Breekpunt's Lorcia Cooper Kumalo on authenticity, acting and heels

As Tyson in Lockdown, she won a SAFTA. As Detective Morapedi in the hit Showmax Original Red Ink, she won a National Film and Television Award. Now Lorcia Cooper Kumalo takes on the world of tennis in the new Showmax Original drama series Breekpunt. She plays Rozlynne Joshua, the mother of aspiring tennis champion Ashleigh (Spinners star Chelsea Thomas).

Ashleigh is a gutsy teen determined to have her shot on the international tennis stage. But the challenges she must overcome are not only on the court, and what she gains is so much more than a trophy.

Also look out for Spinners breakout star Cantona James, who plays a former tennis champion, and Sherman Faro (Thys Cupido in Arendsvlei) as Rozlynne’s husband. 

Breekpunt is produced by multi-award winners Ochre Moving Pictures (triple SAFTA winner Justice Served; Lioness; Spoorloos 4: Die Eiland), with Nicola Hanekom directing. A SAFTA-nominated and Fleur du Cap-winning actress, Hanekom has written on series like Dwaalster and directed on SAFTA-nominated films and series like Cut-Out Girls and Dwaalster. Headed by Ilse van Hemert (Lioness), the writing team includes SAFTA winner Quanita Adams (Hier.Na, Arendsvlei).

Watch the trailer for Breekpunt

Rozanne Els spoke to Lorcia about her role.

What was your first impression of Rozlynne when you read the script? What drew you to her?

What initially drew me to Rozlynne was her complexity. I had quite a few questions when I read the script, and I had to ask myself if she was acting like a hypocrite or just being human. I like taking on a challenge. It allows me to interrogate myself; it allows me to interrogate the human condition. I was drawn to how she tries to navigate a million different spaces while trying to hang on to her own integrity - and her husband’s, daughter’s and son’s integrity as well. Women always have to be the ones who are well put together in everything they do. They must be a good wife, a good mother, a good friend, a good worker. I think the pressure of trying to keep up this facade of perfection often becomes a hindrance to living a true life. 

She wants to support her daughter, but also be supportive of her husband, who wants Ashleigh to give up tennis. What did you make of that contrast? 

Rozlynne and her husband don't agree about their daughter's gift and potential, so what do you do as a parent? Do you go with what you think your child needs? Or do you go with what your husband wants? For me, it showcases the human story of the choices that a mother is faced with. Does she pick her child? Or the sacred agreement between husband and wife? The choice is complex. 

Did you draw from your own experiences to create and shape your character?

The work I do and the life I live are very separate. I don't call on personal experiences to fuel a character; I rely on the script. We have all had challenges - maybe difficult childhoods or traumatic things that have happened to us. We go to therapy for those things. I'm not in the business of rehashing things or using my life to fuel my art. I think the gift that God has given me, and the compassion I have for all people, is enough for me to build any kind of character.

Which themes in Breekpunt stood out to you?

Being a parent isn't simple. Just because our kids are talented at something doesn’t mean that they are fulfilled by it. Like my son in Breekpunt, Carl (Nahum Hughes). He’s very academic and the expectation is that he should be doing something intellectual. But what if that's not suited to him? What if what really brings him fulfilment is something you as a parent can't stand? Sometimes, what we want becomes bigger than who our children are and what they want. So that's one part: to see our kids for who they are, rather than who we want them to be. 

And then, secondly, the story shows how the love of a mother sometimes transcends any kind of logic. We see a lot of cases where moms have failed their kids but I want to reiterate that that kind of love still exists, and it is invaluable.

How did the experience of filming Breekpunt impact you? 

Breekpunt is my first time as part of a predominantly coloured cast. It was such a beautiful experience. Being able, for example, to speak in an accent that was true to Cape Town and our community. Often, when we speak Afrikaans on-screen, we are forced to tidy it up. For example, saying “jy’ instead of “djy”, even though your character comes from Athlone or Eerste River where we predominantly say “djy”. Coloured people's dialects are varied and I feel that's part of the beauty of being coloured. What was beautiful about this show is that I didn't have to fight to speak the Afrikaans I was raised with. I think producers, writers, and broadcasters often fail us when they force us to speak the Afrikaans that is specific to them, rather than the character. It's not necessary to clean us up; we don't need to be or to become palatable. We don't need to be embarrassed about how we speak. 

As coloured people, we need to be able to have an identity that goes beyond, “Oh, ja, they come from the Cape Flats.” No, our identity is also how we speak, how we look, and how different we all look and sound, our different religions and different cultures. We aren't one thing, just like there isn't just one way to speak Afrikaans. In the coloured community, the dialects are completely different from one person to the next, so we shouldn't be hearing one tongue on-screen. 

Being able to be so proudly authentic has been a highlight of my career. 

This cast has quite a few younger actors, like Chelsea Thomas. What was your experience of working with them? 

I don't like labels like role model or mentor; I'm just really aware of being open with people, seeing them, and holding space for them. 

When you work on a set you get to know people well; you fall in love with them. Every single young person on that show was a teacher to me too, showing me how passionate they are about what they do. They were committed, immersed, and 100% present. 

If I had a film, I would want to employ all of them. The professionalism was just unreal. I was sad when it ended, because watching the younger artists reminded me of how we should feel about what we do. They inspire me and I got to observe a version of myself in all of them. How lucky was I to be able to do that? 

Rozlynne loves her heels – how did you manage?

Oh, I love heels! I work out so that I don't have issues. Sometimes heels can kill you when your legs aren't strong. I flip everything in my mind to work in my favour, so in my mind the longer you stay in your heels, the longer you're working your legs! They're making your quads firmer; your calves are loving this! (laughs) 

Why should people watch Breekpunt?

Breekpunt is a story that appeals to families across the board. It doesn't matter what your race or your culture is. I think it's about interrogating the challenges that families face, regardless of race, class or culture. It's a story that families can sit down and watch together, and there aren't many of those these days. It's about remembering that our kids have gifts and dreams, and we should honour that. It's a reminder that we can grow something beautiful from a challenge. 

Breekpunt is streaming on Showmax from today, 10 March 2025, with new episodes on Mondays until 28 April.