Determination, tenacity and passion… These three words describe actor and presenter Lunga Shabalala. He gives us a glimpse at who he is beyond the camera.
When the lights turn off and the cameras are put away, Lunga Shabalala still shines. As we sit down to a quiet lunch in Cape Town, he narrates the plot of a movie he says he would love to make and, while it is off the record, I have to say, I have goosebumps. What started as an interview with a cover star quickly turned into what felt like lunch with a friend. He’s funny, witty and an all-round great guy to get to know.
He tells me about touring America while on a shoot and visiting the Grand Canyon, about how Siya Kolisi saved him from having to miss the birth of his niece, as well as tossing the coin to start the Inanda Africa Polo Cup match… All the while, not touching a single bite of his food. He’s a man who loves connecting with people, telling his story and, above all, loves leaving a smile on the face of everyone he meets. But we’re jumping the gun. Let’s rewind a bit.
Lunga began his career in the entertainment industry in 2010 when he scooped the coveted title of host of Selimathunzi. He later went on to present shows such as The Man Cave on SABC3 for more than six seasons and played host for reality-TV show She’s the One. In 2014 he starred in the SABC1 drama Task Force, and plays Lindani in The River, a much-celebrated International Emmy-nominated drama.
Lunga comes from humble beginnings in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. He is an older brother to two sisters and both his parents are teachers. Without a doubt, discipline and a good work ethic were instilled in him from a very young age. “I was fortunate to have grown up in a household that encouraged hard work in the classroom as well as on the sports field,” he says. “Coincidently, many of my fondest childhood memories are of me playing a sport of some sort.”
These days, Lunga lets off steam by finding ways to be active, whether it’s hitting the gym, cycling, running or weight-lifting – he does it all. He has recently joined the craze of trying his hand at padel. “I’m not good at a sport where it is an extension of my hand,” he sheepishly shares. “For some reason, my hand-eye coordination goes straight out the window.”
Wanting to get to know who Lunga is away from the limelight, I learn that the first thing he does every morning is pray. “Faith is my compass. Everything that I do is guided by what the holy spirit tells me,” he shares.
When he’s not busy with a jam-packed schedule of shooting, Lunga takes a break and resets by spending time with his close-knit group of friends and family that he calls his “anchors”.
It’s never too late to learn a life skill and Lunga has recently taken up how to cook for himself. While his culinary skills are still rudimentary, he proudly tells me about trying his hand at making spaghetti bolognese. Is it his comfort meal? Nope. The answer to that question would be tripe and steamed bread. And while he will never attempt to make it again, it holds a special place in his heart. “It reminds me of home,” he says.
There are many surprising things you can learn about Lunga when you sit down to have a conversation with him… He would survive a ‘zombie apocalypse’ by grabbing his golf clubs to defend himself; he’s a self-proclaimed introvert; and the one cartoon character he wants to be is Ash from Pokémon.
Lunga is a people’s person – when he walks into a room, every individual is important and greeted with a friendly hello and kind smile. “People don’t remember what you do, but they do remember how you make them feel,” he believes. “The legacy I want to leave behind is how to be a good person. On all my social media profile bios, I have the words ‘Be kind’. It doesn’t cost you anything but I promise it changes so many people’s lives,” he says.
In front of the camera
Lunga’s road to stardom has been one paved with resilience and tenacity. At first, his parents were sceptical of him having a career in entertainment. So, like most parents, they encouraged him to study for a degree first, and so he did – he studied town planning and property development.
Fast-forward to Lunga being in the entertainment industry for so many years, his career has developed to a stage where he is now very intentional about the way in which he is seen and the story he wants his career to tell.
“In the beginning, you’re just trying to get a foot in the door, get the opportunities – and once you’ve done it for a long-enough time, people know what you can and can’t do. So, now you want to steer it in a manner where you can do this for as long as possible,” he explains.
When approaching new roles and characters, Lunga has an interesting process to ensure authenticity and depth of character. He begins with a journal and physically jots down notes to flesh out the character and all their traits. What are his favourite foods? What is his favourite colour? Is he left- or right-handed? “All these different things feed into who we are.
You try to give him layers and texture so that he’s not just a bland character that’s just reciting lines,” Lunga explains. “And then I journal all my experiences as the character as I go through it. If it’s in my handwriting, it’s easier for me to refer to emotionally. If you can feel it, you can portray it.”
Without a doubt, the South African entertainment industry is making its mark on the global stage with the likes of Black Coffee, Tyla and Nomzamo gaining critical acclaim. And Lunga only has praise for the future of the industry.
“There are a lot more opportunities for people to showcase art in terms of platforms. There are more people telling our stories. Now, when we sell our stories to the rest of the world, we are telling stories that are happening today or our perception of what happened. The world is noticing us. Our talent isn’t hidden any more. People say ‘Africa, the time is now’… It really is.”
Looking to the future
What does the future for hold for Lunga Shabalala? The answer is one I was not expecting. After sitting with him for such a long time and hearing how passionately he speaks about his craft, I expected him to say that he’s on to bigger and better things.
Instead his answer is: “I don’t know.” And that’s not to say that he doesn’t have direction. No. It’s more about being open to whatever plan God has for him. “I had a plan for what I wanted my life to look like by age 35. Some of it has happened and some of it hasn’t. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t any less of a good life,” he says. “Life is what happens when you’re busy making plans.” He shares that if he had to leave the world of entertainment and take up a traditional 9-5, he would do it with contentment because he has poured his heart and soul into everything he’s done, and it truly shows.
Follow Lunga
Facebook: Lunga Shabalala
Instagram: @lunga_shabalala
TikTok: @lungashabalala
Words by Rughsaar Bibi Ismail
Photography: Zhann Solomons
Styling: Mia-Tess Smith
