05 Masterclass with Sparky Xulu - Theatre vs Television

05 Masterclass with Sparky Xulu - Theatre vs Television

Author: Gino Shelile August 6, 2023 Duration: 11:36

Our guest, Sparky Xulu, is an award-winning screen actor who attributes much of his success to his background in theatre.
Having won a Royalty Soapie Award for the character of "Siya Phakathwayo" in The Estate (SABC Plus), other productions he has been involved in include:
Redemption (BET)
The Herd (Showmax)
Supa Team 4 (Netflix)
iNumber Number Jozi Gold (Netflix)
Good Men (SABC Plus)
Isono (BET)
Isipho (eVOD)
 

Top 5
This episode's Top 5 are films or TV series that Sparky Xulu has been a part of .

  • Supa Team 4  is an animated series that follows the lives of four scholars who use their superpowers to fight evil. It is set in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, and is now streaming on Netflix.
  • The Estate which you can watch on SABC Plus.
  • Good Men is a legal drama series that can also be streamed on SABC Plus.
  • iNumber Number: Jozi Gold is the latest instalment of the iNumber Number series which features two cops who interpret the law very differently. It came out on Netflix in June this year. 
  • The Herd, which has two seasons, can be found on Showmax and is about a family who is willing to do whatever it takes to gain wealth and power.

Masterclass with Sparky Xulu
We are joined by Sparky Xulu. South African actor and voice from Pietermaritzburg, KZN.

Gino's Golden Oldie
Nominated for 4 Oscars, District 9 explores sensitive social issues as violence ensues after an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions in Johannesburg finds a kindred spirit in a government agent exposed to their biotechnology.

Yes? No? Send us a text

Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:
instagram.com/africancouchpotato
twitter.com/africancouchpot
gino.arlechino@gmail.com

WhatsApp Channel: Mzansi Film News, Views and Reviews 

YouTube; African Couch Potato - YouTube 

https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato 

Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
ted@aten.co.za

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026


Gino Shelile’s African Couch Potato offers a distinctly South African lens on the world of screens, big and small. As an award-winning TV producer himself, Gino brings a seasoned insider’s view that goes beyond simple reviews. Each episode feels like a relaxed, insightful conversation, blending a deep-dive review of a current film or series with curated recommendations for what’s worth your time in the coming week. The podcast truly shines in its interviews, where Gino chats with a variety of industry professionals right from the studio, uncovering the stories behind the stories we watch. There’s also a fond look back at older movies that deserve a fresh viewing, all discussed with a local flavour you won’t find elsewhere. It’s a comprehensive, engaging listen for anyone who loves to think and talk about television and film, delivered with the warmth and knowledge of a friend who really knows his stuff. Tune into this podcast for a regular, thoughtful fix of screen culture that feels both personal and professional.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 144

African Couch Potato
Podcast Episodes
S3 Ep40 Sean Radford on Foley and Sound [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:51
Footsteps, glass breaking, punches, door slams, clothes swishing, rain on the windscreen. How would your TV or film be if all these sounds and many more like them were missing? In the world of production it is not always…
S3 Ep39 News, Views and Reviews [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:57
A quarter of the way through 2026 and it's another Monday morning and another episode of African Couch Potato. Welcome to the latest news, views and reviews. Sadly, we kick off with the loss of Chuck Norris. Probably mos…
S3 Ep38 Jonty Acton on “The Reconciliation” (Film) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:23
Over the last 30 years or so, we have seen many films and TV productions that have, in different ways, looked at the issues of South Africa's troubled past, but very few have looked from the white, English-speaking persp…
S3 Ep37 Chaeli Mycroft on the Chaeli Campaign (Podcasthon) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:53
Podcasthon! What is that? It is an international collection of podcasters who over this week will be dedicatig one episode of their show to a charity of their choice.Podcasthon started in 2023 with 300 French-speaking po…
S3 Ep36 Wesley West on Film Composition and Music Production [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:09
There are many people who play an integral part of any TV or film production, yet are often not noticed when it comes to fame and fortune. It is part of our mission at ACP to turn the spotlight on these people. On an eve…
S3 Ep35 News, Views and Reviews [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:07
March already! It'll soon be Christmas at this rate.Welcome to episode 35 of season 3 of African Couch Potato. This week we say Goodbye, Hello and Congratulations.We say Goodbye to Eric Dane. Best known for his roles on…
S3 Ep34 Tim Apter and Elle Oosthuizen on "Helderberg" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:16
On November 28, 1987, South African Airways Flight 295, a Boeing 747-200 named Helderberg, was en route from Taiwan, to Johannesburg with a scheduled stop in Mauritius. Shortly after midnight, the aircraft reported smoke…
S3 Ep33 Rian van Heerden on “Brakpan Chronicles” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:23
In Brakpan if they invite you for a fight, a braai will break out. Even people from Brakpan make fun of Brakpan! The two-part documentary series Brakpan Chronicles is due out on Showmax this Friday and in this episode Gi…
S3 Ep32 Aluve Mjali on a Budding Career [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:26
Into the second month of the year and the next date on the horizon is this weekend's Valentine's Day. Two years ago saw the Valentine movie Forever Yena hit our screens. Patience, we'll get there! Playing the role of Kwa…
S3 Ep31 Keketso Mpitso on “Outlaws” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:32
He’s the chaos agent you can’t ignore. The family menace who somehow built himself a fanbase. The man who turned balaclavas into a movement. Tlali is back for Outlaws Season 2 and he’s hungrier, wilder, and more unhinged…