Cape Town - Five Fingers for Marseilles is the first South African Western movie with a predominantly black cast. It stars Mduduzi Mabaso, Vuyo Dabula, Zethu Dlomo, Hamilton Dhlamini, Lizwi Vilakazi, Kenneth Nkosi and Warren Masemola to name a few.
DRUM speaks to Mduduzi about his character, Luyanda – a policeman who’s part of a gang he and his childhood friends formed when they were teenagers.
“Luyanda grew up poor and he didn’t know he was part of a gang. His friends called themselves Five Fingers but were not aware they were tying themselves down,” Mduduzi says.
As time goes by, Luyanda and his friends part ways – one becomes a minister, the others become criminals and Luyanda heads up the police force.
Like any boy child, Mduduzi said he watched a lot of Western movies while growing up but he never dreamt of acting in one. “Growing up I never even thought of being an actor. I wanted to better my surroundings and I wanted to be a doctor,” he says.
After being exposed to theatre and acting Mduduzi says he dropped the idea of medicine and fell in love with acting.
“When the acting bug bit me I refused to do anything else. Even when I didn’t get acting jobs and I would be broke for months I would refuse to take up any other work because I was sure of my passion,” he says.
Excited about his role in Five Fingers for Marseilles, Mduduzi says people will see another side to talent as this role differs from his one as Suffocate on e.tv’s Rhythm City. “People will forget about Suffocate because I really get into my character. I worked really hard to try and get rid of the Suffo brand in other acting roles,” Mduduzi says.
With assistance from the director, Michael Matthews, and some of the cast members, he was able to give the role his all.
“I was so excited to work alongside people I look up to. Kenneth Nkosi and Warren Masemola really helped me to build my character,” he says.
Catch Five Fingers for Marseilles in cinemas from Friday 6 April.
