Thando Thabethe on her Safta win and what she’s working on next

Actress and radio presenter Thando Thabethe not only dazzled in an elegant red ball gown at the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) this past weekend, she also walked away with an award for Best Actress in a TV Comedy for her role in How to Ruin Christmas: The Baby Shower. We caught up with the belle of the ball to find out how her recent success feels and what she’s working on next. 

Is this an award you expected to win?

I don’t think anyone can expect it, right? The people I was up against are very good — Tali’s Baby Diary is a popular show. So I think I was in great company. It would be presumptuous for me to think “It’s yours”, but I was delighted when it was.

You were also nominated for Best Actress in a TV drama for your role in season 3 of Housekeepers. How does this feel?

I think that’s awesome. An actor dreams of having range [and] to be nominated in two completely different genres speaks to that. I was in love with the character I played in Housekeepers, also on season 3. So, a lot of work [went] into that and that nod meant a lot.

You’ve recently also taken up a role in Netflix’s second season of My Dad the Bounty Hunter. What has this experience been like?

I’ve never done animation before so that was cool. It’s different from on-screen camera work, but it’s surprisingly similar because you are in the booth, no-one can see you. My character had a lot of fight scenes, so you’re doing a lot of [fight sounds] behind the mike. It was a lot of fun and great to watch a cartoon with my voice in it. I would love to do more of it.

Earlier this year your reality show Unstoppable Thabooty premiered. Will there be a second season?

It was different because I’m used to working with a script when on camera and to do non-scripted was a different ballgame. But what was beautiful is because I sat as executive producer on the show, I had control of what it is I wanted to share and what I didn’t want to. It was also my first time as an executive producer. So yes, absolutely more of that. Under my company Redwood Productions we’re producing more. I’m looking to do more scripted work under Redwood, so that’s exciting.

What’s the news on How to Ruin Christmas season 4?

I don’t know. I’m not telling. Everyone loved it, so we’re hoping it comes back.

On top of your acting career, you’re on the radio with your show on 947. Are you still enjoying this side of things? 

In a perfect world they coexist, which I’ve managed to do now my entire career really. I don’t imagine stopping any time soon. Also, Primedia is the best place to work. So it’s a conducive environment for on-air personalities.

Between acting and radio presenting, do you have a favourite child?  

I started at UJ FM in 2009 so it’s been a minute, but I pretty much started acting the same time I started radio, so choosing between the two is like choosing between your children. [It’s] impossible. They are more similar than most people think. Radio, for me, is like a play on the imagination, you imagine everything that’s happening, whereas on TV you see what you ordinarily would imagine on radio.

What else are you working on?

I can’t mention yet. We are possibly looking at a season 2 of Unstoppable Thabooty and there is another show which may go into development soon.

When you’re not acting and just enjoying it, what’s on TV that you enjoy watching? 

Sheesh! I like weird stuff. I like documentaries. I’m a huge Carte Blanche fan. I’m a big thriller fan, so anything that’s a good thriller: How to Get Away with Murders, Pretty Little Liars, that sort of genre is what I probably gravitate to, and also female-driven stories, I find [those] really nice.

With summer arriving, is there anything on your calendar you are looking forward to? 

I’m shooting something [but] I can’t say what it is yet. I’ve got my Thabooty shop, we are going to have a pop-up at Mall of Africa all of next week, which is nice. And I’m going to Zanzibar with my very best friend in December.