Edwin van der Walt is a dedicated, energetic and versatile young actor, who has already drawn acclaim with a series of instantly likable and heartfelt performances in South African feature films such as: Ballade vir 'n Enkeling, Hollywood in my Huis, Modder en Bloed and Die Pro, with a lead role in My Father's War, which is scheduled for release in August.

Having shown tremendous potential on the field as a sportsman, the multi-talented van der Walt chose an acting career over joining the Sharks Academy in Durban after playing for Paarl Boys High's first team for two years. He recently completed his B. Drama degree at the University of Stellenbosch and with such a promising future ahead of him at home and abroad, it's clear he made the right decision.

Having made a name for himself in the theatre arena under the direction of Marthinus Basson in Bos and Macbeth Slapeloos, he's now conquering the silver screen with roles that have been received with great enthusiasm working opposite the likes of Dawid Minnaar, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Jana Cilliers, Antoinette Kellerman and Stian Bam.

As an ambitious rising South African film talent, it was only a pleasure to find out more about Edwin van der Walt and which films have made his Top Ten list!

"My brother and I almost know every
single line in the film..." [on Wedding Crashers]

I can't watch movies without...

- Having enough time, I have to watch a film straight through without pausing or having to wait until the next day.

Which famous people share your birthday?

- Albert Einstein (14 March)

What is the first film you remember watching?

- I saw Serengeti on IMAX and it blew my mind!

What's the worst movie you've ever seen?

- Carrie (2013), I found it to be a bit of a rip-off, but was actually meant to be serious. The continuity was shocking and the boundaries were pushed too far for it to be a good horror/thriller film.

Which movies have made you tearful?

- Room, Amour, Up and Biuitiful.

Who is the most famous movie star you've ever met?

- Oliver Schmidt (director), but not yet a real movie star.

What's your favourite movie line?

- "Yeah, that's me, taking the bull by the horns. It's how I handle business. It's a metaphor. But that actually happened, though." ~ Ben Stiller as White Goodman in Dodgeball

Who would you choose to play you in your biopic?

- Eddie Redmayne, he's capable of making all of his characters vulnerable and honest. I find him truthful in every scene and I think his body type fits best to be perfectly honest, I'm not exactly built like Dwayne Johnson.

If you could produce a movie, what would it be about?

- A real-life story about an underdog achieving greatness and success. To quote Edward Norton, "The best films of any kind, narrative or documentary, provoke questions."

Finally, your top ten movies of all-time...

- Crash ...I came across this film after doing research on multi-narrative films. I love the way directors like Alejandro G. Iñárritu use this form of storytelling. After watching Crash I knew this would be something to take inspiration from, and maybe in the near future make a film like this. Excellent!

- The Piano Teacher ...while I was busy working on a film, My Father's War, which releases on 5 August this year, Stian Bam who played my father in the film gave me The Piano Teacher to watch. Michael Haneke became one of my favorite directors after watching this. He captures real-life and raw performances in such a way it's almost difficult to watch... in a good way. Isabelle Huppert gives one of the best performances I have ever seen.

- Biutiful ...I was looking for the film Crash in a DVD store and saw the cover of this film by the master, Mr. Iñárritu. I heard it had been nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, so I wanted to see what it was all about. Iñárritu made something that again was almost difficult to watch as he technically, as well as through the performances, makes you feel a lot more than we are used to, or would like to, in our everyday lives. Vulnerable, subtle and raw, Bardem also gives an inspiring performance.

- Wedding Crashers ...when you start to smile as you write the name of the film down, then you know it's the good stuff. I really like dramas and thrillers but one timeless comedy for me is Wedding Crashers. My brother and I almost know every single line in the film and have watched it an embarrassing amount of times. We find ourselves having inside joke moments in random conversations, just starting line-battling dialogue between Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Timeless comedy!

