1. Can you tell us about your journey from South Africa to Los Angeles and how you have navigated the film industry in both countries?
I was fortunate enough to grow up in an environment where I could explore the performing arts. I took choir, ballet, hip hop and modern dance, played the guitar, violin and keyboard, went to a performing arts tour to London and Stratford, studied at The Trinity College of London with my teachers in high school. and took drama as a subject. I’ve also performed at The Artscape and have shot for Mr. Price, Glo Mobile and Chamdor Sparkling Juice. In 2018, I attended a performance arts conference in Florida, where I was awarded a partial scholarship to The New York Film Academy (NYFA), and to The New York Conservatory For Dramatic Arts (NYCDA). I ultimately chose to go to NYFA in Los Angeles because Los Angeles seemed like the city I needed to be in.
At the beginning of 2020, I moved in with Congolese/South Africa actress, and high school friend, Angelique Munyange, who already had an apartment in Los Angeles and was attending the same college. We both found that our background in theater helped us grasp the film industry in Los Angeles with curiosity and excitement. NYFA encouraged their students to audition for student films, and so I’m grateful for all of the projects I was able to act in during my time as NYFA. In 2022, I graduated my Masters of Fine Arts in Acting Film Film from NYFA with a 4.0 GPA, and entered the film industry with almost 20 short film projects in my back pocket and the confidence to call myself an actress. Before finding representation, I submitted myself for projects online on casting websites. I have worked with Nike, Stuttershock and Meta, starred in a national commercial for Google Shopping, and have worked on Abbotts Elementary, The Joker 2 and Winning Time (I actually just saw myself on the show last night!).
Moving to Los Angeles was nothing like I expected, but it’s been everything to me. I’ve grown and learned so much as a person and I try my best to share what I’ve learned. I have a YouTube channel where I vlogged my time at the New York Film Academy, and I have a TikTok account where I post skits and vlogs of the sets I’ve worked on.
2. How has your background in performance art, including acting, dance, and speech and drama, influenced your career?
Nothing I’ve learned has been for nothing. I’ve gotten roles specifically for the skills I’ve accumulated over the years – I booked a rollerskating role because I used to ice-skate and the skill was somewhat transferable, and shot a yoga and dance video because I used to dance. As I’ve mentioned before, my theatrical background helped with my film career because it’s easier to take something big (referring to the large gestures and facial expressions in a theatrical performance) and make it smaller (referring to the small nuances of an eye twitch that the camera can catch when zoomed in). Even my Marketing Degree from IIE Varsity College has helped me better manage myself and my social media presence online.
3. What was it like to work as a scare actor at Universal Studios for Halloween Horror Nights and to have the opportunity to meet Hollywood celebrities?
Working as a scare actor has been the most physically demanding job I’ve ever done in my life. While having to fit and change into a variety of costumes and face masks/make-up looks over the course of two months took a lot out of me, I essentially got to play dress up for those two months. I was a ‘pool performer’, meaning that they would fit me in any open spots that needed to be filled around the park. After some time, I found a home at the Chucky Maze (which is also where I watched a masked-up Pedro Pascal scream at a doll), but also enjoyed playing Lumashtu in the Exorcist House, and playing Vecna in The Stranger Things House. I didn’t necessarily get to meet any of these celebrities, but I did get to scare them.
4. How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect your career and studies, and how did you navigate through the challenges that arose during that time?
I arrived in Los Angeles 5 weeks before lockdown. I went from exploring the city with bright and curious eyes to taking zoom acting classes in my apartment. A lot of acting students actually developed zoom fatigue, where they struggled to project their voice or move their bodies beyond. This was because we were confined to our bedrooms, trying not to wake up the neighbors while also making sure you weren’t out of frame. When in-person classes started again, it took some time for a lot of us to feel comfortable again. The pandemic took so much away from so many people – unfortunately for me, that included my father, and due to travel restrictions to South Africa during that time, I had to attend his funeral via zoom. As one could imagine, this was such a hard time for me, and not being with my family during that time added salt to the wound. But even with everything that has happened, I was still able to graduate with Summa Cum Laude, and am very proud of myself for doing so.
5. Can you share with us some of the key projects you have worked on in Los Angeles, such as the Google commercial and your experience as a model and actress for major brands?
I worked on a music video for Grammy award winner, Printz Board, which I actually booked on the way back home from a fitting – Within 20 minutes of submitting for the project online, I got off the bus and was on an uber heading to set. I’ve provided testimonials for Seratopicals and Peach & Lily, shot with Meta x Stuttershock, worked as a scareactor at Universal Studios for Halloween Horror Nights, and starred in a Google Shopping commercial alongside Brandon Blackwood (owner of fashion company that specializes in handbags and accessories). My favorite project though has been the short film myself and my roommate, Angelique Munyange, worked on together.
6. You co-wrote, co-starred, and executively co-produced a short film. Can you tell us more about that experience and any future plans in the realm of film production?
Yes, Angelique and I reached out to our network of filmmaker friends to help us film “And They Were Roommates”. It follows two unlikely individuals who are forced to ‘play nice’ in one common living space. I think a lot of us can relate to the serious level of annoyance an unpleasant roommate can make you feel – we took that annoyance and put it into a script. As international students ourselves, we can relate to the struggle of finding work in a competitive city during month-long union strikes. So after forming our crew with international friends, hardworking and patient individuals, and friends-of-friends, we transformed our apartment into our characters’ apartment and shot the first concept episode. We’re currently in post-production, but will be able to share our project very soon.
7. What insights can you provide about the impact of social media on the film industry and how it has changed the landscape for actors and models?
I would talk about how having a social media presence can put you on the cover of Vogue like Emma Chamberlain, but that’s not the only important thing to note here. Many casting directors request your social media links, selfies, group photos with friends, vlog-style videos, ugc-style videos, or anything that you can take with your phone. Casting directors want to see what you look like in your natural habitat, and not just what you look like standing in front of a blue screen with a huge smile on your face. Additionally, I like looking back at my posts and seeing how far I’ve come. I think you should document this journey regardless because sometimes it’s hard to see how far you’ve come when you’re only looking forward.
8. How do you balance your work in film with your YouTube channel and social media presence? How do you use these platforms to showcase your work and connect with your audience?
I really didn’t think my videos did anything other than entertain some people for sometime, until I started regularly getting DM’s from individuals not only from South Africa, but from all over the world asking for my advice about moving to the US/pursuing acting in Los Angeles/leaving my hometown. I’ve even met a few people that said I convinced them to move to Los Angeles and pursue their craft. It was around this time that I decided to make social media part of my job.
9. Can you share with us any upcoming projects or goals that you are currently working towards in your career in the film industry?
I’m currently still focused on resting after Halloween, but I have been connecting with some filmmaker friends about shooting a few projects. We’re still in the early development plans of these projects so I can’t say too much yet, but our goals are a lot larger now. As for goals I’d like to reach, acting is still my number 1 passion so I’d love to have a speaking role in a piece of cinema in the upcoming future. Of course the end goal is to have a leading role in a TV show that I’m helping produce.
10. How do you draw from your cultural background and experiences in South Africa to bring authenticity and depth to your performances in film?
My own background and experiences is what sets me apart from everyone, and vice versa. Being raised in South Africa by Nigerian parents; going to the school I went to; being surrounded by the opportunities I was around; that is what sets me apart from the next person.
