She is a frank talker who knows she will get into trouble for it. Former Generations: The Legacy actress Zoe Mthiyane has tried to remain private about her love life, but she says the time has come for her to address her relationship with the father of her children, Lebo M, Robert Marawa and ex-lover Rapulana Seiphemo.

TELLING IT AS IT IS

In episode five of Unfollowed on Showmax, Zoe tells host Thembekile Mrototo that she based Zitha Langa, her abusive character on Generations: The Legacy, on her ex, Lebo M. "With that storyline, it was my character who’s abusing Smanga (Moopi Mothibeli)," she says. "I even… dipped into my personal experience and channelled him [Lebo M]" she says.

TOXIC LOVE

Zoe tells Thembekile she met Lebo M while touring on The Lion King. When Lebo and Zoe’s daughter Lulonke was just eight months old, Lebo sent out a press release announcing the end of their engagement, citing disagreements over a prenup. Zoe clapped back, claiming that the relationship had become toxic. Unfollowed shows their back and forth on social media, which led to Lebo suing Zoe for R6 million in a 2016 defamation suit. "This interview is going to get me in sh*t," she says later in the frank interview. 

DRUNK DRIVING

In 2019, social media blew up when Zoe was arrested for drunk driving, and in October 2020, when she was fired from Generations: The Legacy. She claims that even her drunk driving arrest wasn’t what it seemed to be. "I’m talking about somebody who also has contacted the police. There’s police harassment. There’s court harassment. There’s journalistic harassment. A person who’s well-connected and powerful," she says.

GENERATIONS

In contrast, Zoe has only praise for series creator Mfundi Vundla, who she says sent her to therapy. She reveals that the Generations: The Legacy team did their best to help her when she was overwhelmed. Zoe adds that rumours of her being drunk on set were sparked by a behind-the-scenes love triangle involving her, co-star Rapulana Seiphemo (Tau Mogale), and another woman in their circle. "I knew I was being sabotaged. I knew they were trying to get me out," she adds. She also opens up about dodging couch-casting, while media experts weigh in on how men in the entertainment industry withhold access to contacts and contracts to exploit young female artists sexually.

THE PROTECTOR

Zoe speaks well of Robert Marawa, the father of her son Awande. She credits Robert with being her protector within the entertainment industry for seven years before the two became involved. She also expresses a deep gratitude to his family for their support. "I met them at the time when I was pregnant and my mother had just died, and they came in to be family," she reveals. She admits to suffering from postnatal depression at the time but didn’t know was happening at that time. " I tried committing suicide while having a little newborn baby."