The stakes were high in last night’s drama-filled episode, in which contestants were put to test in the mini-challenge and gruelling soapie task. While Tobechi Nneji and Uriel Oputa performed strongly in the mini challenge, Simhle struggled to stand out from the rest in her soapie scene.
Plaatjies, who is currently modelling and attending auditions, has always loved having an audience; her passion for performance started at a very young age, when she went to acting classes at the Baxter Theatre. While the other children were hanging about during break she would be creating choreography and dancing with her friends for fun.
Commented Plaatjies; “Being a contestant on Top Actor Africa alone was an achievement for me. It was my first ever acting audition and taking a risk of auditioning with my own written content made me realize my own personal strength and confidence. As I leave Top Actor, I hold my head high as not everything is about winning. I take with me friendships and the knowledge I have gained about acting. My journey on Top Actor Africa opened my eyes, I have a better understanding of how things work in the acting industry."
“I’m grateful and happy for the opportunity. It is a great platform that can either make or break you. I’m more determined to chase my dreams and aspirations,” Plaatjies said.
Top Actor Africa, airing every Tuesday on BET, channel 129 on DStv at 19:30 CAT, aims to fast track wannabe actors into the highly competitive acting industry. The prize package includes $10 000, international representation and access to Hollywood auditions.
The 11 hopeful young actors still in the running for the Top Actor Africa title are: Shamilla Miller (South Africa), Farrell Drew (South Africa), Marilyn Sekgapane (South Africa), Jesse Suntele (South Africa), Hendrik Lombard (South Africa), Sabelo Sibeko (South Africa), Lorreine Wangui Gakuo (Kenya), Alex Khayo (Kenya), Tobechi Nneji (Nigeria), Uriel Oputa (Nigeria) and Ifeanyi Dike (Nigeria).