Mo Setumo on being Thabi and exiting Generations

“I don’t regard myself  a celebrity, I regard myself as an actress”

By  | Jun 22, 2020, 01:45 PM  | Mo Setumo  | Drama

Mo Setumo

Some might know her as Tselane from Greed and Desire or more recently Thabitha Cele from Generations The Legacy. Regardless of when you jumped onto the wagon, this actress is one to watch out for.


For others, social media backlash is all it takes to help them realise how strong they actually are, that was the case with Motsoaledi Setumo.

Following the Generations backlash for those “inappropriate” sex scenes, Mo had to deal with the negativity that came with playing Thabi.

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Instagram/@Mo_Setumo

Social media can be a career breaker for some, but this young woman took the negativity with a pinch of salt and took it as an opportunity to get to know herself better.

"People are mean on social media and often forget that we are humans too and we hurt, playing Thabi made me realize how strong I actually am as a person,” said Mo. 

Read: Thabi leaves Generations The Legacy

As it was for many viewers, it was hard for Mo’s family to watch her in action too, especially her grandmother.

She was sad when her contract ended and it didn’t end because of the viewer's complaints, it was a contractual thing. 

“I knew my character would be killed off after two months, I was sad about it but I knew that my character would die and I made sure that I gave it my all, even in the last scene”

You might like to read how Mfundi Vundla thinks parents should also take responsibility for what their kids watch on TV.

Mo Setumo
Instagram/@Mo_Setumo

Playing Thabi was much easier than Tselane. Tselane put a physical strain on her personal life that at some point, she even stopped eating right and lost out on sleep not because of the filming schedule but because of how consumed she became with the character.

Acting is her number one love but with a degree in Media Studies and a Radio Broadcasting major, Mo wouldn’t mind sitting behind the mic and testing the waters a bit. She doesn’t see herself being as one of those celebrities who do everything in the industry just to stay afloat but she definitely wouldn’t mind a little radio broadcasting experience.

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Instagram/@Mo_Setumo

Her experiences thus far, especially with Generations have opened doors she’s been hoping would open for a while and although she can’t say much about it, it definitely is something to look forward to. Her next role will be something completely different to any character she's played thus far and she promises not to disappoint.

Main Image Credit: Instagram/@Mo_Setumo