Following a short hiatus from the small screen after sharing his painful history of sexual abuse, seasoned actor Loyiso MacDonald, whose career spans over 15 years, is back with a bang.
He portrays the character of Principal Mthembu in Showmax's Youngins.
Describing his character, Loyiso tells Drum that the principal is a kind man, who takes his job seriously.
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"He is dedicated to his job and to his learners. He is supportive and always ready to guide when a learner is struggling with an issue. This can be seen in his relationship with Khaya, he has a genuine concern for his well-being and just wants him to succeed. However, this approach tends to blur the lines and Principal Mthembu doesn't seem to mind that at all," Loyiso explains, adding that playing the character is a joy for him, because "I like complex characters".
While Loysio may enjoy doing what he does, there are drawbacks to it, which he says include being unable to accrue the benefit of his hard work as an actor.
"Industry challenges are well established. There is a lack of legislation in the film and television industry in South Africa and as a result we find ourselves unable to unionise and unable to claim fees for the repeat use of our image, to name a few examples," he laments.
He grabbed headlines when he shared his painful past of being sexually assaulted when he was younger.
"It's painful memories that I'd rather forget, they bring so much hurt," he said during a radio interview.
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Since then, he's kept a low profile and this emergence on Youngins serves as a reminder to him that despite the painful history he has, his talent will always make room for him in showbiz.
Loyiso says he wants to venture out into different spheres, such as film.
"For now I want to continue to explore different roles and work with as many talented and interesting people as possible. Producing unique stories, unique films is something I definitely want to get into it some point."
