With the slice of life stories found in eKasi: Our Stories resonating so strongly with South African viewers, e.tv decided to treat us to a fourth season. Debashine Thangevelo caught up with Zone 14 actress Carol Behane to find out about her How Stella Got Her Groove Back-type role in the drama Chicken Murder…
APART from entertaining the masses, eKasi: Our Stories cultivates new talent in the industry, from producers and writers to actors.
The 22-part drama series, shot in KwaThema, Alexandra, Soweto and Eldorado Park, is headed by Seleke Communications, Eclipse, Sobabili Productions and Blq2work.
And the true-to-life issues tackled include physical abuse, prostitution, drugs, xenophobia, unplanned pregnancy, inter-faith relationships, crime, family strife and human trafficking.
Carol Behane, 34, currently featuring in SABC1’s Zone 14, is about to return to the small screen in Chicken Murder, one of the dramas in the series.
It is not her first outing in the eKasi: Our Stories series: in October 2009 she played a cheating wife in Secret Lovers.
“Zone 14 was the last thing I was on. We finished shooting in October. I’ve been doing a lot of industrial theatre.
“As you know, I’m also a gym instructor. So I’ve been doing a lot of house calls for personal training and I’ve been training Orlando Pirates part-time. Hopefully, it will be full-time soon. I’m also negotiating with the Parys and Dundee municipalities to start a youth development programme.”
Of her conspicuous absence from the small screen, Behane explains: “You know, our industry has its ups and downs. One can’t just wait around for auditions. Fortunately, I love acting and training and I’m doing what I love.”
In Chicken Murder, Behane plays the role of Sheila, a fortysomething single mother struggling to make ends meet.
The actress believes her ability to relate to the character is what helped her clinch the part.
“I think the character is like me,” she offers.
“I’m a single mother. My daughter’s dad left us when she was four months old.
“I’ve been trying to make ends meet and do the best for my daughter and myself. And that is how Sheila feels as well.”
Sheila finds herself at an interesting crossroads when the father of her child decides to return and make a go of things, but, in the meanwhile, she has fallen for Kago, a much younger guy who makes her happy.
Of her character’s Catch-22 situation, Behane says, “From my experience, as a mother you want what’s best for your child.
“In our culture, an older woman is not supposed to be dating a younger guy. I don’t know who made that rule.
“This story will appeal to the audience because we are calling a spade a spade. We are telling viewers this is a reality and age is just a number as long as there is love and maturity.”
Food for thought and a shift in dogmatic perceptions is what one will experience with the gripping and poignant dramas found in eKasi: Our Stories.
• eKasi: Our Stories airs on e.tv on Mondays at 9pm. The next episode is Trapped and it is centred on human trafficking. Chicken Murder airs on September 10.