Veteran actress, Thembsie Matu with over 30 years of acting experience under her belt, will once again entertain Mzansi on The River spin-off, Cobrizi.
Thembsie is known and loved for her talent, as she kept mzansi in stitches with the character she portrayed on The Queen, which later won her a DSTV Mzansi Viewers Choice Award.
Recently, Thembsie conversed with BONA and shared the nitty-gritty details of the character she will be portraying on Cobrizi. Former Rhythm City thespian will take on the role of our Sheila.
Speaking to BONA, Thembsie described Sheila as a hustling mother who owns a tavern and a shisanyama spot. Sheila is over protective of her only daughter, Ama and comes across as a strong-willed woman. However, she is a ‘softy’ inside.
“What I love about this role is she is a multi-lingual street-smart woman, she does not judge, she looks after herself, she is well aware of the situation they live in in the flats and she is a people’s person,” said Thembsie.
She also shared that she and Sheila share similarities and differences such as motherhood and they both offer advice to better the next person. Thembsie revealed that their differences are that Sheila is too strict and always seems angry, while Thembsie shares jokes and can connect with the youth.
“I’m not that strict and I like sharing jokes with people. I am able to engage with the youth, I am able to converse with youngsters and also offer them advice suitable for them. I often use my experiences when teaching them life lessons,” she said.
She revealed that she has been booked and busy, and Mzansi will see more of her on screens. Her recent work will be showcased on Netflix and Mzansi Magic.
Cobrizi will premier on Sunday, 16th of March on Mzansi Magic. The series focuses on Thuso Mokoena and will explore survival, love, and redemption as Cobra strives to do right by his son, proves he’s not a failure, and unexpectedly finds love in the inner city.
The series will have a star-studded cast that will captivate the viewers, which includes faces from The River such as Thapelo Sebogodi as Kabzela; Cobra’s close friend as well as Winnie Ntshaba. They will be joined by Thembsie Matu as Ous Sheila, Sivenathi Mabuya as Bongiwe, Paul Maila as Rajah, Ishmael Songo as Peanut, Chrispen Nyathi as Raisin, Thobani Mbhele as Bangkok and Moliehi Didie Makubane as Teresia. They will play alongside an array of rising stars such as Siphiwe Radebe who will portray Simphiwe, Kadia Banyini as Nkanyiso, Xolani Mfeka as Bab’Dladla and Charmaine Mncwabe as Ama.
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Watch trailer:
Here’s the official trailer for ‘Cobrizi’ premieres 16 March on Mzansi Magic at 8pm. https://t.co/InZiHQxaTX pic.twitter.com/R6tVLPxbce
— Jabulani Macdonald ⚡️ (@Jabu_Macdonald) March 13, 2025
