Legendary actor Dr Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha did not hold back on the SAFTAs stage after stating that producers and directors should “cast actors, not models.”
Standing with the cast of Scandal! while accepting the award for Best TV Soap, Jerry also stated, “We want to act, and we respect our craft. It’s not about the number of followers that you have, it’s about the craft that you bring to the set.”
Finally it had to be said ??????#SAFTAs17 #SAFTAs pic.twitter.com/o24rfyQy5k
— Tsitso?? (@Tsitso_Msomi) October 1, 2023
The veteran actor also shared his opinion on the matter on Instagram.
“You get on set ready to rehearse. The influencer arrives 2-hours late and it’s no issue. They saunter into the dressing room and then the makeup artists have to work around the phone that is glued to their hand.”
He further added, “They finally get on set and the director has to be careful not to cross them. The producers and the channel must always be happy. The scene is blocked and you feature prominently when they are not in a close-up. Then the cherry on the cake is when you are told to tone down your acting because you are not number 1 on the call sheet. You dare not upstage or upset the ‘Lead’. This is not an exaggeration.”
Jerry then compared acting to playing a game of tennis. “It’s a give and take. The more you give to your fellow actor, the more they give you, the more you challenge each other. Then the magic happens. It’s painful to play against a wall.”
View this post on Instagram
Also see: Blaq Diamond wins third court case against Ambitiouz Entertainment