'It was important that we convey just how painful this journey is for him' -Kagiso Rathebe on 'Scandal!' character

When he burst onto the scene, Kagiso Rathebe's character gave off the cool and charming guy-next-door vibe, but there was always something lurking in the shadows.

Scandal! viewers found out Amo was no Mr Nice Guy, with the character taking the fans on a roller-coaster ride of emotions as he tormented his former lover.

Kagiso plays Amo, a photographer who started working as a freelancer for NFH. He said agreeing to the role was not a tough decision.

“I had worked with Illse Van Hermert (executive producer) a couple of years prior on Spoorloos, so when I was approached with the role I already knew I would be in good hands. The idea of playing this mysterious 'photographer dude' with some sort of chequered past/hidden demons was the most appealing thing to me; there was room for proper growth with this character, which is rare in this business.” 

The actor said what the viewers are seeing now was a work in progress, and many conversations took place to make the character what it is now.

“I think there was certainly a slow build-up to everything we're seeing now, dating all the way back to the 'Lily-Juice' saga. Our head writer Grace (Mahlaba) and I would have conversations very early on about how we could peel back the layers of this character over time, to reveal something truly dark. So the seeds were being planted this entire time and I think I've always played him with that in mind.”

The character portrays the scourge of gender-based violence in SA, and Kagiso said there are moments where he felt he was skating on thin ice.

“There were certainly moments, especially as we got deeper into the meat of the story. I mean this is a very triggering subject for so many people. But I've never been one to shy away from a role simply because it was controversial.

"My job is to tell stories and to hopefully move people in some way or another, even if it meant half the country hating me. As long as I'm doing my job, I'm always satisfied.”

In the current storyline, Amo has kidnapped her ex Hlengiwe and the police are on a manhunt.

This has led to fans wondering if they missed the signs of his psychotic behaviour.

“Honestly, I was so excited to be adding another dimension to this character. I think the writers did such an incredible job evolving him into this really damaged, broken and dangerous man. For me, it was important that we convey just how difficult and painful this journey is for him, even if there is no justification for his actions.”

Kagiso has been part of Scandal! for two years now. This is after having his first international role on ITV’s Noughts and Crosses, alongside Bonnie Mbuli. He is sadly bidding the show goodbye for now.

“My journey on this show has been incredible, truly one of the best on-set experiences I've had in my career so far. It's sad to see it end for the time-being, but I'm definitely more than satisfied with the characters growth. I think it would have been a disservice to him and the story if we didn't explore his dark side.”

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