Julia Anastasopoulos

Last updated

Julia Anastasopoulos
Born (1983-06-14) 14 June 1983 (age 41)
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Other names SuzelleDIY, Tali [1]
Occupation(s)Actress, illustrator, designer
Awards Eskom Energy Efficient Lighting Design Competition
South Africa's favourite Online Celebrity
Website SuzelleDIY

Julia Anastasopoulos (born 14 June 1983) is a South African artist, illustrator, designer and actress. Anastasopoulos became a local internet phenomenon in May 2014, with her do-it-yourself web series known as SuzelleDIY. Before she became a YouTube personality, Anastasopoulos created hand-drawn illustrations on the walls and windows of a few MyCiTi bus stations. [2]

Contents

Julia recently started her own show "Ridiculousness with Suzelle DIY" on Comedy Central where she features with many guests including Amore and Francois va Coke.

Early life

Born in Johannesburg in 1983, according to Anastasopoulos, "My mom is an art teacher and always encouraged me and my sisters to make things and express ourselves creatively. I was always inspired by picture books and illustrators like Quentin Blake, Saul Steinberg and Raymond Peynet". She studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town. [3] [4]

Education

From 2001 to 2004, she obtained her BA in Theatre and Performance majoring in Acting at the University of Cape Town. [5]

Career

Anastasopoulos took part in stage productions at the University of Cape Town. In 2004, she took part in The Blue Room, a theatre production directed by Jacqui Singer and written by David Hare at the Arena Theatre. [6] Two years later, in 2006, she played Ophelia in a Hamlet theatre production directed by Roy Sargaent in the Artscape Theatre [7] [8]

In 2008, Anastasopoulos designed a Peg Light and received an award for Eskom's Energy Efficient Lighting Design Competition under Category B: Residential luminaire design for professionals. [9] Anastasopolous designs sets for theatre productions, in 2008 she designed Magnet Theatre's Every Year, Every Day, I Am Walking production. [10]

In 2010 she appeared in Interrupting Henry, a play directed by Matthew Wild at The Artscape Arena, Anastasopoulos played the part of an Afrikaans teacher named Elsa Brown. [11] [12] She took part in the theatre production of Done London which was written by Nicholas Spagnoletti at the Kalk Bay Theatre in Cape Town. A short video clip of the play can be viewed on YouTube. [13] In 2011 she played as Helena in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Guy Delancey. [14]

Anastasopoulos uses several mediums to create illustrations. Such mediums include murals, children's books, shopping bags and an editorial cover for a magazine. Her illustrations have been captured on her professional website. [15] She was commissioned to design a mural for display in The Book Lounge in Cape Town for the children's book section. It displays a city landscape which was drawn on the wall and then painted with acrylic paints. She illustrated a children's book with Emily Child, Jeff and George and the Totem Pole.

In March 2013, she took part in the design of Fugard Studio's theatre production of Master Harold ... and the Boys Archived 26 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine produced by Eric Abraham and directed by Kim Kerfoot. She later created illustrations for TREE/BOOM/UMTHI, a 30-minute narrative played in the Magnet Theatre in 2013 for children between ages 3 and 7. [16] During the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in 2013, she designed the set for Vigil, written by Canadian playwright Morris Panych.

Anastasopoulos started her SuzelleDIY YouTube channel in May 2014, with a "bite-size, do-it-yourself web series". She plays an Afrikaans woman, along with animator and filmmaker Ari Kruger. [17] In 2014 she received an award for South Africa's favourite Online Celebrities from Channel24. [18] Suzelle collaborated with Takealot, an online retailer and created four videos for the Takealot brand. [19]

In 2015, Suzelle took first place in the Superbalist 100 campaign. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Cape Town</span> Public university in Cape Town, South Africa

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university status in 1918, making it the oldest university in South Africa and the oldest university in Sub-Saharan Africa in continuous operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pieter-Dirk Uys</span> South African comedian (born 1945)

Pieter-Dirk Uys is a South African performer, author, satirist, and social activist. One of his best known roles is as Evita Bezuidenhout, an Afrikaner socialite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Zoid</span> Musical artist

Karen Zoid is a South African rock singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer and talk show host. Her work in both English and Afrikaans has gathered critical acclaim, and she has been dubbed South Africa's "Queen of Rock" by several major local publications. Her followers and, more generally, the South African youth have also been referred to as the "Zoid Generation" by the press. Zoid's current band members are Henry Steel Jnr (guitar), Schalk van der Merwe and Jonno Sweetman (drums). The singer is also known for hosting the kykNet television series Republiek van Zoid Afrika and was one of the judges on The Voice SA as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artscape Theatre Centre</span> Performing arts centre in Cape Town, South Africa