- Brokeback Mountain ...I was busy reading Heath Ledger's book, Heath. A Family's Tale, while busy shooting on the film Die Pro. Ledger is one of my favourite actors, who I look up to... a legend. In his book he mentioned that during the filming of Brokeback Mountain he was extremely lonely and had a difficult time dealing with that. He also met the love of his life, Michelle Williams, on set. I really wanted to watch all his films, especially after reading his book. I watched Brokeback Mountain and discovered one of his best performances, other than playing The Joker in The Dark Knight. He inspired me with a pure, raw and honest performance that day.

- Gone Girl ...David Fincher is the master of thrillers and definitely on my list of top directors. I saw Gone Girl on the big screen and still think it is Fincher's best thriller. But there was one scene has not left me to this day... the scene where Neil Patrick Harris' throat is slashed by Rosamund Pike. One of the most powerful scenes and mastered in all areas... the sound effect they used I can't describe, but it was spot on. I kind of laughed afterwards as I realized a few people made very weird and awkward sounds as that scene took place.

- Fight Club ...another reason I remember Fight Club, besides David Fincher being the director, is for Edward Norton's performance, which has stuck with me for a very very long time. Again technically as well a visually, Fight Club became a film that will always be on my top 10. Jared Leto took an extremely small cameo role just to be able to work with Fincher. I saw this when I was very young and every time I watch this film, which is a lot of times, it gets better and better.

- Before Sunset ...I saw the trailer for Before Sunset and immediately wanted to see it. I started watching interviews with the director and became a big fan as he spoke about how he works with actors and writes his scripts. I bought the first two films from Linklater's trilogy and could not get enough of them. I kept on talking about it for days, the film started to make its way into conversations. I could not stop talking about it for weeks. It plays off in real-time following a conversation between Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply as the co-leads. It's amazing how an 80 minute conversation could keep me intrigued.

- Vertical Limit ...this is my guilty pleasure film. This is one of the first films I remember watching and having such a big emotional impact - for some reason this film stuck with me. Not a lot of people remember or even watched this film but it will be on my top 10 as I will never forget this experience.

- Whiplash ...this film made me realize a film does not need to be complex to be exceptional. Such a simple story line, subtle and raw performances, and technically beautiful. The performances from Miles Teller and J.K Simmons are also worth watching over and over.

Top Ten Movies with... is a people series on SPL!NG, featuring a host of celebrities ranging from up-and-coming to established personalities from all industries including, but not limited to: Internet, Radio, TV, Film, Music, Art and Entrepreneurs. It's a chance to discover who they are, find out where they're at and to get a fun inside look at their taste in movies.

Charlenè Brouwer is a passionate, versatile and talented actress, director and writer. She's best known for the title role of Anna Bruwer in Sara Blecher's award-winning film, Dis ek, Anna, which won Best Picture at the Silwerskermfees and SAFTAs. Brouwer and Bruwer may look like polar opposites, but both share an indomitable intensity, strength and tenacity that shine through. While Dis ek, Anna is a breakthrough role, Brouwer's also known for playing Susan Boshoff in Vrou Soek Boer and Elize Jones in SABC 2 drama, Thola.

More recently, she's been making her mark as a director with short films, Anderkant Gister and Op Pad met Dana. Behind-the-scenes, she's worked as a continuity and script supervisor on films such as Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux, Treurgrond and Suurlemoen. Charlenè has also featured in many television commercials over the years.

Together with her husband, Niel van Deventer, the two helped produce Dis ek, Anna as Palama Productions. With a Silwerskermfees and Rapid Lion International acting nomination for her performance in Dis ek, Anna, it seems that the strikingly beautiful and soulful Brouwer is on the road to true cinematic greatness. We discovered, which movies have shaped and inspired her over the years... and which of those deserve a spot in her Top Ten!

"South Africa has talent that the world needs to see."

I can't watch movies without...

- Popcorn! Seriously... if ever there comes a day where my popcorn actually lasts until the movie starts. I usually scoff it down in the trailers and end up finishing my poor husband’s popcorn... and no, he has no say in the matter.

