‘Such storylines highlight our commonalities as opposed to our differences’ – Kay Sibiya on Netflix film ‘Umjolo: Day Ones’

New Netflix film Umjolo: Day Ones, which is set to be released in December, will explore interracial dating among other themes found in romantic relationships.

“Such storylines help highlight our commonalities as opposed to our differences,” leading actor Kay Sibiya told The Citizen.

The actor portrays the character of Andile on Umjolo: Day Ones.

The film sees Sibiya’s character being involved in a regrettable one-night stand with his best friend Zanele, portrayed by Sibu Jili.

What makes it tricky is that Andile is as married and has a family with Jessica, depicted by Trix Vivier.

Andile’s family doesn’t support his interracial marriage with Jessica, who is a white woman, with those close to him advising he should be with his best friend, Zanele.

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“There is constant pressure from his family on what an “ideal makoti” should be and they have already identified one for him although he is already married with a beautiful family,” said Sibiya.

“I definitely think that storylines like this help break the stigma of interracial relationships, these are not depicted enough on SA [sic] screens,” averred Sibiya.

“Our country has become a melting pot; dating someone outside your race shouldn’t be frowned upon,” said Sibiya who is married to a wife that’s biracial.

Vivier also confirmed that she has dated other races.

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Woman to woman

More than the big elephant in the room of race, Umjolo: Day Ones looks at the dynamic relationship between the wife and the other woman.

In the film, the relationship Zanele and Jessica’s relationship has always been significant even prior to the one-night-stand between Zanele and Andile.

Zanele had to befriend Jess in order to maintain her lifelong friendship with Andile – and Jess had to make her new friendship with Zanele work over the years to maintain certain peace elements in her marriage.

“A relationship like this one can only endure certain knocks and tears before it crumbles, and usually when it crumbles it hardly ever goes back to the way it was,” shared Vivier speaking to this publication.

The actress who portrayed Petra Potgieter in the telenovela Legacy said the turmoil in the two women’s relationship also affects “the third leg in this triangle: Andile.”

“The point is, for them to be at a point of friendship already took some compromises and the everlasting question is – how far are women willing to compromise in order to keep the peace?”

Vivier said one of the hardest things about playing her character was understanding Andile’s complex relationship with his father.

“And finding a backstory for Jessica that explained and supported her total dedication to Andile and her kids even though her family had cut her off after she chose to marry Andile.”

Umjolo: Day Ones will be released in December 2024

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