From music to method, how the cast of ‘Happiness Is’ took on their characters

For more than 10 years, the Happiness movie franchise has been a mainstay in the South African film scene.

Following the lives of women as they navigate romantic relationships, the cast and crew are back to tell the tale of the fabulous lives of women and men who are trying to define the meaning of joy.

Picking up after the events of the second movie, we see the lead, Princess (played by Renate Stuurman), go on a sabbatical where she meets a new group of friends.

Chatting to two of the new cast members, Gail Mabalane and Rosemary Zimu, who play Tumi and Fifi, the women shared their excitement to be part of the franchise as they had always eyed scoring roles in the series.

"I'm glad it's the third because three is a charm. It's somewhere in there," said Zimu.

"New faces come with new energy and new characters bring a fun element," she said, adding the new characters bring a new spin to the story.

Stuurman said the movie series holds a special place in her heart, especially with South Africans embracing romantic comedies. In continuing to tell the story of Princess and the characters around her, it allows them to grow with their audience, who get to relate to their respective journeys.

"The last two shows I did were emotionally heavy and this was so much fun. While my character Tumi has so many skeletons in the closet, it was a great character to play," said Blood & Water star Mabalane.

We found out what steps they took to get into character:

GAIL MABALANE

"Usually, you always find something you have in common with them, but there are things that are completely not you. Immediately after putting on Tumi's wig and nails, I was like, how do people eat in these? How can they do anything with them? The moment I put that wig on, I can feel that energy shift.

"There are people in my life, who I will not expose, who are just like Tumi. It was always fun because I always asked myself, what is she going to say and how is she going to respond to things? I am performing but there is a realness to the characters."

RENATE STUURMAN

"I've often used music for my characters. I'll listen to an album if I think that can get me into that space and mindset. I don't know if it's because Princess and I are linked in so many ways, but that sense of familiarity and understanding a woman like that, I didn't have to listen to anything in particular this time around.

"However, when I go to openings at galleries or art shows, I often wonder how they would fit into Princess's world if she were a real person. As I'm people-watching, I try to use that to colour in who she is in that landscape."

ROSEMARY ZIMU

"Fifi is a baddie. I mostly listened to Cardi B and Saweetie, especially Saweetie. I never used to follow her before I played Fifi, but I started to and I loved the long nails and how she changed her wigs. She would have three different wigs in one day."