Former Generations actress Sophie Ndaba, who starred in the long-running South African soapie as Queen Moroka, says that she will not try to overshadow her beloved character when she returns to the small screen as part of the cast of 016FM, as she has embraced it as part of her persona.
Ndaba became an iconic figure in Mzansi TV portraying Queen, a glamorous, if not vacuous busybody who won the hearts of viewers of the soapie due to her bubbly personality.After battling illness and misfortune over the last few years, Ndaba looks set to bounce back on the small screen, as part of the cast of the new Showmax drama series, 016FM which depicts youth culture in the Vaal.
The title of the show is taken from the dialing code of the Vaal, 016. The new show also features a star-studded cast including Nthati Moshesh, Sello Motloung, Mapula Mafole, Mapaseka Koetle, Katlego Mabote, Noni Mafani, and Mbasa Msongelo.
In an interview, Ndaba said although fans still referred to her as Queen Moroka, she did not think that it tarnished any of her new work.“Most of my fans still call me ‘Queen’. The name has been in their hearts, minds, and homes for a long time. You can’t just delete her. It’s amazing to watch how they still refer to me as her. She (Queen) truly made and left that mark in their lives. I have no issues with that.”
Despite her love for her old character, Ndaba said she was looking forward to showing that she still had her old spark even when not portraying the character of Queen. She said she had been headhunted to become a part of the new series.
“They called me and asked if I’d be interested in doing a self-tape for the character and they loved how I emulated the character and confirmed to me that’s the role I’ll play in a few days,” said Ndaba.Even though she has worked on some of Mzansi’s most beloved productions, Ndaba said that the young cast and crew that worked on 016FM had given her a memorable experience.
“Being a great actor is not about doing a one-take in all scenes, but rather bringing the character to life and working seamlessly well with your co-actors.
“We worked well on 016FM. Working with the new team is about sharing how they respect and feel honoured to have an opportunity to share a space/ stage with you, especially the new kids on the block.
“It was awesome on 016FM from the producers, crew, and talent. They truly made my experience on set great and memorable,” she said.