Shannon Esra Returns as Sandra Stein in Law, Love and Betrayal Season 2

Showmax has officially dropped the first trailer for the highly anticipated second season of the legal drama series Law, Love and Betrayal (LLB), and fans have plenty to be excited about. The series returns on Sunday, 8 March 2026 at 20:00 on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161), with Showmax viewers able to stream the new season from Monday, 9 March 2026.

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Season 2 promises more courtroom chaos, intrigue and high-stakes drama, especially with the arrival of new characters. One of the most exciting additions is Mzansi’s most feared and admired lawyer, Sandra Stein. SAFTA-winning actress Shannon Esra reprises her iconic role as the sharp-tongued legal powerhouse, a character she has portrayed across several popular shows, including The Queen, The River, Gomora, The Throne and The Legacy.

Shannon Esra is joined by new cast members Sparky Xulu, who plays social justice lawyer Sakhile Nxusa, and Katlego Lebogang as criminal lawyer Bakang Mokgotso. Following a dramatic first season finale that saw Gumede & Associates fall apart, viewers can expect even more tension as Sandra Stein steps into the mix. Showmax caught up with Shannon Esra to talk about returning to the role and what fans can expect in Season 2.

Don’t you find it funny how some South African viewers thought you were actually a lawyer?

They still think I’m a lawyer. Every day I’m asked how I can be of service. Then, when I tell people I’m an actor, they get really perplexed and advise me to go to law school. I’m like, “Where?! I don’t want to be a lawyer!” Then they insist that I must, and I’m like, if I stop acting, you won’t see me on your screen. That’s when the penny drops, but even after that, they still insist I study law. It’s hilarious, really.

Tell us about the day the directors of LLB called you to put your Sandra Stein cap on again.

Christo Davids and I had worked together on Legacy, where he was a director. So when he called and said, “Weird question… would you be interested in coming onto LLB for Season 2 as Sandra Stein?”, where he’s both the series producer and a director, of course, I said yes.

During Season 1, I had people on Twitter asking where Sandra was, so when Christo approached me, I gladly obliged. It felt almost inevitable – here you have this wonderful legal show, and we’re somehow ignoring this incredibly popular fan favourite.

The fact that Sandra has lived in so many fictional worlds for as long as she has really shows there’s something utilitarian about her. She’s perfunctory, she’s brilliant, and there’s so much mystery and enigma behind her. I think that’s what people love. When the director called, I was relieved, then in disbelief. I’m incredibly grateful.

What is the most wonderful thing about portraying this character?

It’s when young people reach out to me on social media or in public and tell me that Sandra Stein inspires them to become a lawyer. Not an actor who plays a lawyer but an actual lawyer. That, for me, is the biggest compliment an actor can receive.

How intense is it to prepare for an attorney role, given the legal jargon and research required for a show like LLB?

It really comes down to the writers. These scripts go through consulting law firms, so they’re extensively researched and verified as accurate.

For me, I’ve always loved legal shows and language – linguistics and rhetoric. Everything I do has a strict purpose: it needs to be believable. But we’re also making a TV show, so there has to be creative licence. If we filmed things exactly as they happen in court, it would be a snooze-fest. It’s about balancing research with entertainment.

The writers sit with the script far longer than the actors do: we’re just custodians who take it across the line.

Is it easy or difficult to de-role a character like Sandra?

What’s so great about Sandra is that she’s as easy as slipping into a suit for me. There’s nothing odious or emotionally painstaking about playing her. There’s a flow that I find incredibly relieving and refreshing.

I’ve played characters like Candice in Still Breathing and Samantha in Lioness, where the emotional toll lingered deeply and caused personal upheaval. Sandra, on the other hand, teaches me that it’s okay to have fun. I can wear the character; she doesn’t wear me down. She’s easy, like Sunday morning.

Sandra is surrounded by other strong personalities in LLB. How will she navigate that space?

This season, I wanted to explore a certain darkness in Sandra, but with humour. She’s strategic, measured, and everything she does is deliberate. I wanted to experience moments of humanity with her.

For me, Sandra is like a big wooden spoon, stirring everyone’s lives. She’s here to poke, prod, assess and feel. You’ll see her enjoying getting under the skin of certain characters. She’s definitely going to be strategic in her role.

Do you think viewers want to know Sandra the woman, not just Sandra the lawyer?

Absolutely. I’ve even developed a spin-off; I just need someone to say yes. Sandra’s enigma is what makes her fascinating, but because I know who she is, I understand what shaped her. I’d love to share that with audiences. I think people would absolutely want to know who Sandra is outside the courtroom.

LLB S1 ended in a cliff-hanger. Why do you think LLB Season 2 is a must-watch?

Season 2 is a must-watch because the characters are pushed into much more uncomfortable territory. The stakes are higher, the choices are messier, and everyone is forced to confront who they really are, both professionally and personally. It certainly deepens the world that Season 1 introduced.