26-04-2025
‘I've only been aroused twice on the show' – BU Mthembu on Adulting S3
Since Big Brother Mzansi, Luthando BU Mthembu has made a name for himself playing the charming Vuyani in the Showmax Original series Adulting.
BU has also established as a rapper who goes by the stage name Ludo, with his music featured on the show.
As an actor, he's also been on chart-topping shows like Ayeye: Stripped and Redemption.
On Adulting, we've seen him go from being in his toyboy era to making an effort to turn his life around and finally, he does. In the third season now, Vuyani (his character) steps into his role as a club owner.
The new season raises the stakes as the gents confront their deepest fears and desires while striving to keep their friendship intact.
Reflecting on the previous season, BU says, 'Vuyani's vice lies in his love for women. Despite being a young, healthy, intelligent, and well-grounded individual, he still struggles with unemployment. What stands out about him is his ability to leverage his strengths to navigate life and achieve his goals. Without giving too much away, I can say he steps up significantly this season. I'll leave it there to avoid spoilers!'
Read more | 'I'm an actor telling a story' – Mapaseka Koetle on playing Naledi on steamy Adulting S3
With how steamy and controversial the show has been, there have been scenes that will not only live rent-free in people's minds but will always have tongues wagging. One of these has been Vuyani frog jumping with Thembi Seete's character.
BU shares that this particular scene has made people believe that he'd do that in real life.
'I think it's a matter of education. When you portray a character really well, people can become so convinced that they can't see beyond what they're watching. For instance, they've seen my character do a frog jump with Thembi Seete's character, and now they think that's who I am. That's the scary part for us as actors - people tend to hold on to moments like that. But it's all part of the job. It just means I played the role really well and made it believable.'
Still speaking on the scene, he says intimacy scenes require a lot of trust between co-actors.
'I believe it's important to understand people and recognise that everyone is vulnerable. When it comes to sex scenes, even I felt uncomfortable at first. I remember my very first sex scene was with Rosemary Zimu on Ayeye: Stripped. She guided me through that scene, and what I took away from that experience was a sense of ubuntu.
'In Adulting, we have intimacy coaches, which helps a lot. I've also observed Thembi Seete and tried to apply the skills I've gained through life to make the space as comfortable as possible. I approach these scenes with the intention of staying true to the purpose of the scene and contributing to what we're trying to create for the show,' he adds.
Read more | Mpho turns a new leaf in Adulting season 3, Thabiso Rammusi spills the beans
Of all the intimate scenes he's had, BU admits that he's only been aroused twice throughout the show.
'The first time was the kiss at Konka, which is weird because it was just a kiss. The second time was during that scene [where I used my teeth to remove a g-string], though I didn't feel aroused while shooting it - only when I watched it. This is the edited version, so it's cleaner. Using my teeth was my idea, but I had to ask for permission.'
This season though, we are in for a treat as BU also taps into the emotional side of his character.
'But I'm even more excited about my emotional scenes. I think we've seen everyone else show vulnerability, except for Vuyani and Mpho - though Mpho was going through a lot from the very beginning. This season, we'll get to see Vuyani shed a tear, and viewers will really feel what he's going through.'
New episodes of the show drop every Saturday at 8pm.
