, you have been doing this for years, why are you hesitating? You have the gift to make people happy - use it.
Also read: Akhona confirms her new love interest on The Queen' after Kagiso's exit
--
Men will never live in peace married to women like Petronella #TheQueenMzansi pic.twitter.com/HUiT0WHVTl
Tebogo Tswelopele (@Tebogo_MoneyP) November 16, 2021
HOW SHE GOT THE ROLE ON THE QUEEN' She says she was training dancers for a wedding scene on The Queen and Shona Ferguson pulled her aside and told her about this role they had and thought it would be perfect for her..
She told Drum Magazine that she was given a character bible to understand the kind of character Petronella is and channelled her mind to think like Petronella.
The 55-year-old actress prepared her role by studying three people she knows and combined their characters to become the famous Petronella.
One of them is a woman who loves being around young people, to the point where she thinks she's one of them.
She's always there, giving advice and sharing her own experiences.
She says she's sometimes asked to prolong the conversations Petronella has with people when the episodes are short.
Most of the things she says aren't in the script. I just imagine what those three people I know would say in that instance.
#TheQueenMzansi jrrr Petronella is starting to irritate me iyoh I thought coming back to watch the queen it will be more interesting but no I was wrong I think I should go back to watch what I was watching cuz wow nothing has change on the queen
Lebs God's choosen one (@lira91) November 19, 2021
Nami if I was Ta Mjakes.. I wouldn t have told Petronella ukuthi I won the lottery shame.
Pet is abusive to Mjakes.. Financially, emotionally, spiritually and I ve seen her slap him, so physically too.#TheQueen #TheQueenMzansi
SthandwaSamaShamase (@ZamahShamase) November 15, 2021
It's Petronella saying she's rich Ka 300k for me #TheQueenMzansi
MoMo (@ItsKgoMziE) November 15, 2021
CLICK HERE to take part in our survey & stand a chance to WIN R5 000 in CASH!
Africa Stories
26/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has been tasked with administering the Sixth Presi...
24/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
15/03/2026
Johannesburg, 14 March 2026 - On 13 and 14 March 2026, the 19th Annual South Afr...
12/03/2026
Johannesburg, 11 March 2026 - The 19th Annual South African Film and Television ...
03/03/2026
Click here for isiXhosa version.
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers from Matatiele and surrounding areas to...
17/02/2026
Johannesburg, 17 February 2026 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), ...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture and custodian of the SAFTAs, is calling on all South Afri...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the call for training provider submissions is open. This funding aims to award grants ...
06/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
04/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to participate in an exclusive creative showcase at the Annecy International...
02/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), is calling for applications from experienced Sou...
29/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in collaboration with a distribut...
28/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality, invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers to apply for the Sediba...
20/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
07/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in collaboration with a distributor, is commissioning new micro-budget fiction feature films and invites eligible...
31/10/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 October 2025
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Segomotso Keorapetse, an award- winning South African television d...
29/10/2025
It's not the wonders of the world that make a place; it's the people. As...
07/10/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
02/10/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce the opening...
30/09/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa, 29 September 2025: The National Film and Video Found...
26/09/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sport, Ar...
26/09/2025
https://www.nfvf.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/fully-Inclusive-nfvf-invitatio...
29/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
27/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
25/08/2025
Theme: One Story. One Industry. One Future. - Celebrating South Africa's Screen Legacy, Together
Johannesburg - The National Film and Video Foundation (N...
04/08/2025
S o Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine) and the National Film and Video ...
15/07/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
28/06/2025
Johannesburg, 27 June 2025 - As the nation commemorates Youth Month
2025, the N...
24/06/2025
Panels of the National Film and Video Foundation in Accordance with the NFVF Act...
13/06/2025
Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
11/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
10/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
06/06/2025
S o Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine) and the National Film and Video ...
05/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 4 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundatio...
29/05/2025
Rest in Power, a True Legend of Our Screens
Johannesburg, South Africa 27 May...
29/05/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 28 May 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Vincent Blennies, has resigned from...
22/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
13/05/2025
The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that was create...
10/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
08/04/2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vincent Blennies as Chief Exec...
04/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to submit character designs inspired by lead characters from any South Afric...
14/03/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/03/2025
Antis pticos Orales: Revisi n De La Literatura Y Perspectiva Actual Influenza son contradictorios, dadas las elevadas tasas de curaci n espont nea. De ser neces...
28/02/2025
The Future of Green Energy: Challenges and Prospects Green energy, also known as renewable energy, has emerged as a critical solution to global energy challenge...
Petronella and I are similar': The Queen's' Thembsie Matu on her roleThe actress says she is similar to Petronella in terms of confidence.
