TAKING AFRICAN STORIES TO THE WORLD: LEHASA MOLOI


Lehasa Moloi is an actor, presenter, story writer and editor, as well as a DJ and entrepreneur. Known for his role in the drama series, Rockville, starring as PJ Luthuli in the film Spud and in other soap operas such as Isidingo and Rhythm City, Moloi is proof that being multifaceted is key to sustaining long-term success.


Having broken into the industry at just 17, Moloi’s journey to stardom hasn’t been one without its ups and downs. Through it all, he has managed to come out tops, with plans to have his fingers in as many pies as possible.

We catch up with the storyteller to find out more about his aspirations in production, his house music debut and winding down with family and close friends.

HOW DID YOUR ACTING JOURNEY BEGIN?
I was born and raised in the Free State and Joburg. I studied at AFDA: The School for the Creative Economy for two years, I studied at a place called Act Film Acting Academy in Cape Town as well, I was kind of a Cape Town raised actor after high school. My very first role was in a production called Soul Buddyz, they were shooting at our school, and pulled us out of class randomly and during the break. I think I was in grade 10 at the time. After matric, I got random gigs here and there, and eventually, I got an agent and started acting full-time. Over and above that, I also became involved in the world of hosting and presenting because I always had a passion for storytelling, whether it was on stage or on TV.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT YOU LEARNED ALONG THE WAY?
Good question, I would say the things you like the least are probably the things you need the most. I know a lot of actors hate auditions, but I reframed that a few years back and it really helped because it became less about me impressing people or getting a job and more about me being able to do what I love – because that is how I serve – and was a huge lesson for me.

There were years where it just went quiet, I’d go to about 25 to 30 auditions, and nothing really happened. Many only learned during Covid that you should always diversify your streams of income, no matter which field you’re in. A mentor of mine once mentioned that there were multiple rivers in the Garden of Eden and he understood that as a message – that we should all have multiple rivers flowing into our lives.


THAT MAY BE WHAT LEAD YOU TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR. COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT JOURNEY?
Definitely, it's been rocky, at the least. I think doing anything outside of your natural path will always start out rocky, but then you find your feet. Apart from high school stuff, I started out selling make-up brushes because I saw an opportunity in our industry. My sister-in-law is a beauty technician, and she imported these brushes from China. Long story short, it was a long and difficult process, but we eventually turned it around.

I was also involved in online personal training, which was cool, but with entrepreneurship, you quickly learn what you like and don’t like. Even though it was fairly successful, I learned that it’s not for me. I’d rather be behind the scenes – inspiring and influencing. My wife and I have had a production company for a few years and that is our main focus – telling stories that impact and change the world.

YOU’RE A WRITER FOR SHOWS AS WELL, TELL US ABOUT THAT.
It's a role that I’ve been involved in for a few years now. With the aim to diversify, I did voiceovers for the longest time, I still write scripts and stories for a few productions and films.


IN 2014 YOU WERE ANNOUNCED THE AMBASSADOR OF JOOP! HOMME, HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE FOR YOU?
I battle to find the right words, you know when God moves, and you realise it had nothing to do with your efforts. I was randomly called by people who had hand-picked me and they said this is what is going to happen, this is your gig. The year before, Maps Maponyane and Lunga Shabalala were vying for that ambassadorship, but for me, there were no hurdles or hoops to jump through, no competition – it just happened. Somehow, I had done something and that was my time. Apart from that, it was a great opportunity to be thrown into the spotlight of the world of fragrances. I’ve always wanted to have my own fragrance; I think one day it will happen.

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WHICH THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
I would say resilient, as I mentioned, there were ups and downs – I think everyone is experiencing that a lot because of the pandemic – we’ve seen it in business. If you don’t see an actor on TV, you must know they may be struggling to make ends meet somewhere. I have been there, and I’ve survived, and I’m still there, still fighting.

Then between happiness and joy, because the path you choose doesn’t change, whether there are ups or downs, you choose to be happy.

The last one is peace. I’m always the one bringing my siblings together – you could say I’m a natural peacemaker.


WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Fitness: I haven’t been to the gym for the past eight months because of the pandemic. Music as well, both producing and DJing, which I recently started. Music is a big one for me – it’s very close to my heart. As a career choice, it was between music and acting for me. You’ll see a lot coming in the next few months, weeks, maybe days. So yeah, music is a big one for me.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX AND RECHARGE?
I spend time with my wife and kids, just kicking it at home or going for a picnic. I try to keep a very small circle because it takes time to invest in relationships. With the pandemic, I’ve realised that a lot of relationships I had were very transactional. So in a nutshell, I prefer spending time with the very few people that are close to me.



WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PLANS AND ASPIRATIONS?
Personal development is a big thing for me. I guess it’s part of the fun and how I look at the world; I wake up very early and do a lot of things like reading, bible study and meditation. Plans for the future... production. I put this out into the universe, but I’m already working with Netflix and a few Multichoice channels to make our own production. We are here to take African stories to the world – to the world stage. In the next few weeks, we might release new music, new songs. So, you can look out for me in the house music space.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR UPCOMING ACTORS AND ACTRESSES, MAYBE PRESENTERS, OR EVEN ENTREPRENEURS?
A lot of the time we’re told to focus on our weaknesses, to try and build them up. But what’s really worked for me, especially in the beginning, is to focus on strengths. Focus on what makes you shine, what really exposes you to the world, and embrace that inner authenticity. Be yourself, be authentic. A lot of what [negative things] people say is a projection of either what they believe they can’t do or something they wanted to do and failed at.

Related article: 5 Minutes with Hlomla Dandala

BY NTHABISENG MAKHOKHA


TAKING AFRICAN STORIES TO THE WORLD: LEHASA MOLOI TAKING AFRICAN STORIES TO THE WORLD: LEHASA MOLOI Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar on September 27, 2021 Rating: 5
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