Snl24 | Actor turns lawyer!

Nimrod Nkosi, who will play the role of Gatsha Gumede in the new drama.

SOWETO-BORN TV presenter and actor Nimrod Nkosi is opening up about his role in the new Showmax original series Law, Love and Betrayal set to premiere on Thursday, 5 September.

In the series, Nimrod takes on the role of Gatsha Gumede, founder of Gumede & Associates, a law firm wherein a succession battle is brewing.

Reflecting on his character, Nimrod describes Gatsha as a man who has overcome significant challenges.

“Gatsha Gumede is someone who has achieved a lot in life. He came from a difficult background, studied law, and eventually opened his own law firm. Starting small, he built it up until Gumede & Associates was formed,” said Nimrod.

The actor, who has captivated audiences for over three decades through his work on iconic TV shows like Jam Alley, Live Lotto Draw, and uTatakho, is no stranger to the screen. 

His acting credits include standout roles in popular series like Isibaya, The Queen, and The Estate. However, Law, Love and Betrayal is a new challenge for him, as he delves into the world of legal drama, a genre that has fascinated him since childhood.

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Recalling his early influences, Nimrod shares: “I grew up watching law-inspired movies like To Kill a Mockingbird and shows like LA Law, Matlock, Chicago Law, and Boston Legal. These were shows I watched when I was 11 years old, and they still resonate with me. Recently, I watched an HBO series called The Night Of, starring John Turturro, who plays a brilliant lawyer.”

Drawing inspiration from actors the likes of Blair Underwood, who played the only black actor in LA Law, Nimrod sought to understand the complexities of his character. 

“I have friends who are lawyers who explained that courtroom dynamics differ in South Africa. Here, actors must rely more on facial expression and gestures than movement. Ultimately, 80% of the performance must come from within the actor,” he said.

Nimrod also credits Dramatec, an acting consultancy founded by his co-star Anelisa Phewa, for helping him add depth to Gatsha’s portrayal.

Nimrod Nkosi takes on the role of Gatsha Gumede in Law, Love and Betrayal, which premieres on Thursday, 5 September.

When it comes to challenges of playing such a complex character, Nimrod admits he needed guidance on why Gatsha is such an angry man.

“Naturally, I’m not an angry person. I love people. I hug a lot. This was part of the discussion I must depart from Nimrod because I’m too sweet. My process was always, when I’m with Pearl, I’d say, ‘Dude, I’m gonna go in on you today.’ But we’re also taught to let go of that character and not take it home.

“The difficult part was being rude and cutting people short. Saying things like, ‘Get out of my way’, ‘Where’s my tea?’, ‘There’s no blue cheese.’ He’s that fussy. He’s quite different from me. Yes, I have high standards, but I’m not a cutthroat type of guy, even on set.”

As Law, Love and Betrayal prepares to debut, Nimrod showed his excitement about the show and its platform. 

“I’m excited that it’s on Showmax. Growing up in the industry, we couldn’t have imagined that streaming would be like this. We always knew the game would change, but didn’t know how.

“Now, we have a streaming service like Showmax, and I’m still here. I’m fortunate to be at the advent of the new definition of our pop culture. It’s truly a blessing to be here,” he concluded.

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