In Mzansi, actresses are no longer playing second fiddle to their counterparts.
It took some time, in comparison to when such changes were made in the US industry, but the pervading woke mindset plays an integral part in the evolution of roles on SA screens.
This fact is most heartening and undeniable, especially when you look at shows like “Lioness”, “Queen Sono”, “Lockdown”, “Isono”, “Gomora”, “Savage Beauty” and “DiepCity” - all helmed by formidable women.
And Gail Mabalane (née Nkoane) is now a part of this trailblazing shift after being cast as Zenzi Mwale, a domestic worker who is failed by those around her and, as such, takes matters into her own hands in Netflix’s 6-part series, “Unseen”.
For those who feel like they know her range as an actress based on her work to date - “The Wild”, “The Road”, “The Imposter”, “Generations - The Legacy”, “Rockville”, and “Blood & Water” - think again.
Having watched the entire season, I can say, and with much confidence, this is Mabalane’s most defining performance to date.
And that is not to take away from her earlier work. It’s merely to point out that in shouldering the responsibility of being the show’s lead, she has raised the bar with her performance.
It’s high praise, yes. But it is well-placed.
And I communicated this to the 38-year-old actress during our Zoom video call.
Her first bite at fame was as a hopeful in season 6 of “Idols SA”. And her Toni Braxton-esque look, underpinned by a powerful voice, carried her to the Top 10 before she was eliminated.
But her presence as this talented and hungry performer from Kimberly stayed, and a year later, she made her acting debut on “The Wild” in 2011.
She also found love, and married kwaito legend Kabelo Mabalane, aka Bouga Luv, in 2013.
Over the years, she went on to land supporting roles. But that stifling stride ground to a halt with “Unseen”.
It’s given the actress a platform to finally be seen, and she is mesmerising.
Grateful for my feedback on her performance and the compelling crime series, she said: “It’s so humbling to hear you make that comment. This is my first leading role. I’ve been in the industry for 10 years, and this is the first show I get to lead.
“And I’ve had incredible roles alongside incredible artists, and, of course, this role was very much dependent on everyone else around me, who always brought their A-game.
“Even me, being the lead, is not me saying anyone else didn’t play as big a role to make the story come to life.”
The “Blood & Water actress pointed out: “I’ve always given a 100%, but I don’t think I’ve had a script that has taken me on this journey before.”
By that, she meant that she was able to channel the character throughout the Cape Town shoot, which was along the lines of 12-hour long days, and not have to break away as her family was back home in Johannesburg.
She used the time to ensure she nailed her character’s nuances and look.
Mabalane explained: “It was important for me to just make sure Zenzi is authentically different.”
The premise centres on Zenzi preparing to welcome her husband Max (Vuyo Dabula) back home after he spent some time behind bars for a crime he clearly took the fall for.
However, when she goes to fetch him, she learns he was released earlier in the day.
As such, she turns to those criminal figures closely linked to him, Raymond (Brendan Daniels) and his right hand, Joseph (Hein de Vries).
Having lost so much in life already, Zenzi’s desperation leaves her vulnerable to being manipulated.
And, in trying to find Max, she finds herself entangled in the merciless criminal underworld, where corrupt politicians are in bed with the gangsters and dirty cops.
Reflecting on what it means to be the lead in an offering by the award-winning Gambit Films, Mabalane shared: “Over my career, the 10 years that I’ve been working in the industry, there has been an element of putting me in a box or maybe typecast or getting certain kind of roles.
“I didn’t think this was something I was going to be picked up for. Obviously, it's very exciting to be working with Gambit Film, of course, which is an incredible production company.
“And I know they go out of their way to tell incredible stories, and they are very particular when it comes to the finer details.”
She continued: “When I finally got the script, I had to sit down, and I was blown away by the journey that Zenzi takes the audience on. And I think because it is something I have never done before, it forced me to go to places I’ve never gone before.
“I was, of course, up for the challenge. What an incredible opportunity for me as a performer.”
At first, Zenzi has a quiet restraint about her.
Her lack of confidence stems from her cash-strapped circumstance, which is compounded by the loss of her only son and her daily battle to fend off the unwanted advances of her handsy landlord Enrico.
But, because she has been pushed around once too often, she finds the courage to fight back. And it doesn’t end well for those who wronged her.
Does she break the law? Yes. But her actions, while morally questionable, are also defensible.
In the series, there are a few good apples helping Zenzi, like her suburban housewife sister, Naledi (Dineo Langa), author Lufuno (Mothusi Magano), and Detective Lyners (Ilse Klink).
On working alongside Daniels, who is a legend in the industry, she commented: “I’ve, of course, watched many of his films, and I’ve seen his performances. He is incredible.
“I feel he also brings such authenticity to the character, and he brings so much background for Raymond, and it’s not just the lines from a page that he’s reading.
“I enjoyed my scenes with him because, besides the fact that he brings a 110%, he brings realness, he brings authenticity.
“I think, if anything, as much as she is unseen and no one notices her, Raymond is the one person who does see her.”
And, after watching the series, so, too, will streamers and the industry.
“Unseen” offers a slice of life, underpinned by a sense of hopelessness, fear and desperation as the seedy and incestuous underworld of the Mother City takes centre stage.
The writers use these setbacks to empower Zenzi while, at the same time, reflect on the growing problem of gender-based violence.
Mabalane is clearly maid (pun intended) for the role as she leaves her earlier performances in the dust. Unfortunately, it now puts a lot of pressure on her for her next project - but she is aware of this!