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IOL News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Crime, drama and star power: Bonko Khoza and Lunathi Mpofu helm gripping new series 'Levels'
Bonko Khoza is set to play detective Stephen Vilakazi on Mzansi Magic's new crime series, "Levels". Image: YouTube/Screengrab. Bonko Khoza is the definition of TV gold. The 33-year-old has rapidly established himself as one of South Africa's most captivating leading men. Despite being on TV earlier in SABC1's comedy-drama "13 Weeks to Find Mr Right", Khoza's big break came when he was cast on Showmax's "The Wife" as Mqhele Zulu. A role that saw him dubbed "the national husband" by fans hooked by his charm. 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 ✕ After his exit in season two, he continued to entertain viewers in a string of popular productions, including 'Red Ink', 'Heart of the Hunter', 'The Woman King', 'The Drop', and Netflix's 'Marked", which is currently making waves around the globe. But Khoza's latest role promises to capture the public's imagination even further. Come September 7, Khoza will showcase his versatility in the much-anticipated crime drama "Levels", premiering on Mzansi Magic. Produced and written by Busisiwe Ntintili of The Ntintili Factory, the series will take viewers on a thrilling journey of ambition, power and the consequences that follow in the wake of a monumental heist. "Levels" delves into that tantalising fantasy, all sparked by the disappearance of R1 billion in foreign currency during a daring robbery at a private airport. In the wake of this chaos, Crime Intelligence mobilises high-ranking detective Bongi Nkosi, played by Lunathi Mpofu ("Fatal Seduction", "Disaster Holiday"), to lead the investigation. However, things take a complicated turn when they send a rising star from head office, detective Stephen Vilakazi (Khoza), to assist her. "When detective Vilakazi starts connecting the dots, Bongi's professional and personal life begin to unravel. She is not only dealing with a partner who's watching her every move, but she also has a past that won't stay buried and a growing attraction that could wreck everything. "As the team closes in on suspects, the truth gets harder to hide and even harder to survive," read a statement from the channel. "Mzansi Magic is always committed to bold, local storytelling that reflects the complexities of our society. 'Levels' is a fresh take on crime, power and ambition, all wrapped in a gripping storyline that will keep viewers coming back for more,' said Shirley Adonisi, director of Local Entertainment Channels, M-Net. Viewers are in store for a mix of crime, romance, and unexpected betrayals surrounding a life-altering billion-rand heist. The cast also includes Melusi Mbhele, Sikelelwa Vuyelani, and Unathi Mkhize. • "Levels" is set to air on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) on September 7 at 7.30pm.
IOL News
20-06-2025
- 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.