Popcorn is my escape, the difference between work and relaxation. I am also a continuity supervisor on films and sometimes I can’t stop working. Popcorn helps me switch off and relax... so my poor husband sacrifices his popcorn for a greater cause. And I don’t order two for myself because, well... that's just wrong!

Which famous people share your birthday?

- Yves Saint Laurent, who was an Algerian-French fashion designer, one of the greatest and most celebrated icons of the fashion industry. I was born on 1 August 1984 and growing up, I never met anyone that had the same birthday as me. For a long time I believed I was the only person that was born on this day, so it made me special... of course this was before the Internet – yes I'm that old! As a teenager, I loved that one of my idols, President Nelson Mandela and I were both Leos.

What is the first film you remember watching?

- Definitely two of the all-time Disney greats... The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, which I watched over and over, and strangely enough Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which gave me nightmares as a child, but I also watched that over and over. I still cannot watch the part where the sacrificial victim's heart gets ripped out of his chest. My brother and cousin used to tease me relentlessly shouting out "Kali Ma... Kali Ma... Kali Ma Shakti de", chasing me around pretending to want to rip my heart out for hours... ah good innocent times.

What's the worst movie you've ever seen?

- Without thinking Sharknado! But the sad truth is that it's so bad it's good. I shriek in joy when I find it on television and end up watching it because it's so horribly and wonderfully bad. I don’t mind bad films when they're made by international production houses that have too much money.

What gets to me is bad local films. South Africa has so much talent and we need to start working together to create a standard to prevent South African audiences from saying "We'll wait for it on BoxOffice." Films should be seen in the cinema and those of inferior quality, not worthy of the silver screen, should go straight to television.

There are not enough resources to continue allowing bad local films to be supported or made for no reason. There are some wonderful and astounding local films and I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for film-making in South Africa. Some of my favorite local films include: Skoonheid; Faan se trein; Ayanda; Otelo Burning, While You Weren't Looking and a short film called Konneksies. South Africa has talent that the world needs to see.

Which movies have made you tearful?

- So many. I can't pick a favorite amongst so many films that have formed me as an individual. The earliest ones are When A Man Loves a Woman... I start crying during the opening titles. I love this film because it's so real and honest. I grew up in a very conservative family where you don't always talk about things openly and also don't know other people's struggles.

The other great in my life is La Vita e Bella or Life is Beautiful. This was the first film that inspired me to become a director. It was such a beautiful story and Roberto Benigni is such an inspiration as a writer. The reason why this film is so important to me is that even in the darkest tones of this story there was hope and love... that’s incredible storytelling. I am a Disney and superhero freak – one of those weirdos that know all the trivia (or most of it). I don't know if there is one Disney film that has not made me cry... ever.

Who is the most famous movie star you've ever met?

- The best thing that ever happened to me... my sister-in-law bought me tickets to go see a play at the Wyndham's Theatre in London. The play’s name was American Buffalo starring John Goodman, Damien Lewis and Tom Sturridge. It felt like I met John Goodman – I was completely starstruck and it was the best experience of my life... I started crying like a child inside the theatre with my husband.

In South Africa, the actors that I have had the privilege to work with, who also happen to be my heroes: Marius Weyers; Ntathi Moshesh and Anna-mart van der Merwe.

What's your favourite movie line?

- "The crazy thing is, you're not crazy. Sometimes the only way to stay sane is to go a little crazy." ~ Girl, Interrupted

This film inspires me to think and tell stories outside the box every day. Who would have thought a film about people in a mental institution could make more sense than most plots in romantic comedies.

Who would you choose to play you in your biopic?

- ...we'll start casting at the end of this year.

If you could produce a movie, what would it be about?

- My husband and I produce films. The next films we are producing are all stories that have a bigger aim than to simply serve as entertainment. We aim to tell stories that will change people's lives like so many of my top films have changed; influenced; inspired and motivated me in my life. Films that truly make a difference socially and stand up to speak about issues we, as human beings, sometimes try to hide from. Purposeful storytelling!

Finally, your top ten movies of all-time...

