Q&A with Lehlohonolo Mayeza who stars as the Mosotho hunk Leruo on 'Outlaws'

He is currently starring as Leruo Ts’eole, the Mosotho hunk viewers would love to hate in the hit new Showmax Original Outlaws

Lehlohonolo Mayeza did a Q&A about the new show that he said changed his life

How would you describe your character?

Leruo is a Mosotho man in his early 30s. He does not know much about urban life, for he has been raised in the mountains of Lesotho, where his late father left him a legacy to keep. His ruling order of the day is to steal Zulu cattle but still keep in mind not to kill or hurt people.

Do you relate to Leruo’s story in Outlaws?

I do. I am a rural boy from the mountainous areas of Lesotho, who is used to riding horses and donkeys for they are the only means of transport there. I grew up in rural areas, where people would steal cattle from Zululand. I know that story and have seen it with my own eyes, for I used to herd animals where we were living, which was near the borders of the two countries. 

What do you think the viewers will like or hate about your character?

I don’t think Zulu people are going to like my character, particularly the ones who are victims of cattle theft. In the story, Leruo brings so much heartbreak, despite all the chances he gets. I think viewers are not going to like that part. Contrarily, Leruo can show love. Some are going to like that side of him. 

Tell us about the chemistry between Leruo and Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku’s character, Sihle? 

The first time Leruo saw Sihle, everything changed. She gave him goosebumps. Leruo was not that much into girls, but when he met Sihle, something changed in him. Sihle in the first place played hard to get because they are from two different countries. But when you look at them, there is something special. I really enjoyed working with Nirvana; she is such an amazing actress. We would smile and laugh the whole day on set and would crack some jokes about our characters.

Who were you most excited to work with on Outlaws? 

Working with legends, people I used to see on big screens, role models, has been an honour. I was excited to work with everyone, for it was my first time working with all of them. I learnt a lot from each and every one of them. The greatest of them all was getting to work with M’e Lillian Dube, Ntate Khotso Nkhatho and M’e Mmabatho Mogomotsi. It was such a blessing.

What did you do for the first time on the set of Outlaws? 

Actually, it was my first experience to be on such a huge set, especially in another country. Handling guns and fighting stunts was a first as well. 

What was the most difficult part of filming? 

Sex scenes! But the intimacy co-ordinator helped and things went well.