Zulu Black is an actor and musician from a small town in Kwa-Zulu Natal. He relocated to Durban at age 20 to chase his dreams of being on our TV screens and now he’s known as the dashing and vivacious NJ on 1Magic’s Lingashoni.
Zulu studied at AFDA and graduated in 2019 with a degree in Live Performance. Growing up as a preacher's kid, performing and music have always been a big part of his life.
In his quest to become an actor and performer life has been quite turbulent for Zulu. He went from a warm home with his parents to being homeless in Johannesburg Park Station, washing cars at a taxi rank to feed himself. Now he’s on our TV screens and has become the viewers' favourite, delivering emotional and sincere performances.
Zulu takes us through his journey of hardships, perseverance, and lessons learned along the way.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD
I was born in the small town of Kwa-Zulu Natal called eMandeni which is where I grew up in the township. I’m a preacher’s kid, my dad is a well-known Bishop, called Bishop Thanda Zulu. So I grew up in the church which I think is where my love for the arts started. At age 10 my father taught me how to play the piano. The piano players at church would often not pitch, and he needed someone on standby for this role so I eventually ended up playing the piano, bass, and drums and that’s when music instantly became a huge part of my life. As with most churches, there are Sunday school classes. Our teachers created sketches for us to act out, and perform in front of church members. I was fascinated by the creative process – from writing, role-playing, directing, and acting out the scenes on stage. I told my teacher that this is something I'm interested in doing, and this is when my love for acting began.
HOW DID YOUR PARENTS FEEL ABOUT YOU ACTING?
When I finished Matric at eMandeni College, I had planned to study law at WITS, as my parents suggested. They were adamant that I get a proper and traditional degree so that I have a stable job no matter what happens. Just as a friend and I were packing to leave school, we had a conversation about where we were going to study. He told me about AFDA and the type of courses they offer such as acting. I decided to apply online and got confirmation immediately. When I told my parents about my decision, my father lost his mind and tried to convince me not to go this route, but eventually agreed and let me go.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST TV ROLE, HOW WAS THAT FOR YOU?
I moved to Johannesburg in 2019 and it was the hardest year of my life. I tried to hustle but things weren’t going to plan, or falling into place. I remember moving in with a friend that I knew from Durban. Not long after moving in, we disagreed about jobs because he was in the industry too and our auditions clashed. So I was left homeless and lived for about three months at Johannesburg Park Station, washing taxis just to have food and make ends meet.
There was this one taxi owner who took an interest in me and asked, "‘mfana wami’ why is someone like you washing taxis, and what exactly are you doing here?" I told him my story and he gave me money to immediately take the bus and go back home. I went back to my parent’s home and the day I arrived I received a call back from ETV’s Durban Gen saying that I got the job I had auditioned for. I believe this part of my journey is a testament to the saying that goes ‘when you've reached your breaking point and all else has failed that’s when your breakthrough comes’, so it's best to hang in there no matter what.
Going on set for the first time was nerve-wracking. I couldn't believe I had been chosen for this role after going through what I had gone through. It was an overwhelming experience for me but my colleagues were so helpful. They helped me to settle in and guided me through the whole process with amazing advice.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS DR MCHUNU
Dr Mchunu is an intern doctor from a rich family. He was arrogant and a typical cheese boy. He was conceited, super-intelligent, thrived on attention, and wanted other interns to conform to his ideologies and basically worship him. Apart from his flaws, he was also lovable because his character was the one that unified the hospital and brought the doctors together.
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT LINGASHONI
This role is something I didn’t expect to take on so early in my career. When my contract for Durban Gen ended, I was cast on Lingashoni soon after. When I realised that my character was gay, I knew I had a huge task ahead of me because this is something I have to do properly and execute with caution. The character of NJ Cele was described as flamboyant and my biggest fear then was to not overdo things and offend the LGBTQ community. I did my research, I watched a lot of shows and I found out how to portray a gay character, and how to reach the hearts of the community so that it’s relatable to them. I’m an emotional actor, and with every role, I try by all means to invoke emotions from the audience whether the character is flamboyant NJ or arrogant cheese boy, Dr Mchunu.
Related article: Thuli Thabethe’s rise to stardom
WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO OR WHO INSPIRES YOU?
I do have people that inspire me in the industry and I admire their work. But I look more inward than outward for inspiration. The vision I have for myself and the man I want to become is who I look up to the most, to be honest. I believe we are all unique and possess greatness within, and for me, that’s where my drive and determination come from.
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR MUSIC CAREER?
My music interest started way back in my childhood from church. I have developed my own sound with mixes of Hip hop and R&B. I was signed to West Ink Records last year with Mampintsha and released my song under that label. The song is called Hallelujah. It’s thanking God for where I come from and how much he has blessed me thus far and further blessings for my future.
IF YOU HAD A SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Teleportation, I love the idea of moving to and from different places instantly.
WHAT WOULD BE THE THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE
It has to be a Sjava song called Linda.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME?
I like doing fun stuff with my partner. We enjoy going to the park and having a small picnic. Sometimes we go hiking or on a boat cruise on the river. We like outdoor stuff.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?
I envision myself, by the grace of God, in a place where all areas of my life have stability. I’d also like to be in a position to be changing people’s lives, specifically in my township and community.
ONE TO WATCH: ZULU BLACK
Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar
on
June 22, 2021
Rating:
Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar
on
June 22, 2021
Rating:
