The much-loved celebrity entertainer Zodwa Wabantu will make her scripted television series debut in etv’s newest primetime telenovela, The Black Door this week. The adult-only drama, produced by Black Brain Pictures, premiered on Monday, 11 April at 9.30 PM and will be airing on weekdays, Mondays to Fridays on etv.
This new Black Brain production promises to be both raunchy and educational to viewers. It is a provocative new series set in the high-stakes world of a pleasure-dome brothel, uncovering dramatic and emotional stories that will resonate with viewers. Zodwa, who plays herself in The Black Door, will make her cameo appearance tomorrow night, Thursday, the 14th of April, and will continue making some appearances as the series progresses.
She says that she came on board with the series because she appreciated that Black Brain Pictures has gone underground to reveal what is already there, “There is a world of nakedness and freedom, a beautiful world that no one wants to talk about. These are the stories we should talk about. It is happening, they are there, and people turn a blind eye, but our husbands and boyfriends go there. There is nothing to be ashamed of because they are feeding their families. The sex industry is big, and it lives.”
Zodwa Wabantu has not been the shyest when it comes to sexuality and sex-positivity. In fact, she explicitly describes herself as an ultra-sex-positive woman. She is also an advocate for sex work and prostitution, adding that women and men should be allowed to sell, and do as they wish with their bodies if it’s consensual.
Zodwa Wabantu told Drum in an interview that she appreciates the show and its representation and depiction of real-life and true stories lived within the black communities especially. “I love it, it is about sex, we sell our bodies, we have brothels, we have prostitutes in real life.” The actress adds, “Thank God there is somebody who came on the right time just to show these things [stories] because we don’t talk about them often.”
She furthermore mentioned that no one ever shows support for sex-working females yet they are the most demanded in the sex work industry. “You know, no one fights for those girls. Those girls book me [at places] like the Summit, Royal Park, I get booked at those places because there is a market, they have opened a business for me and everyone whether you’re a waitress, cleaner, barman or you’re the male client and there are male prostitutes,” said Zodwa.
She also shared an inside scoop on what to expect from her character on the show. Firstly, she does not have a character name and acts as herself, a concept she believes the producers saw fit and would sell more as Zodwa Wabantu on The Black Door.
“I a playing myself Zodwa Wabantu. Maybe the producers wanted to see if I would be scared or I won’t kill it or maybe I am shy, so they are still testing the waters, let us wait and see.” She said, sounding confident in killing the role.
