The Wife: Behind the Veil: What it takes to film a sex scene 

The Wife: Behind the Veil episodes 7-8 focuses on the epic rivalry between the Zulu brothers and their enemies. Actors Mondli Makhoba (Ehostela, Isithembiso) and Khanyi Mbau (The Comedy Central Roast of Khanyi Mbau Brought To You by Showmax, Abomama), who play Nkosana and Zandile, also open up about the country’s most-talked about sex scene ever. 

An old feud over a girl

In The Wife Seasons 1-2, the Zulu brothers did everything in their power to protect themselves but they’ve also had to look over their shoulders. The Majola brothers became their worst enemy and, come to think of it, this feud started in their childhood years over a crush on a girl: Zandile.

“This whole thing started when they were still young boys in the village of Mbuba. You have Nkosana, who is the eldest Zulu brother. Then you have Gwaza who is the eldest Majola brother. They fought over a girl in school. That’s where the friction started,” says actor Siyabonga Shibe (Rockville, Is’thunzi).

In episode 7, we learn that the Majola family established themselves in the taxi business, only for the Zulu brothers to come and snatch it from them. They went from stealing their taxi routes to killing the Magwazas’ youngest brother and their father who was the chairman of the taxi association. Hate or love the Majola brothers, their anger towards the Zulus came from their loss and grief. The actors weigh in on playing their roles in this powerful story. 

Watch the Trailer of The Wife: Behind the Veil

Let’s talk about sex

In episode 8, things then really start heating up, from Mqhele and Hlomu’s first love-making scene to Qhawe and Naledi’s one-night stand and that very raunchy scene between Nkosana and Zandile. The cast and crew share what it takes to create an intense intimate scene.

Footage of people in a taxi and even at work were filmed watching the sex scenes and you can’t help but laugh at their facial expressions and comments while watching.

The cast mentioned that such scenes require a high level of commitment and professionalism.

Speaking about filming the scenes, Mondli Makhoba said: “The sex scene. I borrowed a lot from Mondli. I borrowed his body. I borrowed his stamina. Most of the time, wherever I go, people ask me about this scene. And then I tell them the technical part of it and that it was choreographed.” 

Actress Khanyi Mbau also addressed the fact that sex scenes are not as sexy as they are technical. “Sex scenes are not as pretty and easy as they look on TV. How this works is, that there’s a scene with directions on how every moment is going to be like. What you watched in literally a minute usually takes about two to three hours to shoot. They are literally technical.”

Episode 8 also shows us how crucial it is for actors to prepare themselves mentally when about to film an intimate scene and the importance of being comfortable and developing a professional relationship as co-stars.

There’s no denying that the sex scenes stole the show in The Wife and it’s all down to the actors and the production delivering the story with so much integrity and making the safety of women a priority.

Binge-watch all three seasons of The Wife on Showmax. Plus, watch The Wife: Behind The Veil, an 8-part special that takes you behind the scenes on the hit telenovela. 

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