I never had the opportunity to study film – I learned by watching films and working on film sets. These films are not only films to me but the whole basis of what I would like to achieve in storytelling one day... big dreams I know, but I'm willing to put in the work!

- The Little Mermaid ...this film made me believe in magic. That sometime during the night my feet might change into a mermaid tail. I practiced swimming and walking to prepare for that day, if it ever happened, in the swimming pool. I still believe in magic and am waiting for that to happen.

Beauty and the Beast” (Everything Disney) ...I simply love all the Disney films and would actually put all of their films into my top ten. Disney makes people believe in true love, romance and good in the world. Every child should grow up watching Disney.

- Kick-Ass ...I despise Nicolas Cage. I can’t stand him as an actor – I don't know why. But I'm not alone... let me sing you the song of my Internet meme people: "Kick-Ass inspires me everyday that maybe one day too I can play a superhero..." no offence Nic... it's you, not me.

- Singin' in the Rain ...Gene Kelly is the epitome of pure talent and the discipline he put into his talent is everything every actor and artist should strive for day in, day out. This film was written so cleverly and the commentary about the film industry is still relevant today.

- The Piano ...written and directed by Jane Campion. This was one of those films that took some time to shake off my soul. It was made in New Zealand and won three Academy Awards that once again proves that with the right story all financial aspects can be overcome to compete with the best in the world. A good film; powerful acting and exceptional directing all starts with a strong story and script.

- The Devil's Advocate ...for many years Al Pacino could do no wrong in my eyes. This film was one of those stories that challenged the system and proved that when a controversial film or story is told well enough it could be a commercial success as well. It grossed almost $160 million and just take a minute to think about how the writers had to pitch this story to a producer!

- Snatch ...this is one of best simply because it spares the audience any pretentiousness. It's brutally honest, funny and nothing is forced, not even for one minute. The film plays out like reality would and it's written and edited quite simply and genially.

- Girl, Interrupted ...this film is one that sits at my very core. I was blown away by Angelina Jolie's performance. She played a complete psychopath but so well that you start doubting the real "sane" characters. I felt myself move with her and wanted her to succeed in her absolutely crazy goals. This film inspires me as an actress to not just think and play what is written on the pages of a script, but to go much further than that.

- Fight Club ...Fight Club completely messed with my mind as a teenager and showed me how to challenge rules and set guidelines within a craft. The editing and hidden messages within this film were one of the first times that a film made me start to think about and research all technical aspects rather than acting and story.

- Silence of the Lambs ...never, and I mean never, will a film like this exist again. In my humble opinion, psychological thrillers will never live up to the standard that Silence set. Yes, and I have seen Shutter Island and Gone Girl and no, it still does not compare to the scare value Sir Anthony Hopkins instilled in my bones with this film.

- Life is Beautiful ...Life is Beautiful has everything a story should have. To me this was perfect.

Top Ten Movies with... is a people series on SPL!NG, featuring a host of celebrities ranging from up-and-coming to established personalities from all industries including, but not limited to: Internet, Radio, TV, Film, Music, Art and Entrepreneurs. It's a chance to discover who they are, find out where they're at and to get a fun inside look at their taste in movies.

D. David Morin is a prolific actor and director, who has been in the industry for over 30 years acting in countless feature films, network television shows and commercials, starring opposite some of Hollywood's biggest names. From acting to directing, skateboarding to surfing and Los Angeles to Cape Town, he's led a colourful life having free-lanced since 1983!

Having realised his first love, Morin is now directing feature films, documentaries, commercials and facilitating the Hollywood Acting Master Class in his new home, Cape Town CBD. Spling met up with the upbeat, free-spirited and multi-talented movie man for a couple of coffees to get a glimpse into his world and glean some of the wealth of experience he's gained. After a few minutes, it was clear... D. David Morin's life needs to be adapted into film.

How did your film journey begin?

