Black Brain Pictures Reveals ‘Umthetho’ Homeless Man Actually Auditioned for His Role
- A viewer's curious X post about a homeless man's seamless performance in Umthetho caught the attention of Black Brain Pictures
- The production company's response about how the man ended up on screen left Mzansi genuinely stunned
- Fans flooded the comments with reactions after learning the truth behind one of the show's most talked-about scenes
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Source: Twitter
A single X post about a mysterious character in Black Brain Pictures' drama series Umthetho has opened a fascinating window into how the production company approaches storytelling.
On 15 August 2026, user MaZuluOmuhlez shared a photo of a homeless man who appeared in the show. The man had a shocked expression and exclaimed, "This is a movie," reacting to an incident that had just occurred on the show.
The poster's main question was directed straight at the production house, and its founder, Mandla N: how did they manage to get a homeless person to deliver his line so precisely without missing a cue?
"Lol, and how did they manage to get lephara not to miss his line? @BlackBrainSA, Mandla N needs to tell us more about this scene."
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The word "phara" is a derogatory term for a homeless person or someone who lives in the street, often associated with substance abuse or petty crime in South African township slang.
Source: Twitter
Black Brain Pictures drops a surprising answer
What nobody expected was the simplicity of Black Brain Pictures' reply. The company confirmed that the man was not simply plucked off the street to fill a frame. He went through the same process as any other cast member.
"He actually auditioned."
The production company went on to share behind-the-scenes footage of the gentleman, "Kopo," including a video from when he had his headshots taken. They went on to praise his performance and asked if Mzansi wanted to see more of him on their screens.
Black Brain Pictures later revealed that Kopo was not, in fact, a "phara," he just simply looked like one.
"He just looks like a Phara, that’s why he got the role."
Sindi Dlathu accused of being greedy
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to a troll's claims that Sindi Dlathu was greedy after accepting another major role.
The actress was defended by her supporters, who championed her impeccable acting skills, saying she deserved every role she got.
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Source: Briefly News
