‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ star pushes boundaries

Has his eye on international Telenovelas and soapies

‘MAKERESEMESE LETUKA

MASERU – The third major character in the award winning 2013 drama film ‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ Lebohang Ntsane is currently gracing TV screens in a local TV drama aired by the Lesotho Television titled ‘Bophelo’.

Lebohang became a household name playing a seemingly nameless orphan boy who accompanies the main actor, Atang, on his travels; he landed the role as a young  Mosotho boy who had never acted before. He gave a performance that earned him international acclaim, including nomination for Best Child Actor at the 2014 African Movie Academy Awards.

Lebohang says he still aspires to do more in the film and drama sector and sees himself in big Telenovela and soapies.

Born 23 years ago at Khubetsoana, Berea, he was schooled at Hoohlo Primary School and later Methodist high School; he is currently pursuing further studies at the National University of Lesotho towards a BA Drama in theatre.

Lebohang’s acting career started in 2011 when got the role of Tau in ‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ he has also won two other awards, one at the John Paul II International Film festival in Miami, USA and another at the and African Movie Academy Awards – both in 2014.

When he auditioned for a role in ‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ Lebohang had not acted professionally in any film but in school theatres. He says he was competing for the role with his friend from Hoohlo Primary School.

“I cannot say the completion was tough, we were just so excited to audition,” he recalls. “Ever since ‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ I have received love and recognition from a lot of people, a lot of people tell me the reason they loved my role is because they were able to relate to the storyline.

‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ has really put me at the next level of acting, I am at a level where I can say I have potential in acting; but I still wish to be on the screens again with the likes of Zenzo Ngqobe and Jerry Mofokeng,” Lebohang tells Life&Style.

He says besides acting he has been kept busy by school “and currently I am bust with a radio drama that will be on air very soon, which I am hopeful people will love very much.”

“Acting in ‘Bophelo’ has been great and has been a learning journey. I got to meet a lot of amazing actors, I was really happy when the production team wanted me on board and I appreciate the whole crew.

I would still want to continue working with them, we have finished the drama’s first season and I think we will be doing Season 2 very soon.”

Besides ‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ and ‘Bophelo’ Lebohang has done a couple of short films like ‘Laisuotuo’ (Mandarin for Lesotho) – a poignant short film about Chinese in Africa and Africans in China – and supported through the China/Lesotho relationship, Kabelo&Sam as well as television and radio commercials for some NGOs.

“During my childhood I always felt I wanted to do something, I just could not put my mind on it, but after my encounter with ‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ I knew that acting is what I wanted to do an be good at,” he adds.

“Some of the challenges I encounter as an actor is the fact that we have to tell genuine stories and I feel like I am doing injustice to some of the characters I portray, even to date I still struggle to be fully in the character that I play.

But I still think one day I will get there as there so many stories we could tell as characters, especially here at home, but we fail to portray them in a way our audiences can also relate to.”