I paid my way through law school selling skateboard wheels, which meant I dealt with surf shops. Because of that I ended up judging professional surf contests in Southern California and Mexico. There was one contest where the announcer didn't show up, so I filled in and was quite glib and became the voice of professional surfing for 10 years and they were flying me around the world. So I kind of started as this MC/presenter guy. When I finished law school I went to work for Skateboarder magazine and I was editor of a section called Skateboarder Now. The magazine folded and I went back to college to study film and TV production because they had a cable show called Lifestyle and I wanted to be the presenter.

So I started presenting and a friend told me we're doing this student film and I was like "finally, my close up!". That was when the bug bit me at around 25 years old that I wanted to be an actor. I was doing really well in the programme and then I pick the thing I have the least amount of talent in and was like "that's what I want to try and be good at!" In my life, to be a believable actor was the hardest thing in the world.

I grew up in Hollywood, I was living down in Orange County and after I finished the two-year programme I moved to L.A. and studied acting for six years. My dad went to Harvard law, so the lawyer part was in my background... my mom was an actor and her mom was a production designer. I was definitely more creative than I was a lawyer guy. Right before I turned 30, I got my SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) card in L.A. and because I was such a good presenter I naturally became a good spokesman. So I made a ton of money being that commercical spokesman guy... they labelled me "The King of Commercials" and I did a network national commercial every month for 12 years.

I've done nearly 5000 castings, so I know the casting process, I know how to work the lens and be present as an actor, so I've had the best life possible. I've done movies, I've done TV series... I was on two pilots, one with Brad Garrett, and then I did another sitcom with Jennifer Aniston called Muddling Through for CBS before she did Friends. That TV series didn't really go anywhere... I was second billing, Jennifer was third billing and then it got cancelled and she got picked up on Friends, which blew up... and I'm still waiting to blow up.

I ended up moving to Africa in 2011. I got a gig acting on this Kenyan independent feature, Leo. I got flown to Nairobi and after two weeks I was like "wow, this is cool". I was over in LA... I was 55 living in downtown L.A. in a groovy loft, but the phone wasn't ringing. So when the lease was up I sold everything I had and bought a one-way ticket to Kenya. I formed a production company in Kenya called Slingshot Productions and did my first docco called The Sea Turtles of Lamu and shot over sixty projects in 3 years in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Switzerland, Cambodia... like 'have camera, will travel'. I really learned how to be a shooter, I had already directed a couple of features but I wasn't an ace cinematographer. Directing is my first passion, but I'm fascinated with screenwriting... I've taken so many seminars and am teaching Screenwriting as part of the Masters series. I've been cutting all along for the last 10-12 years with Final Cut 7 - I'm old school with the software.

If you had to pick a couple of highlights from your career...

I just did a project in Cape Town in April with the BBC called The Gamechangers, which is based on Grand Theft Auto. It's based on a true story, there was a black kid in Alabama who acted out the game in real life and got charged with murder and convicted. Bill Paxton plays this attorney, who is trying to get the Grand Theft Auto guys locked up or stop them from making this content of cop killing. I hadn't worked in 5 years and then I booked this job, suddenly working opposite Bill Paxton. That was really exciting, playing this judge. There were 30 cast and crew, but it was great, I loved it.

I did a big film with Geena Davis, Dustin Hoffman and Andy Garcia. It's hard to beat something on that scale... Dustin and I would have beers in his motor home after work and he was just this outstanding individual. Working with Jennifer Aniston was awesome, she's a terrific gal and we were good friends. I never really broke in, I was never that prime time name... but I can't complain, I've had a great career... I've been a freelancer since 1983!

Can you tell me a bit about your latest documentary?

I had just moved into the Cape Town City Centre and I was told they're doing Handel's Messiah on August 28th next door to my building at Groote Kerk, and I thought maybe there was a chance I could go to some of the rehearsals. The conductor only answered my emails 4 weeks later and I started attending rehearsals on 1 August and started filming the whole thing, hiring sound guys, three cameras... and then we interviewed three of the choir members as well as the conductor Leon Starker and we had this fantastic feature-length documentary. Finding Messiah is a fun piece for anyone who enjoys music or knows Handel's Messiah or choir music... I actually used very little concert footage as it's really the "making of", the rehearsal process and Leon trying to get everyone to where he wants them to get to.

