Legendary actor Vusi Kunene, known for playing dark, mysterious, and dangerous characters, is ready to show fans a new side of himself. He stars as Seconds Khumalo in the new sports drama “Seconds,” which debuted on eVOD on July 13.
About the Show
“Seconds” was directed by Liese Kuhn and written by Andrico Goosen. It tells the story of Seconds Khumalo, an aging boxer from the East Rand.
Vusi’s Character
In an interview with TshisaLIVE, Vusi described his character as being stuck between a rock and a hard place. “He is a man who works for the Van Tonders. They own a butchery but all sorts of illicit activities happen there and he is like a pet to them. They do underground boxing. He fights but he doesn’t want to fight because he is cozy to the boss,” he said.
Vusi’s First Time Playing a Sports Character
This is the first time that Vusi has played a character involved in sports. However, he was already familiar with boxing due to his workouts. “I didn’t train, but I’m a gym person, I hit the bag a lot and I do a bit of boxing with my personal trainer at the gym but there really was not time to train,” he said.
Why Vusi Was Enticed to Play Seconds
Vusi shared that he was drawn to the role of Seconds because it was unlike any character he had played before. He has previously played Jack Mabaso in Generations, Jefferson Sibeko on Isidingo: The Need, and Bhekifa on Isibaya, among others. “The description of the role for me — even before I read the script — sounded delicious. It sounded like something I’ve never done before and I really wanted to do it. Also, just listening to the story, these are the things we are not aware of and they are still happening now — so that for me sold it, too,” he said.
What Fans Can Expect
Vusi teased that fans who think they have him figured out are in for a surprise. “They can expect to see a real person in Seconds who is working from nothing but also has dreams. He has ambitions but he also has downfalls. He has people who love him and they push him to be the best he can be. This is a moment where you see money isn’t everything — life is everything,” he said.
Vusi’s Thoughts on His Long Career
Vusi, who has been acting for more than two decades, considers himself blessed to have had such a long career. “I suppose there is a bit of luck there but it’s also determination to always stay in the picture. I’m not saying other people are not. Our paths are different. God paves our paths differently so I would say I’m lucky. But when I put in work and my determination to make things work I feel like I deserve this,” he said.