“Being famous cost me roles” – Bahumi Mhlongo opens up about bias in the film industry

Bahumi opens up about her acting career

Bahumi Mhlongo, the daughter of media personality Somizi Mhlongo, has opened up about the downside of fame in her acting career.

The actress revealed that her celebrity background has cost her several opportunities, as producers often prefer casting unknown faces over familiar ones.

During a recent conversation on Say Less, the podcast hosted by Pearl Thusi and her daughter Thando Mokoena, Bahumi reflected on how her popularity once worked against her.

She shared how she almost lost the chance to play the younger Lebo Mathosa in Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story, despite delivering a strong performance at the auditions.

“After my second audition, they told me I did really well, but the only issue was that they wanted someone unknown for that role,” she said.

Bahumi explained that the producers wanted the younger Lebo Mathosa to represent the “everyday South African,” which led them to open the auditions to the public.

“It was a huge toss-up between me and others who weren’t famous. The older Lebo Mathosa, however, would be someone the audience already loved,” she added.

Her comments come after her mother, actress Palesa Madisakwane, previously shared that Bahumi has built her career independently, without relying on her famous parents.

The actress also addressed a growing concern in the industry, the trend of casting influencers in major roles simply because of their online following.

“Sometimes, people are picked for major roles simply because they have a strong social media presence,” Bahumi said.