The actress says her gastric sleeve transformation boosted her confidence and changed the kinds of acting roles she now gets cast in.
By Bulelwa Hoala
South African actress Gugu Gumede says losing weight has transformed both her personal life and acting career.
The 34-year-old revealed that she is finally being cast in roles that match her real age after years of portraying much older characters on screen.
Gugu became a household name for playing Prophetess Mamlambo on Uzalo, a role she says she started playing when she was only 24 years old.
Gugu says Uzalo role changed how people viewed her age
“I played that role for so long and so well that people never believed my age. They never believed when they saw me, and they never believed when they heard,” she said.
According to the actress, she continued to be cast in older roles throughout her career until she decided to undergo gastric sleeve surgery.
“That was until I made the decision to change my life and get a gastric sleeve,” she said.
Gugu says her dramatic weight loss has now opened new doors in the industry.
“I have lost so much weight that I now play characters that are either in my age range or my age,” she shared.
The actress also revealed that she has landed what she describes as the biggest role of her career.
“Currently I’ve got one of the biggest roles of my career coming out very, very soon, and I am now able to be a better actor because I can do things physically that I couldn’t do before. I’ve got the confidence that I didn’t have before,” she said.
Actress opens up about 30kg weight loss journey
Gugu has been open about her weight loss journey on YouTube.
In 2024, she revealed that she lost 30kg in four months after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey.
She explained that she chose to have the procedure after gaining significant weight following breastfeeding, feeling unhappy with her body and being at risk of developing chronic health conditions.
Netflix’s The Polygamist marks major new career chapter
Gugu is also set to star in Netflix’s upcoming drama series The Polygamist.
The 22-episode supernovela, produced by Stained Glass Productions, premieres on 12 June 2026.
The series follows Jonasi Gomora, played by Sdumo Mtshali, a successful businessman whose personal life begins to unravel amid secrets, betrayal and polygamy.
Gugu stars as Joyce Gomora, whose world is shaken when her husband’s hidden truths come to light.
The cast also includes Kwanele Mthethwa, Kenneth Nkosi, Noluthando Shabalala, Wonder Ndlovu, Celeste Ntuli, Lwazie Keith Tshebesha, Luyanda Zwane and Sthandiwe Kgoroge.
Watch the trailer below:
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The post Gugu Gumede says weight loss helped her finally land roles her age appeared first on KAYA 959.
