All the soapies a stage for local actors

Is there such a thing as the overexposure of certain faces on TV?

Or is there a dearth of talent, which eventually forces the repeated casting of the same individuals?

Switch on your television right now and you're going to see young thespian Pallance Dladla - either on SABC 1 shows such as Tempy Pushas and Intersexions or on Mzansi Magic's Isibaya, in which he plays Jabulani Zungu.

Dladla and Sdumo Mtshali seem to be following each other as well - they're both represented by top casting agent Moonyeenn Lee and are together on all three of these shows. Both rose to prominence after their time on the reality acting competition Class Act.

On Tuesday night Lehasa Moloi appeared in an episode of Intersexions and on Wednesday, he was in another episode of Mzansi Magic's Rockville, in which he stars. That's the same Rockville in which Luthuli Dlamini - who has just left the e.tv soapie Scandal for Generations - stars.

It's not their fault, suggested top writer and producer Desiree Markgraaff.

"Our actors don't have the luxury of breaks between productions. They can't do that; they need to stay working," she said.

"The truth is, if we want really good actors on our screens, there has to be a career for them. They need to be able to earn a living. It can't be just a part-time job."

Markgraaff thinks it is a fluke that we're seeing these faces all at the same time on various channels.

"What also happens," she said, "is that when actors go to auditions, they don't know when the shows will air, nor do the production companies. It's a channel's prerogative to handle the scheduling."

Popular veteran actress Lilian Dube, who can be seen on SABC 2's comedy Mponeng (Tuesdays) and Muvhango (Monday to Thursday) and also on My Perfect Family on SABC 1 on Mondays, said she was yet to hear people complaining about seeing too much of Hollywood actor Will Smith, for example.

She said: "What is over-exposure? Other workers get [long-service] awards, but with actors, people complain about us being everywhere. Am I expected, as an actor, to go and sell amagwinya [vetkoek] on the side? My job is to act and to entertain. I think it's just jealousy."