Relationships aren’t without their individual ups and downs. Moreover, being under the watchful eyes of the public has been said to do more harm than good to celebrity marriages but when a marriage is based on true partnership, things will always turn out fine in the end. For celebrity couple Hungani Ndlovu and Stephanie Sandows, their love story can be traced back to when they starred in the popular South African soap opera Scandal and since then, the duo has been inseparable.
More so, the two have gone on to make a name as a power couple in the South African entertainment industry as they have grown in their individual career pursuits, as well as together as a couple. However, like most celebrity marriages, their union has not been left out from the rumor mills. Nonetheless, they have been able to go through all these situations together, coming out stronger.
Hungani and Stephanie’s Love Blossomed On The Set Of Scandal
When Hungani and Stephanie’s relationship started, they were a bit skeptical – especially Stephanie, about how things will turn out. They actually met during Hugani’s audition for a role on the popular S.A TV series, Scandal. Both of them had lunch together that day and really got along well during their conversation.
At that time in December 2015, Hungani was just recovering from an abusive relationship. According to the actor, he was in the United States at the time where he suffered physical abuse from his partner. He did not go in-depth on the relationship he had then nor the identity of his partner. He only hinted about trying to cover the scars on his face but the real scar he could not treat was the internal ones that affected his emotions. Irrespective of this ugly experience, Hungani did not turn down the opportunity of being with his current wife as he summoned the courage to tell Stephanie how he felt about her. Interestingly, just three months after they met, they began their relationship and Hungani started an active protest against domestic abuse.
With regards to his romantic dalliance with Stephanie, they kept news about their relationship away from the media, and many assumed they were just co-stars. However, sometime in November 2017, Hungani spoke about finding love with Stephanie on the show. This was the first time they openly acknowledged their relationship. Stephanie on her own path revealed that when they initially began to date, she worried about what people would say because she was 4 years older than him, however, with the growth she has experienced in her life and relationship, it has become inconsequential.
They Had A Lavish But Secret Wedding
Even though their relationship was no longer a secret, it still came as a shock to many of their fans after they simultaneously shared pictures on their social media pages in February 2020, hinting at their wedding. Apparently, the wedding took place on the 23rd of February 2019 but they didn’t share the good news until a year after.
In a series of posts on YouTube and Instagram, the duo shared that they didn’t feel the need to announce their marriage and that they had to work through a lot in their first year of marriage, especially finding the rhythm that works for them. After they found the rhythm that works for them, it was easy for them to announce that they were now married. It was also gathered that the lovebirds had their honeymoon in Mauritius and needless say it was a very romantic moment for the S.A film stars.
Hungani Ndlovu’s Young Marriage Was Plagued By Cheating Rumors
Hungani Ndlovu is notable for his character Romeo on the Scandal TV series. The character is usually up to different kinds of mischief. During his appearance on one of the episodes of the series, he helped Lindiwe – played by Nomvelo Makhanya, to hack into the school server to get illegal access to exam questions. This was the first time the case of cheating was linked to his name and it had nothing to do with having an affair in real life.
In one of his interviews, Hungani reiterated strongly that anyone who cheats should beware of the consequences as life will always hand in its punishment when the time is right. For someone who appears to vehemently be against cheating even when it has to do with exams, it came as a surprise when rumors began to make the rounds about his marriage being in trouble because he cheated on his wife. From all indications, these are just unfounded rumors as his relationship and marriage to Stephanie appears to be fine.
The real reason why the cheating speculation began in the first place was that Hungani was leaving Scandal. Although some believed it was because his wife left him with no other choice, the actor revealed he is actually leaving the show because he believes he deserves more, especially because he brings more viewership to the show. His move is more on the path of career progression.
Did The Cheating Scandal Affect His Career?
As aforementioned, Hungani left Scandal for greener pastures, suggesting that the cheating rumor had no effect on his career. According to reports, he has been made an offer by Kenya Barris to be a cast member in the American sitcom titled Black-ish, however, he is yet to accept as he has not been seen in any of the episodes. He can also be seen in the short film Because You are Black (2016), Sipho (2018), HEKS (2019), in the music video of Black Coffee, and the stage plays; A Night with Sam and A Raisin in the Sun.
The versatile S.A entertainer also continues to dance and teach. He founded The Ndlovu Foundation which helps young people with interests in dance. Recently, in January 2021, he opened the artistic development studio, Strong Attitudes Nurture Success Group (SANS) on which his wife serves as the Casting Director.
Moreover, as a couple, Hungani and Stephanie are also doing petty well together as they started a YouTube channel which they called ‘The Ndlovu’s Uncut’. The channel has been thriving with over 226k subscribers and close to 1 million views. On her own side, Stephanie Sandows is also doing pretty well as an actress and she is known for her appearance in Shuga, as well as other films like Losing Lerato (2019), and The Hex (2020).