Did you establish one or two focus characters?

Leon Starker's the Afrikaner, really charismatic and fun to watch, and then we focussed on three black members from the Cape Town youth choir, two guys and a girl. They're brilliant and funny, their perspective is from the choir in different voice groups. I'm really excited about it. We're trying to get into the Durban Film Festival...

When you were announcing, did you surf much and I imagine you got a to meet a few top surfers...

I was more into body surfing, I wasn't ever a great surfer. That was way back in the days of Shaun Tomson, Tom Carroll and Shane Horan. When I left the surfing and skating world I moved to Hollywood and wanted to make a go of it, studying the craft and making a career out of it. I kept a toe in the other world. I still watch the world surfing league, I was friends with Laird Hamilton, I lived in Malibu.

Stacey Peralta and I were really good friends, we lived next door to each other in Hollywood way back in the day. When he was making those videos for the Bones Brigade I was helping him shoot and cut them, being his sidekick.

Why did you move from Kenya to South Africa?

The doors were closing. I had to renew my permit and it was really pricy and the phone had stopped ringing for 18 months. I was doing post-production for the Turtles and I was down here and realised it was like heaven. Some friends in Somerset West allowed me to stay with them while I did a 10 day reccie. I moved here and it's incredible, I can't believe how much I love my life. The Western Cape has all the best bits of California, I was just driving up the M3 and it reminds me of Hawaii... those mountains and all the greenery.

Tell me about the Hollywood Masters workshop...

Right now I teach what I call the Hollywood Acting Master Class for TV & Film, 8 Saturdays... an intensive workshop like a Hollywood Boot Camp. “What to do & How to do it” to book a job and work on set, so I shoot everything. People still can't grasp that they have to memorise their lines. I say "look guys, know your lines and be on time..." that's the standard minimum. The next one starts in April and then we're doing The Hollywood Master Series over four Saturdays in May. Screenwriting, Directing, Producing and then Cinematography... each a three hour seminar.

I think the slant that I can offer is that I have a lot of practical knowledge. The screenwriting class... the script has to look a certain way otherwise no one's going to touch it. Directing, creative problems require creative solutions... it's about making your pages. I really have fun teaching everything. I've written over a 1000 pages as a screenwriter. I've directed four films now and tons of other projects. My IMDB pages for all the years in front of the camera. I kind of an old goat, I've been around for a while. It's text-book teaching but peppered with lots of practical know-how. It's for anyone who loves movies. Even some of my acting students want to take the Master Series to hear stories and see how things work. I didn't realise how much I enjoy teaching and pass on my legacy. I'd love to be a part of raising the bar of excellence in cinematic art. My brother said "You either need to make art or teach art... that's when you're at your happiest" and I think he nailed it. We create show reels for people at the end of the HAMC. I've got beautiful lenses and I know how to shoot and light, we have sound effects... it really looks great!

It's for anyone that loves movies. Even some of my acting students want to take the Masters series to hear stories and see how things work. I didn't realise how much I enjoy teaching and pass on my legacy. I'd love to be a part of raising the bar of excellence in cinematic art. My brother said "You either need to make art or teach art... that's when you're at your happiest" and I think he nailed it. We create show reels for people at the end. I've got beautiful lens's and I know how to shoot and light, we have sound effects... it really looks great!

Are faith-based films a focus area for you?

I was involved with that community of believers in Hollywood. For me, faith-based films is an excuse to make schlock... low grade films. I've been in Christian films, I've directed and rewritten them... I know the genre and the market. I get excited when something like ‘Risen’ comes out... it's high production value, a big studio release... it's not preaching to the choir. It's a nice crossover film. In L.A. we have this debate… is he a Christian filmmaker or a filmmaker who’s also a Christian? I prefer the latter. Call me a filmmaker first and if I can make Christian content, I pray I can do it at a good enough level that people can go ‘that guy's a really good filmmaker’. Not, ‘that was pretty

And the motorbike thing... how did that start?

