Johannesburg - What’s it like making your acting debut on one of the world’s leading streaming platforms?
For local actor Diolan Govender, it’s a dream come true.
Govender features prominently in the new local series on Netflix, “Miseducation”, which has taken the world by storm.
It is currently in the number one spot in South Africa on the streaming platform.
The series is a teen comedy-drama which follows a young, self-absorbed first-year varsity student who, after a fall from grace at her previous elite private school, embarks on a mission to climb the social ranks at a small-town university in the hopes of being the standout, popular girl she used to be.
Thrust into a new varsity, with new challenges, Mbali Hadebe, played by Buntu Petse, and her new, eclectic clique of friends, try to overcome various young adult struggles, while coming to terms with who they want to be and how they want to be perceived.
The cast includes Buntu Petse as Mbali Hadebe, Lunga Shabalala as Sivu Levine, Baby Cele as Brenda Hadebe, Prev Reddy as Jay, Mpho Sebeng as Caesar and Micaela Tucker as Natalie. Others are Mandisa Nduna, Camilla Waldman, Nicole Bessick and Luyanda Zwane.
Govender plays the role of Shaan, a charismatic and audacious stud, contributing significantly to the narrative of one of the central characters in the show.
“Shaan is a charismatic yet selfish individual who often indulges in his mischievous side, no matter how inconsiderate it may be to others – in fact, he’s quite the jerk,” Govender told the “Saturday Star”.
“The audience doesn’t necessarily get to see every layer to Shaan, but he’s quite an interesting character to dissect in the aid of understanding his behaviour.”
The actor, who made a name for himself on kiddies’ show “YoTV”, says he is delighted to have contributed to the show’s success.
“Words cannot express the immense gratitude I feel having landed my acting debut on one of the world’s leading streaming platforms. It is a culmination of a decade of immense work ethic, prayer, and unwavering self belief, coupled with the continuous support from those closest to me.”
It took three months of auditioning for Govender to land his role, he says.
“After auditioning for three months both remotely and in-person for one of the other characters, I was offered the role of Shaan. I always envisioned making my acting debut on a local telenovela, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine landing my acting debut on a global series of this stature.”
Govender says he isn’t surprised by the success of the show in South Africa.
“The answer is simple: accurate representation. The African television landscape has lacked the ability to accurately represent minorities across a vast array of communities; however, ‘Miseducation’, through its boundary-breaking storyline, multifaceted characters and vulnerability, brings light to communities that haven’t been offered the platform to be accurately represented in mainstream media.
“In my opinion, the representation that the show offers provides an effortless sense of relatability for every viewer.”
He says the storyline is relatable to all South Africans.
“The storyline, characters and underlying message of the show allows every viewer to see themselves represented in at least one of the characters.
“Coupled with stellar writing and superb comedic timing, the show’s humour provides the viewer enough time to digest the prevalent themes that the show brings forward.”
Govender says nerves are an indication that there is an immense sense of care and delicacy one feels towards the activity one takes part in.
“Although I’ve been on several sets, both nationally and in the United States, working on ‘Miseducation’ was my first working opportunity as an actor. Being on set as a television presenter is vastly different to being on set as an actor, so naturally, I was particularly nervous, especially considering that Shaan partakes in several intimate moments.
“I’m eternally thankful to have worked alongside Prev Reddy, who along with Burnt Onion Productions, made me feel comfortable during the process.”
He says working with a star-studded cast has a been a dream come true.
“I featured alongside Prev Reddy and Luyanda Zwane, who are phenomenal talents in their own right, both in front of and behind the camera. I learnt a tremendous amount about the craft by simply observing them work their magic on set.”
But Govender believes there is a lot more to come.
“This is the beginning of a fruitful career in acting. While I’ve been acting since the age of 5, my journey has voyaged me in the direction of pageantry, live hosting and presenting prior to exploring my talent as an actor.
“Landing my acting debut in this magnanimous way has been a steadfast reminder that patience is a virtue, but more so, resilience, hard work and determination will continue to transport me toward the trajectory of achieving my dreams.”