For many people, choosing between following their passion over stability is a tough decision to make. Seasoned actress Samela Tyelbooi knows that decision too well, having had to choose between diving into the unpredictable waters of the acting industry or staying in her thriving career in IT. Yes, one of the leading ladies on Generations: The Legacy is a qualified and experienced IT consultant. Samela juggled both worlds early in her career even when she landed her breakout role on the hit TV drama, Society.

Her journey to stardom started in her hometown of Makhanda, formerly Grahamstown, about 1000km away from the city of Gold where her life would change completely. The tiny Eastern Cape town is home to Rhodes University and the National Arts Festival. Samela attended the same high school as other notable Eastern Cape-born entertainers and actresses such as Unathi Nkayi, Zola Nombona and recent Nounouche cover girl Lunathi Mampofu. “As a child,, I wasn’t aware that my town was small in comparison to a place like Joburg. I had a wonderful childhood, having to use my imagination for toys and games. It was stage production at my school that woke up something in me, an interest in performing on stage. I was still in primary school then,” she tells Nounouche.

“I watched a play and Unathi was in it, and I realised that I wanted to do that. I took play in school plays and became captain for my inter-house, writing and directing a production. We had an invigilator from Rhodes [University] who told me that I should consider following drama as a career.” But it would take some years before Samela would honour the dreams of her younger self and become one of the most recognisable and respected faces across the country’s TV-loving homes. Her journey into the acting world does not involve an acting department at a fancy university. Instead, Samela to PE Tech, now Nelson Mandela University, after high school, at the advice of her parents.

“I went and studied IT after high school as it seemed to be the safer career. I worked in the field of IT and by the time I resigned and made a commitment to acting, I was a business consultant.” The business consultant booked small acting jobs, including other first-ever acting roles on the original Generations, but it was an audition for a TV drama that would provide her first big industry break. Society was the first of its kind on local television. It featured four black women leads, each with complicated lives, brought together by friendship and grief.

Samela was part of a fresh-faced cast alongside Zandile Msutwana, Sibulele Gcilitshana and Lele Ledwaba, all of whom became household names as well. She played the role of Lois Gumede, a troubled medical doctor who had a drinking problem. Her IT job wasn’t too bothered by her side acting work until one day she was given an ultimatum to choose between her Generations call-ups and her office job. Samela recalls how she didn’t hesitate to walk out of corporate in pursuit of her dreams in the arts.

And fate was right by her side on the day of her big decision. “That very same afternoon I went to my Generations gig and got the call that I got the role on Society,” she said, remembering how relieved she was having left her steady job hours earlier.” “Against all the odds I was facing, I went to that audition, and it turned out I was exactly what they were looking for. It was a moment of an unreasonable sense of faith and an unfathomable sense of optimism that carried. I hadn’t studied acting or drama, I went in with my gut and my passion.”

Society was a massive hit and was receiving much critical acclaim. It seemed that Samela had achieved her dream. But the reality of the industry hit her very fast, and she had to shift into becoming as practical as possible about her situation.

“After the first season of Society, there was no work for me. It was dry. I had to go into the IT world and I was there for some years. Whatever people thought about me didn’t matter at the time because I had something to fall back on. I worked hard and did very well. Then the call for Society 2 came.” Once again, Samela had to choose which path she would travel on.

“This time I knew that if I quit my IT life and made a full-time commitment to acting. We did season 2 and realised that there was no turning back. Luckily season 2 was even more successful than the first season. It was a wonderful series to work on. It was ahead of its time, and I’m privileged to have been part of that production.” Samela decided that being passionate about acting was not enough; she needed to level up her skills.

“I started taking acting classes and getting acting coaches. I encourage even professionals to remain teachable and be willing to continuously hone their talents.  Humanity evolves all the time, Expressions of humanity change, so as an actor you must constantly challenge yourself.” Roles in now canned ETV soapie Rhythm City, sci-fi series Room 9, the Winnie Mandela biopic, comedy-drama It’s Complicated and others followed.

“There have been quiet times in between, it’s just the nature of the industry. It makes you anxious, but you must keep busy, and be good with money to survive the dry spells.  In 2019, audiences got to watch Samela play a very different, villainous character of Noluthando, a manipulative and deceitful mother in the feature film, Losing Lerato.

“It was a nice departure for me because I got to be this character who was so far removed from me. She was just a horrible person. I loved that character! These are people who exist and someone’s gotta play them and why not me”, she shares with a chuckle. ‘Noluthando’ won Samela the Grand Jury—Best Actress in a Feature Film award at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema in 2020. It was one of seven awards given to the successful film.

Samela’s full circle moment was landing a leading role on the same show that gave her first-ever role, Generations: The Legacy. She plays businesswoman and mom Ayanda Majola, who in the current storyline is embroiled in a steamy love triangle. The show recently shared a clip-on X of Ayanda discussing her situation with her friends. Samela, on her X account, commented and laughed at the entire thing especially the dialogue in the script. Not many actors can do that, but with nearly 20 years in the game, Samela has found herself and lives in the life her young self in Makhanda could only imagine.“Shooting a soapie means your days can be very long. This is why it helps to do this because you have the love and passion for it; It becomes easier to stay committed and disciplined for it. If I had just wanted to be famous, I would have long quit this acting thing.” 

“I had just wanted to be on stage. Being on TV wasn’t even part of what I imagined then but I’m here. That little girl did not imagine that she would travel to the USA and bring home an award.” The future remains an ever-receding horizon, Samela says. “It’s all; very exciting, discovering what else I can do. I want to do more films and more international productions. But our industry still has a lot of evolving to do so that we don’t live with anxiety about our futures. I would love to be part of an industry that grows in the right way, here at home”, she shares. The acting industry has grown considerably since Samela’s debut years ago and there’s still much more that she has to offer whether on the small or the big screen.