Anelisa Phewa on Law, Love and Betrayal: "An ode to my dad"

In the Showmax legal drama Law, Love and Betrayal, Anelisa Phewa (iThemba, Unmarried, Soon Comes The Night) steps into a role that hits close to home – an ode to his father, a real-life lawyer.

The KZN-born actor plays James Makaula, a smart and vicious lawyer who is as comfortable in the boardroom as he is in the bustling streets of the kasi.

Xabiso Ngqabe sat down with Anelisa Phewa to find out more about the hit Showmax Original, which also stars Dineo Rasedile, Nimrod Nkosi, Pearl Modiadie and Siya Sepotokele.

Tell us about your character.

My character is the Kobe Bryant of the team. I feel like that’s all I have to say. [laughs]. We’re lawyers, and he’s the successful one - the hotshot, the one who brings in most of the money. He’s the smoothest; he’s really just an intelligent gentleman who knows his game. So he starts out perfect and then unravels.

What drew you to this character?

It’s an interesting show, my father is a lawyer, I hadn’t done something like this before, and the platform is big. But if we go into the nuances, it’s that he looks a certain way and presents a certain way but when you start to unravel him, you begin to see other sides to James. He’s got layers, and that’s what drew me to him.

What are you most excited about regarding Law, Love and Betrayal?

This show is so exciting for us because it’s both challenging and slick. 

But for me, it’s also about the idea of my dad and his friends, with their swag. They are judges and lawyers. So it’s an ode to my dad. That’s what excites me the most.

My dad didn’t type very well, so I would type out his contracts and come across different terms like “inter alia” (among other things). So there was a familiarity with that landscape for me. 

I didn’t go into law, whereas both my brothers did. My brother taught me the etiquette, the kind of suits to wear, the presentation, and all of that. 

So, in essence, my father gave me the inner life, and my brother gave me the outer life. Together, I was able to merge the two with the material.

James comes from a rich family. How does that privileged background influence his approach to law and justice?

James comes from a wealthy family, but we didn’t get much of a backstory, so I had to create my own idea of what was happening there. Since he’s street smart, he has this friend, Sam, who works with him a lot and gives him an edge. Part of my backstory was that, yes, he’s a rich kid, and yes, he will be taken care of, but he’s one of those guys who lives in Bryanston but still took a taxi to Wits. He gets off at Bree, knows the streets, and eats amagwinya (fatcakes). He’s still smart and has to work for his money; he has to earn it. 

Unlike Ayanda, who was always Ayanda Gumede because of her father, James had to become James Makaula. The only way he could do that was through merit, through study, through excelling. That’s what he represents: he represents excellence.

What was your take away from the whole story and playing this character?

I learned something quite intriguing when James argues with Gugu. He says, “The law isn’t about justice; it’s about what you can prove and being the smartest person in the room.” It’s almost framed as a game, which fascinated me because law involves both justice and injustice, but also perception. Just because something is black and white doesn’t mean it’s straightforward. So, don’t judge a book by its cover. We might have certain expectations of James, but as his character evolves, his journey unravels. 

You got to work with an amazing cast.

I had never worked with Mr Nimrod Nkosi, Pearl Modiadie, or Siya Sepotokele before. They are my peers, but as an audience member, they are stars. When I saw Pearl for the first time, I said, “uzowuzwa umoya”. 

With actors, there’s a big politic in our separation, so whenever we come together, there are nerves. I was very nervous during the test shoot with Pearl, and she had to place a hand on my chest. I remember her asking me, “Why is your heart beating fast? Are you nervous?”. I said, “Yes,” and she responded, “Thank God, me too.” From that, we were able to soften each other. 

When I was speaking with Mr Nimrod, he mentioned your company being involved in the project.

Yes, we are Dramatec. We work with the Curro School Group, Wits, UJ, and we run our own workshops. We have also worked on The Wife, Soon Comes Night, and now this show. It’s wonderful because what we are saying is that, as actors, we are drama technicians; we defend the drama. We take people from good to great, and having that supportive learning environment allows us to do that, which is reflected in the work. It speaks to the whole industry, emphasising that actors need support too. We are a consultancy because actors need a place to ask questions about character, articulation, or how to run a scene or do a self-tape. It’s a fraternity for actors before the show - a place where they can refine themselves. So, we’re not a school; we are a consultancy. But we also have talent now as well.

What is it about this show that sets it apart from other shows we’ve seen?

The first big thing for me is that it’s local, so it has that unique flavor. To see something local look international is beautiful and encouraging. It’s exciting to say, “This is us.” Seeing someone successful, who looks good in a suit, with brown skin, in Sandton, is significant. 

About Law, Love and Betrayal

Stream Law, Love and Betrayal now on Showmax, with new episodes on Thursdays. The 13-episode legal drama moves between Thembisa and Sandton. LLB is produced by Izwi Multimedia and directed by Nthabiseng Tau (Youngins, Outlaws) and SAFTA winners Nthabiseng Mokoena (The Wife, Gomora, Fatal Seduction) and Christo Davids (Spoorloos, Legacy, Hartklop).