When Shona and Connie Ferguson came up with The Wild project which aired on M-Net, no one predicted it would end in the abrupt manner it did. It was a first in many aspects and featured a great cast, but unfortunately the location costs became a serious concern and saw the project crumble.
Undeterred, the two went back to the drawing board again and came up with a Rockville which is in production for the second season.
We caught up with cast member Boity Thulo ( pictured) during a shoot and asked her to tell us about her experiences on the show.
“I am excited because on this show I experienced my first acting job,” she said excitedly.
“It is a fantastic experience and a great learning curve for me which saw me grow emotionally at an alarming rate,” she continued.
The cast of Rockville’s first season included seasoned actors like the Fergusons, Luthuli Dlamini and Bonnie Henna, something that intimidated Thulo at first.
“Of course, at first I felt that I was in the presence of legends and it kind of played on my mind. But the cast and crew are so welcoming I didn’t feel like a novice.
“I also did private acting lessons with Dorothy Ann Gould which helped me to play the character I star as very well,” she said.
Thulo stars as Mpho Ragatsu, a spoilt kid who has a wonderful relationship with her father.
“I am Daddy’s girl and come across as an innocent young child, but not everything is what it seems,” said Thulo.
In the first season the actress played the same character next to Minnie Dlamini as her twin sister. This was obviously the Fergusons cashing in on the fact that the two girls have always been thought of as look-a-likes in the media.
The Fergusons continue to act along-side each other and hope for a better season.
“We are very excited to be working on the second season of Rockville. We set such a high standard for ourselves and the channel with the first season. The challenge for us this season is not just matching that quality, but surpassing it,” said Connie. “We’re just really passionate about making great TV and telling stories that will leave viewers begging for more,” she explained.
Sadly, for Rockville fans, the plot will suffer a dent in the second season as Dlamini will not return to the show.
The official word from the producers is that because of Dlamini’s schedule outside of the show, they can’t seem to find enough time to shoot with her.
“I am working on all my SABC sport commitments which are in and out of the country, so unfortunately the schedules clashed,” said Dlamini.
As for the reports by some tabloids that Dlamini was fired for being a diva, she maintained it was not true.
“I have worked with production in visually conceptualising my character Nosipho and Ferguson Films were very happy with how the character turned out, based on my input and me financially investing in the character,” she said.
• The second season of Rockville is set to hit the screen early next year.