Luthando BU Mthembu on his role as Vuyani in Adulting

Adulting S2 is now streaming on Showmax, with new episodes on Mondays until 26 February 2023. 

The boys are back, including Hunk of The Year Feather Award winner Thembinkosi Mthembu (Outlaws, Shaka iLembe, The River) as Bonga, Nhlanhla Kunene (The River, Lavish) as fan-favourite Eric, Thabiso Rammusi (The Suit) as Mpho, and Luthando BU Mthembu (Big Brother Mzansi) as Vuyani, named GQ’s Best Dressed On Screen Personality earlier this year.  

Watch the trailer for Adulting S2

Zibuyile Dladla caught up with BU to find out more about his experiences on the 18LSDVN Showmax Original, which set a new record in Season 1 for the most first-day views on Showmax of any drama series - well ahead of Emmy nominees like The Last Of Us, Succession and The White Lotus. 

This is undoubtedly your breakthrough role. How did Adulting change your life?

To tell the truth, Big Brother initially put me in the limelight. Without Big Brother, there is no Adulting. And without Adulting there is no next move. But it's changed my life in terms of adjusting to popularity - I call it popularity because I don't think fame in South Africa exists. 

I've always been multi-talented so, now the spotlight is on me, I can utilise my other skills and tools. 

I won GQ’s Best Dressed On Screen Personality this year and I’ve presented a few awards. My music is also going well; this show has put my music on the platform. So that's been awesome.

Have you had older women approach you because of the character you play?

Of course! I've been approached by older and younger women even before Adulting began; the show just intensified the experience. But I'm grateful to God that I was prepared for that because I've already experienced it in my life to some degree. 

In Season 1, you seemed like you were having so much fun with this character. Is there anything about the character that you didn’t enjoy portraying?

Not at all. I've learned to never judge the character I portray, so I allow him to live and allow my body to be a vessel in which Vuyani can exist. I, as Luthando, sometimes cringe at the things Vuyani goes through, like how he's the youngest in the group and always the target of ridicule, but I let him experience those moments fully because it's his world. 

How did you approach playing Vuyani this season?  

My approach to embodying him involved being unapologetic. This time around, whatever you saw in Season 1 is amplified. He exudes more confidence and embraces whichever path he chooses. And it’s intriguing how the more we change, the more we stay the same. 

Vuyani has a difficult relationship with his father because of the lifestyle he leads. As BU, how do you think your father would’ve handled you living a similar lifestyle?

Firstly that would never happen; Luthando would never do that. But, in a hypothetical world, my father would've been worse. My father is very militant but we understand each other because I'm also quite militant. That's why I say it would never happen; I'm too focused. 

If you were Vuyani’s older brother, what advice would you give him about his lifestyle?

I'd advise him to be accountable for all his actions and decisions. Whatever you choose in life, you always have to face the consequences, good or bad, like a man.

How was it working alongside Thembi Seete?

She's very understanding and calm. A lot of the scenes that we did together were her first times, so I felt honoured to have had the opportunity to help her with those experiences on screen. It was really an honour to work with her.

Are Vuyani’s sex scenes for S2 going to be as hectic as in Season 1?

They're going to be worse! I think I have more sex scenes than the other gents. I'm going to leave it at that.

Watch Adulting S2 now on Showmax, with new episodes every Monday.