Misha goes back to school for TV

Misha Solanga as Zolandi Ndima in the Signal High TV series.

Misha Solanga, 20, of Goodwood, has taken with gusto to her new TV acting career.

Misha plays a pupil in Signal High. The 30-minute drama series on SABC 2 is set at a fictional Cape Town school and explores issues faced by teens.

Now in its third season, the first two seasons were part of the Hectic Nine-9 show. Most of the scenes are shot at Rhodes High School in Mowbray.

Misha plays Grade 11 pupil Zolandi Ndima, one of the show’s main characters. Zolandi is the bossy head girl who follows the school rules and tries to stay in teachers’ good books.

Misha is a CPUT journalism graduate who, after doing a four- month internship at Drum magazine last year, found herself looking for a job. She had done some acting while still at Goodwood’s JG Meiring High School and landed a small role in the Mzantsi Magic TV series, Nkululeko, which is set in Khayelitsha and tells the story of the lead character’s struggle to make his dreams come true.

Misha says acting is hard work because once one job ends you need to be looking for your next role.

And her role in Signal High saw her working 12-hour days, Mondays to Fridays and some Saturdays. Siyethemba Nkomonde, a director on the series, says Misha immerses herself fully in her character.

“It was quite awesome to watch how professional she can be. She works hard at understanding her character,” he says.

Misha says her next role is in a Mzantsi Magic movie, but more than that, she’s not saying.

Signal High is on SABC 2 on Fridays, at 4pm.