‘We need more stories that allow families to sit together’ — Nephtali Leotle

Nephtali Leotle has been a fan favourite as Pius on 016FM, his character a former bodybuilder turned entrepreneur who uses the radio station to run illicit businesses.

The veteran actor's three-decade career includes appearances in everything from the Oscar-nominated Invictus to local favourites The Long Run, Four Walls, Ring of Lies and Outlaws, the joint most-nominated telenovelas going into this year’s Saftas.

You worked with the late Mpho Sebeng on the project. What was your fondest memory of working with him in his final performance?

We were both excited to reconnect on a new production. The last project we worked on together was Rings of Lies. Mpho and I had a way of reading each other’s minds and then bursting out laughing on set. He always checked on me and would ask about my wellbeing. He made it his business to ensure that I was OK. I did the same. I miss a lot of things about him, like his sense of discipline and impeccable work ethic. I'm consoled by the fact that we spoke shortly before the tragedy [car accident].

On 016FM, a lot of the cast are much younger than you. What's one valuable lesson you've learnt from working alongside such a young and vibrant cast? 

I'd consider myself to be young [laughs]. When I was younger and working alongside older cast members, we always saw ourselves as that young group that contributed so much freshness and vibrancy to the set. What I always appreciated about older cast members is that as much as we learnt from them, they were also willing to learn from us. I'm experiencing the same with the new generation I'm working with. My younger cast members are a breath of fresh air. They are eager to not only learn but also to teach us a few things. I considered my working relationship with them as a healthy transaction of knowledge and respect. It's not a one-way street. We learnt from them and they learn from us.

What is it about the 016FM storyline that intrigued you?

I take family and community values seriously. The storyline touches on those values and that's what I love about the show. It defied what seems to be the trend of what content sells in the industry these days. I'm a firm believer we need more stories that allow for families to sit together and enjoy the content, and 016FM does that. 

What has filming 016FM helped you discover about the Vaal area?

I spent a number of years in the Vaal. Through my experience of living there, I've learnt the Vaal is a complex place with great potential, despite the social ills the area is faced with. For example, I know of corporate executives and politicians who are from the Vaal, but because they were in search of greener pastures, like many of us, they left the community. Not that I blame them for leaving, but I do consider this to be rather unfortunate because the exodus of these people has created a gap and scarcity of mentors who can coach the disillusioned in the community. What then happens is the youth are left with people like Pius, who deal in illicit businesses which lead to the erosion of the area.