Tiro from Scandal
When you think about chasing your dreams, a few critical moments can either make or break your journey—and for Lebohang Msiza, those moments are anything but ordinary. Just a day before the audition that would change everything for him, his car broke down. Imagine the panic: here he was, a budding actor nervously anticipating a life-altering opportunity, and he was left wondering how on earth he would get to the audition.
Lebohang, best known for the memorable Nkosana in SABC2’s telenovela Lithapo, recalls the hustle that day like it was yesterday. “I had to walk for 33 minutes to get to my audition,” he laughs, shaking his head as if still surprised by his determination. Can you imagine that? Walking nearly half an hour just to take a shot at your big break? But Lebohang wasn’t about to let a little inconvenience stop him.
In the midst of all the nerves, he found his focus. “As I was walking, I remember saying to myself, ‘Are you going to walk for 33 minutes and be nervous when you get there? No way. This has to be mine.’” That self-talk lit a fire in him, preparing him for the audition ahead. Once he arrived, he was greeted by a room full of experienced actors, but that didn’t shake him. Instead, he channeled the same grit: “Remember, you have to walk back another 33 minutes to get a taxi,” he reminded himself. And it worked—weeks later, he received that life-changing “yes.”
Now, while Nkosana might not be the kind of character who would willingly walk a long distance—let’s be real, he’d probably think that’s lame—Lebohang thrives in the role. Nkosana, with his sense of entitlement and narcissism, certainly doesn’t win any popularity contests. “I’ve had moments of reading the script and going, ‘No, Nkosana, are you really going to do that?’” Lebohang chuckles at the antics of his character, knowing just how frustrating Nkosana can be to viewers.
For Lebohang, this wasn’t just another role. It was the culmination of years spent praying and honing his craft in the hopes of landing a significant role in a major production. Interestingly, his path to acting wasn’t so straightforward. His parents, wanting the best for him, insisted he enroll in university, leading him to a BCom in accounting. But as it turns out, numbers weren’t his calling. “I felt like I was suffocating while doing accounting,” he admits. The decision to drop out was pivotal; it gave him the freedom to pursue what he loved without feeling trapped.
Now, having made his mark as Nkosana, viewers can expect even more jaw-dropping moments from Lebohang’s character. And that’s not all—come 2024, he’s stepping into the world of etvScandal, taking on the role of Tiro, a character fans love to hate. If Nkosana was a challenge, Tiro promises to be another wild ride as he serves up a generous dose of cruelty.
Lebohang Msiza’s journey teaches us that sometimes the path to fulfillment is anything but standard. It’s about resilience, making sacrifices, and knowing when to embrace your true calling. So, the next time you find yourself at a crossroads, think of Lebohang—he walked 33 minutes to prove that dreams are worth the struggle!
