Popular South African actor, Vuyo Dabula is becoming a familiar face on the small screen after he took a break from acting.
He stars as Saul on Showmax’s latest series, The Butcher’s Soul.
Vuyo took a two-year break after he was shot in 2022.
Known for his roles in Generations: The Legacy, Queen Sono, and Unseen, he is excited to return to acting.
“I’ve been up to very little professionally as I came across an unfortunate event where I got shot in 2022. Bullets in my shoulder put me on hold and I spent all of 2023 recovering. I might have done Unseen before the incident. I can’t remember quite well. The event affected me, not only physically but mentally also, as I’ve been dealing with the aftermath and the frustration of not being able to work and do what I love,” Vuyo said.
The Butcher’s Soul is a violent series that requires the actor to handle a firearm. Fortunately, he doesn’t suffer trauma from the shooting any longer.
“Holding a gun on set didn’t make me feel weird. I know a bit about guns, and as long as I knew they were empty, I could handle them without any issue. Even the detective, played by Howza, walks around with a gun. I would pick up his gun, provided it was safe. Maybe if I play a character who gets shot, I might experience flashbacks or feel shaken. In this project, I was given the role of an aggressor. I’m the one causing pain, so there wasn’t any room for fear,” he explained.
Vuyo Dabula
The character he portrays, Saul, is a capitalist.
“There’s always a thin line between a capitalist and a gangster. Capitalists can be soulless and money-driven and easily trample upon others. That’s reality. Initially, Saul starts as a good guy, who believes in a product, but this lands himself and his team in trouble,” Vouyo said.
“To save himself, he needs to protect his name, leading him deeper into darker places. I don’t think he’s a gangster. He goes to great lengths to protect his name and life. This situation brings him closer to the story’s protagonist, culminating in a showdown between the two.”
He’s starring alongside Katlego Danke, Melusi Mbele, Bokang Phelane, Zinhle Mabena, and Tshepo Howza Mosese.