always knew she wanted to be an
actress and let her life experiences
in a number of plays and roles before she
acted on the movie Starship Troopers 3 and
the local television programme Snitch. In
2007 Tanya was named FHM magazine's
Sexiest Woman in South Africa.
where it is and what inspires her each day.
actress tell our readers a little more
in the morning and what keeps you going
throughout the day?
my life in the lowveld, which meant I wasn't
exposed to the city life so many children are
to today. It was a great upbringing to spend
time dreaming about what I wanted to do. I
was a complete tomboy back then so I am
very different today from what I was like. I
would say that having had that grounding as
a child really did shape who I am today.
around them whereas I knew my potential
and I wanted to be a performer, but I was
living in the bush. So to help me along I did
a lot of extra classes and had to work harder
than others to get where I am today. I believe
this has made me hungrier than the average
person, for whom a life like mine may have
just fallen in their lap.
influential moment in your life or the
wanted to be a model and actress?
hand in hand with being an actress and I
realised early on that the two work together. I
would say that the moment I realised I wanted
to be an actress, was when I realised that
this would put me in the public eye and I had
to be prepared for that, so it wasn't a single
moment but the culmination of a dream. I
believe in a purpose driven life where you
must look up to people who are successful
and you can shape your life around that.
personal level has been your greatest
different people who have helped me with my
success it has been a combination of many
people and experiences. Not just their levels
of success but the way they got where they
are and their integrity in getting there that has
inspired me.
your life. Tell us what type of people
and why?
who are ambitious and passionate and
who want to succeed in life it is their
passion that inspires me. I also believe
that you must surround yourself with people
who believe in the impossible, people who
are negative pull you down and take away
your beliefs.
greatest impact on your professional
influenced me. But the one who has been
there from the start was my mother, and even
though it has been my choice to do what I do,
she pushed and supported me when I needed
it. Even when she couldn't see the end results
of my hard work and I could, she was there
for me.
and inspired me into the areas where I have
wanted to be. I am a very driven person but
it is so nice to have someone in your life who
believes in you and who pushes you where
you need to be.
either modelling or acting, which one
something I aspired to be. I am a trained
actress, I live and breathe it, the modelling
however is performing so it is the same thing
to me and I have embraced it equally.
moments in your career that has had
personally?
did my first international film production with
Warner bothers where they put my name on
my chair, made me realise I had reached
my dreams. Even when I got to this point
however I knew I still have further to go.
Theatre with a large audience. I realised
the moment I walked on stage that it had
all come together and I was where I was
you have to wait for it to be produced and
edited and this can take months where the
theatre is instant.
because of your celebrity, how do you
that you know what you are doing and that
you have your reasons for doing what you
do. I know why I do what I do and I don't
see myself as someone who chases a
celebrity status. When you live a purpose
driven life you can't help but be level headed,
to me everything is a blessing. A celebrity
lifestyle does get a lot sometimes, and it
saddens me when people say they want
to pursue the career and I reflect on what
it actually means to do so and what it can
take away from you, but it is important to be
level headed and always be grateful for what
comes your way.
you like to follow and do you have any
tomorrow it's a life of possibilities and those
aren't always cast in stone. So I can't say
we always know definitively what lies
ahead but that said there are many great
opportunities for me in the pipeline. I am
also in the right place now as I am living
in Cape Town which is the hotbed for
international talent selection in South Africa.
People often ask me why I am not abroad
but sometimes those international
opportunities come to you no matter where
you are and there are some great possibilities
that are coming my way.
each day?
this to people. Without hope there is nothing,
I hope for things and they come my way, the
impossible is possible. When I share my story
and journey with people they find inspiration
in me, with this you can achieve big things
you never thought you would.
in life what would it be?
from me and to believe in themselves. And
if they would follow my life, and see how
much I have done and take inspiration from
that I would be happy. I would also like to
inspire people to believe in their ability and
to believe in the impossible, because this is
what I am achieving in life. Taking guidance
from what I have done and not by just what
I have said.