Actress Masasa Mbangeni on 'win a role' competitions being unfair to drama students
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Image: Gallo Images / City Press / Lucky Nxumalo
Actress Masasa Mbangeni has opened up about relating to young drama students who face financial difficulties when wanting to further their studies as she went through the same struggles.
Masasa opened a conversation about how drama students and graduates are often overlooked by the South African narrative of “win a role” competitions given to ordinary citizens who didn't go to school to study the craft.
Taking a trip down memory lane of how badly she wanted to complete her drama studies, the award-winning actress reflected to a time when her mother scarified a great deal so could she complete her degree.
She took to Twitter and lifted the lid on how her mother took out a loan to pay towards her studies, and how she made sure she acquired a scholarship that covered the rest of her tuition fees.
“Trust me when I say I am the last person to say only certain people can get work because I am fully aware of the difficulty, she wrote in a tweet relating to a conversation she had about “win a role” competitions being unbeneficial the industry.
of access to higher education whether you do a drama degree or not . I repeat that was not the conversation I was having . Not at all
— Bhut’ Masasa (@MsMasasa) January 30, 2021
Prior to the tweet in which she revealed her sentiments about understanding the financial difficulties faced by drama students, Masasa weighed in on a conversation about not being able to comprehend the narrative of non-drama students or ordinary South African citizens “winning a role” for which they didn't study hard.
“I think of my students who studied and how it must sting that the career you chose, and worked hard for, can be won in a competition.”
one day we need to have a conversation around how these “win a role “ competitions are not benefiting the Industry but harming it . I think of my students who studied & how it must sting that your career that you chose & worked hard for can be won in a competition.
— Bhut’ Masasa (@MsMasasa) January 30, 2021
She clarified what she meant by “win a role” to a confused tweep who asked her whether she was making an example of competitions such as Class Ac, saying, “I’m talking about productions by passing agents and casting on social media.”
No because that’s an opportunity to enter the industry & many of those guys and gals had studied or done community theatre etc so I’m not saying that there’s only one way to enter . I’m talking about productions by passing agents & casting on SM. It’s their prerogative sure . https://t.co/ldVuDmVScA
— Bhut’ Masasa (@MsMasasa) January 30, 2021
TV presenter Thembisa Mdoda-Nxumalo joined the conversation and reiterated Masasa's sentiments, expressing how she also can't phantom the idea of one “winning a career”, as acting is a career “that many study for”.
“It’s simple, the ‘gatekeepers’ do not respect the work but are fans of those who do it because of the celebrity culture already in place.”
Imagine winning a career, because that’s exactly what it is, a career that many study for. It’s simple, the ‘gatekeepers’ do not respect the work but are fans of those who do it because of the celebrity culture already in place.
— Thembisa Liyema Nxumalo (@tembisa) January 30, 2021
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.