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IOL News
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Bonko Khoza opens up about life, fame and the pitfalls of the South African entertainment industry
South African actor Bonko Khoza opens up about fame, financial pitfalls and stresses in the entertainment industry. Image: Instagram During a visit to Lungelo KM's "Engineer Your Life" podcast, acclaimed actor Bonko Khoza delved deep into the intricacies of his life, his marriage and the challenges that come with fame. Khoza is currently the man of the moment on the small screen. He has earned high praise for his leading roles in the history-making Netflix movie, 'Heart of the Hunter' and the hit Showmax series, 'Red Ink' and "The Wife". Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'My heart is good' During the interview, Khoza reflected on his craft and exposed the harsh realities of the South African entertainment industry. Khoza began by discussing the awakening he has experienced regarding his personal philosophy. With a heartfelt message anchored in spirituality, he said: "My heart is good. I've been doing a lot of inner work with myself about the heart in relation to God. That's the heart's function in terms of cleaning out the tunnel between myself and God. "What I've come to learn, right now as I'm speaking to you, is that it's gratitude in terms of prayer, because it's validation of the present." Young hustler Rewinding to his early aspirations, Khoza shared a glimpse of his youthful pursuit of becoming a visual artist. He recalls starting out at an art school and juggling various odd jobs at Makro and Wimpy, as well as bartending. "I've been working for a long time, making my own pocket money or just cash to buy my own things." Addressing the sobering reality that many South African actors die broke, Khoza mentioned: 'The South African entertainment industry is no different in appearance or structure than anywhere in the world, but here we have real problems.' He pointed out that productions are often severely underfunded, leading to compensation that does not reflect the talent and dedication actors bring to their roles. 'I think there is a terrible stigma around producers underpaying people and I might put my head on the chopping block here, but the ecosystem is not that strong,' Khoza stated. 'Most of our legends die broke because, number one, it's not that glamorous, the fees aren't that great, and secondly, we don't have royalties.' Pay pitfalls He emphasised that actors remain financially vulnerable due to the nature of their contracts, which are often renewed annually, based on budget constraints. "At every job, you're just making enough for that job. It's crazy that the perception is that when someone sees you on TV, they think that you're making a crap ton of money, I don't know why human perception is that 'because I am public, I am rich'. "The people that are successful in the industry, I think have had great ways to manage that money or some kind of support. But if you are surviving purely on acting money, it's hard because you are not guaranteed your next job," he said. Reflecting on his exit from the popular show, "The Wife", Khoza shared that he does not allow public opinion to dictate his career moves. "I am never dictated by what other people think, not that I couldn't care less, I love an audience, I went to a theatre school, we engage with the audience, but my art is not measured by how someone else feels. Being human "I really try to do what I think is cool and what I think people will appreciate and just take it from there. "In this life now, the artist can quickly become the art. I am not the art, I am Bonko, I am the artist. Artists were never supposed to be famous. I was never supposed to be famous, I'm a piece of sh**. "I am not the cool guy, I've never been the cool guy. I'm introspective, I'm poetic, I'm deep, I cry, I am not the architype of a famous person and how that person suppose to engage." He acknowledged the precarious balance artists must maintain between their professional and personal lives, citing the stressors that arise when one neglects their humanity for the sake of their craft. "Being human is my job, everytime someone books me, I have to draw from the actual reality of it, and if I haven't lived the actual reality of it, there is nothing to draw from. "So when I was doing three season of 'The Wife' with barely no time to be human, it became dangerous to say at what point am I going to go back and be human again. And at the same time, the human was starting to go crazy." Watch the full podcast below.
News24
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Bonko Khoza's distinctive dapper swag
You might know him as the lead in Heart of the Hunter or remember falling for him as Mqhele in The Wife – either way, Bonko Khoza always brings the heat. In a chat with TRUELOVE, he opened up about his deep love for acting, even training for four weeks to prep for Heart of the Hunter. But it's not just the roles he takes seriously, his style game is just as intentional. Here are some of our favourite looks that prove Bonko doesn't miss: 1. Urban Luxe in neutrals The short-sleeve cream Cuban collar shirt paired with matching high-waisted pleated trousers brings in a cool aesthetic, perfect for urban summer elegance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bonko Cosmo Khoza (@bonkokhoza) 2. Fresh and clean The actor rocked a sage green button-up shirt with relaxed, off-white textured trousers. The shirt is casually unbuttoned at the top, accessorised with a gold watch and chain for a subtle luxe feel. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bonko Cosmo Khoza (@bonkokhoza) 3. Unapologetically royal Channelling a modern-day prince aesthetic with a cream jacquard military-style jacket, detailed with gold shoulder tassels and a red sash, the actor accessorised with dark sunglasses to finish off the contemporary touch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bonko Cosmo Khoza (@bonkokhoza) 4. Modern gentleman's ease This cozy-yet-polished aesthetic features a grey and white plaid overshirt layered over a grey top, paired with crisp white trousers and white sneakers. The monochromatic palette balances the rich texture of the vintage rug. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bonko Cosmo Khoza (@bonkokhoza) 5. Sunlit street style The mustard yellow ensemble consists of a utility-style button-up shirt paired with match shorts. Creating a streetwear vibe. The utilitarian details and vivid colour create statement perfect for modern casualwear. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bonko Cosmo Khoza (@bonkokhoza)
