Precious’ mettle ups ante

Published Aug 13, 2012

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Precious Thito (Florence Masebe) is the next new arrival in e.tv’s Scandal. After Daniel Nyathi’s (Sello Maake KaNcube) underhanded tactics to get rid of Donna Hardy, he finally has a worthy ally. Debashine Thangevelo caught up with Masebe to learn more about her decision to return to soaps after leaving SABC2’s Muvhango in 2009,and working with her good friend Maake KaNcube again.

FLORENCE Masebe was spoilt for choice when the producers of Scandal approached her for the juicy role of Precious Thito.

Well-spoken and always affable, Masebe regaled me with the story behind her decision to join the soap.

“I had, literally, just been brought on board on (Mzansi Magic’s) iNkaba. I started shooting on the Monday and the next day my agent phoned to say: ‘Scandal is looking for you.’ I was like, this is crazy. I had just made the decision to go back to soaps and now I get two,” she laughs.

She played Nomsa Mthetho’s (Nakedi Ribane) friend.

“I shot quite a bit. My character was basically helping Nomsa make up her mind about the divorce. And, let’s just say, the best friend was well versed in the subject, having done it a few times.”

Masebe continues: “I didn’t want to entertain Scandal until I knew what they were coming up with. Unfortunately for iNkaba, at that point I had just come in and they were figuring things out and couldn’t make a commitment. And Scandal had something solid.”

Even better, she didn’t have to go through the laborious process of auditioning – leaving Masebe rather flattered.

Interestingly, Masebe and Sello Maake KaNcube worked together on SABC1’s Generations “way, way back” and on Muvhango. And they are also good friends, which helped make the experience all the more rewarding.

She shares: “And we played lovers in Muvhango.”

So what’s the deal bet- ween Thito and Nyathi, who is renowned for his ruthless streak?

“She is very intrigued by Daniel. She loves his games. Daniel is an ally, of sorts, for her,” explains Masebe. “Patience is one of those women who is extremely self-assured. She has the power and knows it.

She is certainly not the type to beg and plead for anything. While everybody else looks at her as the big, bad majority shareholder, Daniel realises if he gets her on his side, he can get very far.”

However, there is an unmis- takable flirtation between the two. Masebe teases: “Yep, there is a funny tension going on there.”

Although she is still finding her feet on the soap, the actress is loving her time there and her “business with cleavage” wardrobe.

In the meantime, busy with her corporate and other commitments, Masebe is focusing on promoting her Venda movie, Elelani, which opened this year’s 33rd Durban International Film Festival.

“It is about a young woman who graduates and goes back to her village to celebrate. She has a scholarship and is on her way to America. And then things take a turn and her newfound modern way of living is pitted against her traditional upbringing,” she enlightens.

Masebe says the idea is to show the local film at as many film festivals as possible, with the Toronto Film Festival looking rather promising.

Keeping busy is definitely the way to go in this industry. We certainly wish Masebe all the best in her various endeavours and scintillating return to soaps.

• Florence Masebe will debut on Scandal on September 25.

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