By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mampho Brescia returns to the small screen in Soft Life, the latest Showmax Original which premieres with three episodes on November 18.
Thereafter, episodes will be released weekly.
Brescia plays Zam, the owner of NubiaBlaq, a cover for an escort agency. She takes on Owami (Zizipho Buti), who plunges into the secretive world of high-society companionship in a bid to settle her mother’s rising medical bills.
Fearful that her new profession could shatter everything she holds dear, Owami must keep her dual life hidden.
“Zam to me is a hustler. She’s created her own world to succeed and thrive and she’ll do whatever it takes to sustain the lifestyle that she wants. She’s a bit sordid and morally corrupt,” said Brescia.
The actress said the description of Zam piqued her interest.
“Zam’s way of life gives for a really rich character because you then wonder why? What happened to her? Why would she decide to embark on such an interesting career line? But you then come to realise that she’s a woman who’s found herself in a world that has been controlled by men and so she is asserting her femininity and her role as someone that’s powerful and won’t be controlled, ” She explains.
For her, Soft Life can be enjoyed for both its entertainment value and as a reflection of the lengths to which people will go to either achieve the finer things in life or to support their families.
“There’s been this need for women in particular to have a soft life, but how to get that soft life has just been twisted, especially with the erosion of the family unit,” said Brescia.
There’s this quote I once saw: “We’re all whores. ‘Men and women. It just depends on what part of you you’re selling. Whether you’re selling your soul, body or mind, we’ve all found ourselves in a race where everybody is selling something in exchange for that soft life. For me, the quote is also a reminder not to judge the character based on my personal beliefs but to give her the right to live her truth.”