It's just a hobby. As a kid, I grew up riding dirt bikes. When I had a house in the Hollywood Hills, my neighbour was this British director guy and one year he said it was "hogs and dogs". He bought two Harleys and some dogs and I tagged along. We had this motorcycle gang in the Hollywood and Beverley Hills and every Tuesday we'd go out and ride to a burger joint out in the valley. Then we'd come back and cruise Sunset strip, it was a bunch of posers but it was a lot of fun.

What advice would you give actors moving over to L.A.?

You can go for it and I'd say good luck. I don't know where this figure came from, but I believe it. There are 10,000 people every month that are climbing into Hollywood ready to be the next movie star. If you're a South African going to Hollywood and you don't have a rock solid American accent... how many parts are you going to land? If you think you can go there on your merit, then don't leave Cape Town now. This is the busiest it's ever been. Work on your show reel here, do as many projects as you can... and if you have an agent and your immigration is sorted, don't expect to get off the plane and be a working actor. There are thousands of others, including Americans, who are trying for the same thing.

Sure you've got Charlize Theron, but practically how good is your show reel? How many credits do you really have? Have you been on Black Sails 12 times? Are you working opposite great names? There's an actor's website called Speedreels.com and you can find any actor you want and there will be 20-200 with their 60 second show reels. I don't even need 60 seconds to tell if this person can act, I can tell in 5 seconds. As a "Young Turk", it's not easy... you can't just have a sassy head shot and a great attitude... you need a reel that makes someone who watches 5 seconds, want to watch 5 seconds more.

Sometimes it's better if you can stay put and be head-hunted?

If you can stay in South Africa and make your goal to book every international job that comes in. You need the screen time... the other thing that can be tricky is how do you get your footage. Do you use bit torrent? I used to buy the movies I was in on DVD and then I'd rip the DVD and use that footage to cut my show reel together. You book a job and then you've got to be intentional about tracking down the footage.

It's all about your reel and maybe I'm too old school, but I still leave a headshot whenever I have a theatrical job. Even if they say they don't need it, I tell them to keep it because I want it lying around. It has all of my CV credits on the back, which are a lot and then the headshot is the best shot of me I can find. It's going to end up in the rubbish bin, but if it helps you book that job than it's worth it and maybe it gives the impression that you've been around long enough that you've worked since headshots were used.

You've lived your life with the glass half-full... is that how you'd describe your outlook?

My blood type is B positive and I think I am. I just feel lucky. Your attitude is everything. Your attitude does determine your altitude. When I'm down, I just have to say to myself "look how great you have it". Unless you're a name like Jeff Bridges or George Clooney you're not going to work in LA over 45 or 50. That was my experience. Over here, I've got four or five castings a week right now. So it's like a completely different world. I was sitting in my loft in downtown L.A. in the Old Bank District and I'm looking at this building across the street. I'm as cool as you can be.

It was game over, am I just going to look at that building for the rest of my life. You've got to blaze your own trail. I think life is what you make it and you've got to roll with the punches. I wrote a book called "God is not a Smart Planner". I had a decade of loss... I was engaged, I had a TV show with Jennifer Aniston, I had a beach house in Malibu that got trashed by El Niño, my mom died, my dad died, my sister died... the biggest struggle in life is not to grow bitter. Once you get that bitter seed in you it can grow and grow. You have to be intentional. I can moan or wallow in self-pity, or I can say what else can I do?

Do you think you'll write an autobiography?

I don't know. I have a blog that I try to update monthly... I don't know if I have enough. Never say never. I enjoy writing... when I left Kenya. I came up with a title A Thousand Days... I was there for about a thousand days. I have a problem with it, the corruption... as beautiful as it is, as a culture Kenya is corrupt and duplicitous. They keep expanding the members of parliament, taxing all these poor people.

Kenya is a mixed bag for sure, like most of Africa. But I’ve had the most incredible adventure! Beats being stuck in my groovy loft in DTLA! I was SO over!

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