ACTRESS Kgomotso Christopher is in a class of her own. This, her fans know very well.
Since she was introduced on our TV screens, the actress has demonstrated her skills by acing every role given to her. Lately she has become the talk of the town and is raking in praise, thanks to her exhilarating role of Yvonne Thebe on Scandal!.
MOTHER OF TWO
With the excellence she does her job, you would swear that she has no life outside her acting career. But outside her TV life, the 38-year-old is a happily married mother of two – a daughter (9) and a son (8). She says as much as she loves her acting job, she makes sure that her family is not neglected. “I make sure that I work full time during the week and leave weekends and evenings for family,” she says.
THE CHARACTER YOU LOVE TO HATE
When she left Isidingo, where she played Katlego Sibeko to join Scandal!, many of her fans shed tears on the loss of their beloved star to a rival soapie. Asked which character she loves most between Yvonne and Katlego, she says as an actor, she doesn’t have preferred characters or roles. She explains that if she chooses to take on a part, her main purpose is to execute it and portray it to the best of her ability. “I am also relieved that I have been able to create a new character that is equally well-loved. My fear was that I would be forever known as Katlego Sibeko. It warms my heart nowadays when someone stops me and the first thing they say is ‘Hey Yv!’,” she says.
She explains that she has been blown away by the audiences’ positive and warm reception of the character. She adds that it’s a chance to showcase her versatility. “What I mostly like about my new character Yvonne is that she is clear about what she is and what she is not. She doesn’t have time to pretend in life,” says Kgomotso. “Like most viewers, I dislike that she isn’t going to work hard for the good life that she wants.”
WHY EDUCATION DOESN’T HELP HER
Kgomotso says that though she holds multiple degrees, she doesn’t think being educated helps a lot in her field. “It’s absolutely not about education because you will not even be guaranteed that you will always get roles. But investing in your craft will always show in the work that you produce,” says the former lecturer who holds a master’s degree in fine arts. “I always dreamed of having a master’s degree. I knew that I wanted to be a lecturer or be part of the academia.”
HER NEXT MOVE AND KEEPING SHAPE
She finds the Scandal! family amazing and it’s been a year but she has settled in easily and quickly. She says she would really love to be in a South African movie. “I am hoping one of these days it will happen. I am also beginning to think that perhaps I need to create the opportunity for myself and produce it,” she says. When it comes to keeping in shape, Kgomotso says she doesn’t really do much. “I am a natural petite that doesn’t do much. I eat everything I like, and it’s a lot of rich fried foods and I definitely don’t have a gym membership,” she says.
