Actor Phila Madlingozi plays Ntando in Gqeberha The Empire'

Actor Phila Madlingozi plays Ntando in Gqeberha The Empire'Former The Queen' actor Phila Mandlingozi has secured the role of a spoilt brat' Ntando in the isiXhosa telenovela Gqeberha:The Empire'.

by Rae Seleme

09-01-2023 18:58

in Soapies

Gqeberha The Empire' actor Phila Madlingozi. Image via Twitter @PopPulseSA

Musician and actor Phila Mandlingozi has joined the star-studded telenovela Gqeberha The Empire as Ntando alongside Zikhona Sodlaka and Zandile Msutwana.

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PHILA MANDLINGOZI: I WAS SO EXCITED' The actor Phila Madlingozi is making a comeback to the small screen as a spoilt brat Ntando in Mzansi Magic's upcoming isiXhosa telenovela Gqeberha The Empire, which has replaced The Queen.

The singer, who's the son of musician and EFF member Ringo Mandlingozi has appeared on TV shows such as Muvhango, The Queen, Rhythm City, and many more.

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Madlingozi tells Drum Magazine that it took about four months before he got the call of his dreams.

I drove to Port Elizabeth with Ayanda for the auditions. I had just buried my mother and I was not okay. So I went back to Johannesburg [afterwards]. They took so long to cast, like about four months, and I was like maybe I didn't even get the job so I moved on to other things.

I think I dropped my phone. I couldn't even hear them I was like huh?' I couldn't believe them until I got the email from my agents they were like Phila, we booked it.' I was, like, Booked what? GTE (Gqeberha the Empire).' I was so excited!

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The actor adds that he immediately drove to the cemetery to give thanks to his late mom.

I said thank you, doll. It was like a reunion. I've worked with Zikhona and, Zandile many times. I've also worked with Ayanda, so as soon as I found out that they are all part of the show, I was, like, welcome back'.

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PREVIOUS TV SHOWS BEFORE GQEBERHA THE EMPIRE' The talented actor Phila Mandlingozi also tells Drum Magazine that Gqeberha The Empire is his TV comeback.

My last big show was Isikizi and that was in 2016 and between that and now I did a lot of small things from Rhythm City, The Queen, but this feels like Intersections all over again because that's where I blew up. It feels like I've just begun.

Being on one of the biggest shows in South Africa is going to sell my music because people are inspired visually. So as soon as they see it, then they'll start following even other things like oh he has music' because a lot of people don't know that I am a musician.

60% of that room [at the launch] was shocked when they saw me get on stage they were like what is Phila going to do?

Phila created a name for himself without the help of his legendary father, Ringo Madlingozi. He didn't want to get roles based on his name. He tells Drum that music remains, and will always be his first love.

I started acting because I couldn't afford to finish my degree at tertiary, so it was for money at the beginning. I studied film and television production. I knew a lot of actors from school and I was told that TV will help me out financially. I started auditioning till I got a role on Intersections and everyone loved it, and I thought maybe I can do this, let me go get some acting classes.

Gqeberha The Empire is set to premiere on Monday 16 January at 9 pm on Mzansi Magic.

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CASTING NEWS:

Zandile Msutwana, Ayanda Mkayi, Phila Madlingozi and Zikhona Sodlaka in new telenovela

They star in Qhebhera The Empire, the new telenovela replacing The Queen on Mzansi Magic. #KgopoloReports pic.twitter.com/NwzAovPity

Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) October 24, 2022

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LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/soapies/breaking-actor-phila-m...
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