The cast of Showmax's Adulting. L - R: Nhlanhla Kunene, Thabiso Rammusi, Thembinkosi Mthembu and Luthando 'BU' Mthembu | Picture: Supplied/ Showmax/ Multichoice
In December 2021, actor, TV host and author Mike Hill sparked a conversation about the way men are represented on television on the back of a successful run of Issa Rae’s show, Insecure.
“We’ve had Living Single, Girlfriends and Insecure… shows about positive black women [and] their relationships with each other. Has there ever been a good, successful TV show about black men like this? (One that lasted at least 4 seasons?),” asked Hill.
Furthering the conversation, Hill asked why there had not been such a show, or at least one that specifically focused on “displaying an ensemble of college-educated, positive brothers navigating life together and their relationships.”
Avid Twitter user, Phaṱhu Makwarela of Tshedza Pictures seems to have heeded that call by coming on board to bring Showmax’s latest show, Adulting, to life.
Billed as the ‘bromance of the decade’, Adulting is now streaming on Showmax, with new episodes every Monday.
The eight-part 18SN drama follows four varsity friends, whose strong bond has held them together even as their journeys in life have taken them in very different directions.
As they try to find love and success in Johannesburg after university, they turn to each other for support.
The cast and crew of Adulting kicked the show off in true Joburg style with an exclusive party at Joburg’s Monarch supper club on Sunday.
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In attendance was the show’s cast which features Thembinkosi Mthembu, Luthando BU Mthembu, Winnie Ntshaba, Nhlanhla Kunene, Thabiso Rammusi, Lungile Duma and newcomer Londeka Shishi.
Taking a cue from the show’s name and 18SN rating, guests showed a lot of well-moisturised skin as they hit the black carpet in some sexy outfits.
Bonga: Described as the overachiever in the friendship group, “He’s a guy who goes after what he wants in life, who likes his friends, family and girls, although he doesn’t believe in love”.
Audiences meet Bonga (played by Thembinkosi Mthembu who also appeared as Mabutho in The River, Junior in The Republic, and King Dingiswayo in the upcoming epic Shaka iLembe) at a stage in his life where things are changing for him, as he’s bidding on an R80m contract.
Vuyani: He is a toy boy reliant on his sugar mamma, Beth (played by SAFTA nominee Winnie Ntshaba).
“He’s a slay king; his face is his business,” explains the actor behind the role, Luthando BU Mthembu (Big Brother Mzansi, Ayeye: Stripped, Redemption).
“He’s not too serious; he might take something that’s very serious and make it light. I think people will relate to his playfulness; I feel like everybody at some point was fun and not too deep.”
Eric: This character has been described as a hot-headed bad-boy who is also trying to be a good father with limited access to his daughter. This character is played by Nhlanhla Kunene.
Mpho: Played by Thabiso Rammusi, Mpho rounds out the show’s group of friends and he is a family man who having an affair instead of facing the issues he has with his marriage.
Jumping from Amapiano clubs to G-Wagon showrooms and from bedrooms to boardrooms, this season also features Sikelelwa Vuyeleni (Hope, House of Zwide) as Eric’s baby mamma; Lungile Duma (The River, Durban Gen) as Mpho’s wife; and newcomer Londeka Shishi as Bonga’s love interest.
The likes of Buhle Samuels, Dr Fezile Mkhize, Dele Malinga, Lindani Nkosi and Isaac Gampu will also make special appearances alongside stars like the Major League DJz, Boohle, Mohale Motaung and photographer Austin Malema.
Adulting is the first Showmax Original from Tshedza Pictures, the production company behind the International Emmy-nominated telenovela The River and the SAFTA Best TV Drama winner The Republic.
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Tshedza Pictures’ co-founders Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon have won five Best Scriptwriting SAFTA awards in the last four years.
The Citizen was only able to preview the first episode which gets off to a sexy start as leading man Thembinkosi Mthembu put the “throb” in heartthrob with a raunchy sex scene ahead of a major win for his character.
Expect more of the same this season as we spoke to the show’s stars about the rise in popularity of sex scenes in South African shows and how the industry finally managed to get here.
Thembinkosi, Luthando and Nhlanhla all emphasized the importance of both consent and an intimacy coach on set who guided each of them through their respective scenes.
Sharing how they prepare for such scenes, each actor highlighted the fact that a conversation has to occur between the two people who will feature in the scene about what is okay and what is not. They are then provided protective gear to wear over the private parts that will not appear on screen, so rest assured that you are not watching actual sex between the stars.
If it seems real, let that be a testament to the acting skills of the stars on screen.
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