Thuli Thabethe wants to do more thrillers after Netflix’s ‘Dead Places’ gave her a taste

Actress Thuli Thabethe has opened up about her career taking a more thriller-focused path, and the importance of education during these Covid-19 times.

Chatting to TshisaLIVE, the star talked about her role on the Netflix psychological thriller series Dead Places. Though she is known for killing it on the soapie, like her current head-turning role as villainous Puleng on the 1 Magic TV show Lingashoni, the star is keen to dive into thrillers as the genre is underrated in SA. 

She noted how it challenged her skills as an actor as filming with special effects (SFX) changes the way one interacts in front of the camera.

“I'm very interested in thriller, psychological thriller because it’s something that isn’t really popular here.”

“It’s nice to kind of delve into that because its more psychological and the playing range is different because you are working with, hopefully, SFX. Obviously you’re going to react to a green screen. you can’t see it isn’t real, you’ve got to imagine it,” said Thuli.

Reflecting on the #CelebritiesAreNotTeachers hit back she and many other big names faced last year after the education department hosted a programme in which celebrities offered lessons to children, the star said now more than ever education is vital.

“This was during the 21 days of lockdown before we knew it would go on for another 100 days so we didn't really know what we were doing. It was just like 'well, we're in lockdown for 21 days and during lockdown children need to keep themselves stimulated and educated',” she said.

Thuli also was motivated to help educate children because her mother is a teacher and education is a value instilled in her from a young age. 

“I did it because my mother is an academic, she is in education. So being raised by a school teacher, reading and getting good grades and education as a value and as a culture in our family was important and that's why I felt compelled to read and get involved.”