The many hidden talents of actress Enhle Mbali

She is known as one of Mzansi’s sexiest moms, the wife of renowned DJ Black Coffee – a talent that is impossible to box. “Miss Coffee”, as some refer to her, is a woman who occupies multiple roles and manages to outdo herself in them all. She attributes her success to the passion that she brings to everything she does.

Enhle Mbali Maphumulo gives us the inside track into her inspirational life that makes her so admired.

1.Who is Enhle?

“Enhle is easy-going and internally strong. She is somewhat an organised chaos; a mother, daughter, wife, actress and entrepreneur,” Maphumulo says, adding she is extremely passionate about women issues.

The actress says a lot of people have misconceptions about the kind of person she truly is, pointing out that it might be because she is very protective of her private life.

“People tend to think that I’m timid and a walkover. Once they get to know me, they see how much of an anchor I am for so many people,” she says.

2. The calling

With the many television roles that she portrays, the 29-year-old says acting, for her, is an innate ability. She has no formal training, apart from a short course she did in Los Angeles last year.

“Acting is something I fell in love with when I first saw Sarafina! the movie on television. I believe I was around the age of five,” she says, pointing out that from then on, she would portray Leleti Khumalo’s Sarafina! role in the streets of the township she lived in.

“They use to call me Sarafina at that time. The calling caught me then.” Maphulo says she learnt the craft the only way she could, on set, and says she believes that you learn something faster as you continue to do it, adding that she studied fashion management at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).

3.Big break

“My big break has to be when I got a chance to be on Tshisa about 12 years ago and I will forever be thankful for that opportunity. Tshisa opened me up to a big and loyal audience with heartfelt support,” she says, explaining that although the entertainment industry is far from perfect; it welcomed her with open arms and allowed her the growth she needed.

“It’s a crawling industry. It has teething pain and it will just take the right people in appropriate positions to improve it.”

4. Diverse actress

While some naysayers indicate that Maphumulo often plays the same role in different productions, the actress explains that Rockville afforded her an opportunity to showcase how multifaceted she is in her craft.

“Rockville came at the time were I had done Rhythm City and a lot of other roles. With it I wanted to play someone different,” she said, adding that it helped her to refute the perception people had about her as a performer.

Maphumulo says the challenge of being an actress in Mzansi is that “you are not given time to create the character; you do that as you go and with time the character gets better”.

5.‘Broken Vows ’

“Azania is a little younger than I am and more impulsive,” she said of the role she will be playing in e.tv’s new daily drama series, Broken Vows, that will premiere on April 10 at 8pm.

“This young woman has just found who she is. She is pro-Africa and loves her family, even though her relationship with her mother is not the ‚best, as she believes she loves her sister more than her.”

Maphumulo says Azania finds it hard to find comfort, despite being in the right space when it comes to business.

“I always try to find similarities in roles I portray to try and bring them closer to me, but something I have in common with Azania has to be her strength.”

Despite being involved in a movie about heist kingpin Collen Chauke with popular actor Mduduzi Mabaso, titled Enemy of the State, which she says she has a feeling people will like, “Miss Coffee” says she and her hubby are a pair hard at work.

“My husband and I are working on a shoe range made in Italy, of the finest quality,” she explains, detailing that the his and hers range will be called Manuel Ross.

She says the name is a combination of her name and Black Coffee’s, explaining that her husband’s other name is Emmanuel and then hers Mbalienhle (Beautiful rose).

“We went to the factory not so long ago to get a close look at the manufacturing. The fact that they are handmade and witnessing the quality control was amazing,” she says.

6.Motherhood

“Like a lot of women, we find it challenging, but nonetheless motherhood teaches you so much about yourself and how to truly give,” she says.

“It’s an amazing process and I take it as it comes.”

The mother of two says she is a typical feminist and dislikes being asked how she manages her many roles.

“I always ask why men don’t get asked the same question. For me I simply have responsibilities and I do what I have to do to cover them.” Maphumulo says her family is what brings a smile to her face and gives her the most peace.

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