Living the Dream and Staying True to Himself … Somizi Mhlongo

After decades in the South African entertainment industry, Somizi ‘Somgaga’ Mhlongo is finally living the dream as one of the continent’s most recognisable A-listers.

From his breakout role as an actor on Mbongeni Ngema’s hit musical, ‘Sarafina!’, Somizi’s name has become synonymous with entertainment. Today, at 45, the actor, choreographer and all-round entertainer is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most celebrated celebs, one who who has consistently evolved over the years. Most recently, the reality television star penned a tell-all autobiography.

What some may not know about this bubbly celebrity is that life in the limelight was written in the stars for him. His mother, Mary Twala, is a veteran actress herself who has had an illustrious acting career having acted in ‘Sarafina’, ‘Yizo-Yizo’, ‘Muvhango’ and now ‘Scandal’. His father, Ndaba Mhlongo, is a director well-known for his work on the 1985 production, ‘Bad Company’.

“I was born in a family of superstars so it wouldn’t make sense for fame to get to my head. My parents were famous but we were still poor. It taught me that fame is just status,” he said in a telephonic interview with The Weekender.

When watching his reality show ‘Living The Dream With Somizi’, one gets a true sense of how humble and down to earth this star is. He is certainly no average celebrity, showing fans a far less glamorous and even caring side to his life, detailing things like getting his garments tailor-made at an affordable downtown tailor to sharing his wealth by feeding the homeless.

For Somizi, it’s all about how one is raised and he maintains that no matter how rich or famous someone is, it should never be a reason to treat others with less regard. “I don’t think that anything should make you a b*tch. I don’t care how much you own or who you think you are,” he said.

Aside from being humble, Somizi is very serious about his hustle and works hard to grow his wealth in an industry that can quickly chew you up and spit you out. Despite not having an academic background, the entertainer has used lessons from the past to inform his decisions today. “I learnt most of my lessons while I was young enough to recover and the fact that I was sober and very spiritual helped,” he recalled.

His sobriety and spirituality in particular made it possible for him to survive, even during the lowest of his lows.

“In the brokeness, I still knew that I needed eight glasses of water and enough sleep,” he said.

Somizi talks more about the lowest point of his life in his memoir ‘Dominoes: Unbreakable Spirit’. Here he reveals that he was diagnosed with a terminal illness 18 years ago.

As if coping with the devastation of that was not enough, the choreographer was faced with a rape allegation in 2007. His memoir has been described as an honest baring-of-his soul where he talks about everything from his sexuality, his illness and his life in an industry rife with substance abuse.

Today, people across the continent know and recognise him, having starred in countless adverts where his infectious humour shines through.

In 2013, Somizi got a gig that would forever change the course of his career as an entertainer. He was hired to choreograph for ‘Idols South Africa’ and eventually he became a judge on the talent show. Today, Somizi is undoubtedly a popular and much-loved judge on the show and he maintains that his persona on screen is exactly who he is in real life.

“Anyone who knows me knows that if you don’t want a boring show, hire Somizi,” he said. Asked if he ever uses a script on the show, he maintains that on ‘Idols SA’ like his other gigs as an MC, no scripts are involved. “Since I joined ‘Idols’ in season 11, I said that I’ll only take the job on one condition – that I can be me,” he said.

Even when hosting awards, Somizi insists on speaking mostly off the cuff. “Even with the autocues, I tell them to only give me bullet points that I can work on. It’s so much better when the audience can connect with you.”

Somizi has come to love his role as a judge on the show, and especially loves the hilarious and often painful wooden mic auditions.

“Those are my favourite! For me, our dreams are all different. Just because my idea of a dream is to be in New York, for someone else it may be just to come in front of the judges and have those few minutes of fame. As long as they are on TV, they are living their dream – I love people who live their dream no matter what,” he said.

While he has only been to Namibia once, for one day only, Somizi is heading back to the country to make an appearance at the Bush Party in Otjiwarongo which is set to take place on 30 September. “I want to come even two days before the event so that I can get to meet my Namibian fans and maybe sign some books while I’m there.”

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