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Actress gets into swing of things and finds her Rhythm
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April 28, 2009
 By Debashine Thangevelo
After playing emotionally troubled characters, one can identify with Mbali Ntuli's excitement about slipping into the killer heels of Wandi, her Rhythm City character.
"I like the fact that she is this independent woman who knows exactly what she wants. And it is a move away from the vulnerable characters I portrayed in my earlier roles.
"Wandi is smart and sophisticated. She has her own talk show. In terms of her sexual orientation, I was told she goes both ways, which can be interesting," confides Ntuli.
Of course, all will be revealed much later in the storyline. But just to make certain that she isn't confused with her character, she says: "I want it on record that I am very straight and, yes, I love men."
Got it!
Moving on, she says that it was while she was involved in a community youth group that she felt an attraction to the performing arts.
Ntuli reflects: "As assistant directors, we used to write our own scripts and perform in community halls and churches.
"Thereafter, I decided to get a drama degree at the Wits School of Drama as I wanted to discover more of what I could do. After that I hooked up with my agent - now I'm working."
Her first interaction with the camera, after a minor role in an overseas low-budget film, was on M-Net's Egoli.
"But the show that really put me on the SA map was Yizo Yizo, in 2001.
"It was a socially relevant drama and I love roles that bring that element out. My character found solace in a male teacher whom she later fell in love with," she recalls.
She was also fortunate to bag significant parts in Zero Tolerance II, Gaz'Lam and A Place Called Home.
On how she found her feet on the Rhythm set, she says: "I like that everything works like clockwork. In the morning when you arrive, your beautiful clothes are hung up; you get dressed and then go to make-up.
" After that you shoot for two or three times at the most. You have to do most of your preparation at home."
With most of her scenes involving the seasoned actors Jamie Bartlett (as David Genaro) and KB Motsilanyane (as Lucilla), Ntuli makes little secret of her admiration for her "lovely" co-stars.
However, if you want to get the real lowdown on Ntuli's character, be sure that you to tune in to e.tv at 18.30 tomorrow.
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