Actress Jo-Anne Reyneke spoke to us about playing Thuli on BET's latest local comedy, 'Black Tax'.
How did your involvement in Black tax come about?
I got the call from my agent about a role that he thought would be suited for me. He knows how much I have always wanted to try comedy and he thought this would be the perfect chance for me to try and see if I can do it. I went to the audition, got the callback and here we are.
What attracted to this production?
I fell involve with the script, the very first time that I read it and I knew that this show was different and I had to be a part of it. I've also worked with the Rous brothers before and I've enjoyed my experience with them and wanted to work with them again.
You play Thuli, how would you describe her?
Thuli is a fun character to play. She thinks she's cool, and her daughter reminds her all the time that she is not. She uses phrases like ‘For Shizzle My Nizzle’...in 2020.
With that said, she is a 35-year-old realtor, who is making her mark in life. She had a kid at the age of 15, and that's why she and her daughter get along so well - because Thuli can almost relate to her. Thuli also knows for a fact that she is not her parent's favourite, but she tries, by all means, to get her parents approval.
Are there any similarities between you and Thuli?
Not at all. Firstly I don't say ‘For Shizzle My Nizzle’. Besides that, Thuli can take herself a little too seriously and I am the complete opposite of that, I am more fun and relaxed and don't take life that seriously.
How would you describe her relationship with her parents?
She knows that she is not her parents favourite - especially her mom- but she tries by all means to better her relationship with them and be a better daughter, by letting them stay a little longer than what she anticipated.
Her relationship with her mom was mostly strained because Thuli became a mom at a young age. She does have a better relationship with her step-dad though.
The overall theme of the show is Black Tax, what are some of the situations used in the script to tackle this?
The guilt that the parents use by saying ''we want you to be comfortable in your house therefore we will leave''. It's a way most of us get asked for things, by being made to feel bad and then wanting to fix it and therefore we then provide - even if we are not always in a position to do so.
Black Tax is a topical issue, have you been in any Black Tax situations in your life and if so did that make relating to Thuli and the show easier?
I think a lot of people of colour can relate to Thuli - I know I can for a fact. Black Tax really shouldn't be seen as an issue - because, at the end of the day, you are really just blessing those who have blessed you - even if they didn't bless you in a monetary way.
I definitely have Black Tax in my family - since I started work, I have been sending money back home. You have give to receive right?