I first met Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku at the private pre-screening launch of Outlaws at Prison Break Market, Johannesburg this past weekend. Three days later, we hopped on a call for an exclusive interview to talk all things Outlaws — building chemistry on screen and off screen with other cast members and communicating your vision as an actor. 

Set in the lush but lawless land of the border between Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal, Outlaws is the story of two families at war with each other: the Zulu, cattle-farming Biyela clan and the Basotho, cattle-raiding Ts’eoles. Praised for its unflinchingly gritty portrayal of family values, women being given the same pedestal as men, tribal wars and love — Outlaws has a stellar cast and crew bringing all this to life. Among the cast, Nirvana plays Sihle Biyela, She adds a layer of depth and humanity to an already gripping storyline, making it a must-watch. She admits, “The first time I read the script, I could already imagine the scenery, the pace and atmosphere of some scenes. I was instantly blown away. Chris Q Radebe is an incredible scriptwriter.”

Being part of something monumental and groundbreaking like Outlaws is a big deal for Nirvana. She called her onscreen counterpart down to earth, unassuming and tough yet layered and suggested that this is one of the roles she liked the most in her career. Nirvana says, “Keneilwe Makitse who is the casting director of Outlaws did an excellent job matching chemistry between characters. I had so much chemistry on and off screen with other characters because we spent a lot of time together outside of work, be it in the gym or intimacy classes and so forth.” One enduring critique in the South African film industry is the tendency to only depict women as friendly and agreeable. In the first episode of Outlaws, there’s a scene wherein Nandi Biyela played by Nolwazi Shange and Sihle Biyela take some guns and go on a massive shootout with the Basotho men. Now, considering that the show is shot in a typical village where patriarchy still has its grip on such places, Nirvana says the show did an incredible job showcasing the equal balance between nurturing and being tough for women. Meanwhile, Nokwe also expressed that she was taken aback and overwhelmed by the audience’s reaction to that scene, as people raised their eyebrows and were genuinely shocked when they saw it. “Being in the creative industry, it means we get to normalise things,” Nirvana continues. In saying this, a reimagining of women and how they are portrayed is exactly what the South African film industry needs.

Nokwe also touched on the intimacy scene she did with Kwanele Dlamini portrayed by Mnqobi Kunene. “South Africa is getting progressive in terms of having sex coaches and on-set intimacy consent. Acting is such a delicate thing and I’m glad they’ve created a safe space for actors to communicate their visions,” Nirvana explains. Though there are not many differences between Nirvana and the character she portrays, she says she gave in so much effort to ensure the character felt authentic to her and the viewers. 

“Most of my favourite scenes were with Thembinkosi Mthembu who is my brother on the show. It was funny how we always used to bicker like we were actual siblings outside of work. Our chemistry reflected even on screen. It’s the same with Lehlohonolo Mayeza, in fact, the whole cast,” says Nirvana laughing softly. She continues to add that the cast of Outlaws has become a family to her and that they have all grown closer since the beginning of shooting the show. 

After just two episodes that have already been broadcast on Showmax, Nirvana adds that it has been an absolute delight and equally fulfilling to witness the show being embraced so warmly by the audience. “I hope through my character Sihle, people can learn their significance beyond the role they play in the world,” the actress says. The cast of Outlaws also includes Siyabonga Shibe, Nolwazi Shange, Thembinkosi Mthembu, Lehlohonolo Mayeza, Mnqobi Kunene, Mmabatho Mogomotsi and more. 

Outlaws premiered on the 6th of September. 

Stream Outlaws now on Showmax with new episodes airing every Wednesday.

Follow the conversation at #OutlawsShowmax