VETERAN actress Nomsa Nene is back on television. She is part of the cast of a new e.tv drama series called Broken Vows. She will portray Lydia, an alcoholic who has fallen on hard times.
SURVIVING HARD TIMES
The Soweto-born actress can identify with her character as she knows hard times all too well. She says after her game show, Zama Zama was abruptly canned, she was without a job and had bills to pay. She tried her hand at producing, but things did not work out as she wanted. When things were not going her way, she decided to do something outside showbiz. She thought of selling beauty products just so she could make ends meet. But it is what she now refers to as her second love, which is selling property, that worked for her. With her cheerful and charming voice, she admits that she was angry when she lost Zama Zama. “We don’t know why it had to come to an end. We were just told that in seven days the show was coming to an end,” she recalls. Nomsa admits that the show ending hurt her deeply. “There was no compensation. I was very angry and bitter as I had bills to pay and a lifestyle to maintain. It was a very bad experience and it hurt me because we didn’t even have a workers’ union to complain to.”
SHE REFUSES TO LIVE IN THE PAST
“I had a good time during my Zama Zama days and I will continue to have a good time now,” she says. In 2004 Nomsa was involved in a tragic car accident that left a person dead. Some time after that, there were reports that she was dead. She says people actually came to her house to mourn her death. “I don’t want to dwell on negative things. I just thank God that I’m still alive,” she says about the car accident, adding, “I can’t live in the past. The role I portray on Broken Vows is someone who is affected by her past experiences and I won’t let that happen to me.” Nomsa would rather focus on more positive things. She says even though she’s been through highs and lows, she’s thankful to God and won’t allow past experiences to take control of her destiny.
SHE’S EXCITED TO BE BACK
Talking about her character, the actress finds it hard to hide her excitement about being back on TV. “I’m so excited and looking forward to being in the spotlight again. People have been demanding that I come back to acting,” says the estate agent. “Acting is my first love and that won’t change. In the past 16 years where I was concentrating on my property business, I got acting offers, but they were not suitable for me. Now is the right time for me to come back. I’m open to offers,” she says when Move! asks her if she’s here to stay this time.