Artscape Theatre Centre is the main performing arts centre in Cape Town, South Africa. It was opened in 1971 and is located on reclaimed land in the Foreshore area. The inaugural performance was scheduled to be Giuseppe Verdi's Aida but illness struck the title-role singer Emma Renzi and the production was replaced by CAPAB Ballet's Sylvia. Other productions in the opening season were Mozart's Die Zauberflöte in Afrikaans and Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The complex includes:

The Cape Town City Ballet Company, formerly known as the CAPAB Ballet Company, is a dance company based in Cape Town, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Performing Arts Board</span> Former theatre organisation in South Africa

The Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB) was a South African theatre organisation based in Cape Town, serving the former Cape Province. It was one of the four state-funded performing arts councils in the four former provinces of South Africa instituted in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalia da Rocha</span> South African actress and director

Natalia Da Rocha is a South African actress, director, youth activist and businesswoman. She can be remembered as being one of the few persons of colour to appear in entertainment media during the Apartheid-era. In 1981 she was the first Coloured to graduate with a Drama degree from the Afrikaans dominant Stellenbosch University. Beginning 1987 she was the first woman of colour along with Sam Marais to star in a Sun City Extravaganza. In 1992, she became the first South African star to perform publicly in Madagascar. She is well remembered for her roles in musicals such as Ain't Misbehavin'; Midnight Blues; Godspell and Vere . Natalia was one of 40 inducted into the S.A. Legends Museum on 26 January 2020 in Johannesburg.

Ashraf Johaardien is a multi-award-winning playwright, actor, and producer. He was the recipient of the inaugural PANSA Jury Award (2002), was listed as one of Mail & Guardian's 'Top 200 Young South Africans' (2008) and he received a Legends Award (2012) for his achievements in arts and culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maynardville Open-Air Theatre</span> Outdoor theatre in Cape Town, South Africa

The Maynardville Open-Air Theater is an outdoor theatre in Maynardville Park, Wynberg, Cape Town, South Africa. It seats 720 people and is known for its annual Shakespeare in the Park plays.

Ann Hould-Ward is an American costume designer, primarily for the theatre and dance. She has designed the costumes for 24 Broadway productions. She won the 1994 Tony Award for Beauty and the Beast.

MyCiTi bus stations host the MyCiTi bus lines that travel throughout the greater Cape Town area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Mole</span> Musical artist

Matthew Joseph Mole is a South African singer-songwriter from Cape Town, South Africa. He is the winner of the South African Music Awards record of the year 2021.

Shaleen Surtie-Richards was a South African television, stage, and film actress, perhaps best known for her starring roles in the 1988 film Fiela se Kind and the long-running series Egoli: Place of Gold. She performed in both Afrikaans and English.

Floretta Avril Boonzaier is a South African psychologist and Professor of Psychology at the University of Cape Town. She is noted for her work in feminist, critical and postcolonial psychologies, subjectivity in relation to race, gender and sexuality, and gender-based violence, and qualitative psychologies, especially narrative, discursive and participatory methods. She heads the Hub for Decolonial Feminist Psychologies in Africa with Shose Kessi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khanyi Mbau</span> South African actress (born 1985)

Khanyisile Mbau is a South African actress, musician, television presenter and socialite. She received recognition as the second Doobsie on SABC 2's soap opera Muvhango (2004–2005); as Mbali in the SABC 1 soap opera Mzansi and SABC 1's mini-series After Nine. As of 2018, She is the host of the SABC 3 entertainment show The Scoop and The Big Secret on BET Africa, and plays Tshidi on Mzansi Magic's Abomama.

Takealot.com is a South African e-commerce company based in Cape Town, South Africa. It is regarded as South Africa's largest online retailer, takealot.com has helped grow online shopping in South Africa, and was the first local retailer to take part in Black Friday. As of November 2019, over 2500 third-party businesses use the Takealot Marketplace platform to sell to over 1.8 million takealot.com shoppers.

Kirvan Fortuin was a Khoikhoi First nation dancer, choreographer and LGBT activist, the child of Ms Charlotte Fortuin, a Khoikhoi community stripped of language, land and culture and who were erased as a people post-democracy South Africa

Gretchen Ramsden is a South African actress. She is best known for her roles in Arendsvlei and Afgrond.

Thoko Ntshinga, is a South African actress, director, translator, community theatre facilitator and arts activist. She is best known for the roles in the television serials such as; Egoli: Place of Gold, Interrogation Room and The River.

Euodia Samson, is a South African actress and TV personality. She is best known for the roles in the television serials such as; SOS, