Publications
Please note: This article contains content of a mature nature.
She made a name for herself with her unapologetic career as "Africa's biggest porn star", and now, starring as a reality TV star in Showmax's original reality show This Body Works For me, Xoli Mfeka says viewers haven't seen anything yet.
When Showmax's latest original reality show, This Body Works For Me, debuted last week, it trended on Twitter. The first-ever show of its kind on South African television, it delves into the seldom-seen on-TV world of adult entertainment and the young women who have made careers out of it.
"Ku sazo shuba (it's still going to get lit)," says Xoli Mfeka. "People haven't seen anything yet."
"All cast members, including myself, gave our all to the show. Everything is so raw."
This Body Works For Me follows Mfeka, Wandi, Nelly, Samke, Gina and Primadonna, who work in the adult entertainment industry, as they juggle generating an income, family and relationships. It also includes Bubbly, a former exotic dancer and aspiring entrepreneur.
Mfeka says she joined the cast because she saw it as an opportunity to show people she is "just a normal girl". She says she and her cast members are all just girls getting to know each other and the industries they work in.
"We do almost the same thing but not the same thing, so it was interesting getting to know the girls, going out with them and learning about the challenges they face," she says.
Only Fans
While she might already have made a name for herself as Africa’s self-proclaimed biggest porn star, she only ventured into adult entertainment in November 2019 after seeing how much money other women were making from selling content. However, she adds she did not immediately start with porn as "it was just nudes" then.
"And I thought I have a great body, so why don't I hop in and see what happens," Mfeka recalls.
She says breaking the news to her family did not lead to any fights. She just told her mom how much she was making and that she ventured into Only Fans because of unemployment.
Venturing into entertainment, however, was always part of her plan. Mfeka says she would have gone into either acting or presenting if she had not gone into adult entertainment.
Stigmatisation
Despite the hard work and dedication, she reiterates that it is not easy due to the stigma of being a porn star. Mfeka says while she would love to work with brands, it is a challenge as "most of them don't want to associate themselves with a brand that is known for sex".
She adds that this contributed to one of the things she wants people to take away from the show.
"I want people to take away that we are humans, and we have feelings," Mfeka says. "This is a hustle for us, and we are hustling for our families as well."
The future
Regarding her future, she does not intend to slow down or have children.
She says she would like to do a lot of travelling and "if I'm still in the game, shoot more content with creators all over the globe".
This Body Works For Me is available to stream on Showmax with two new episodes every Wednesday for 10 weeks.
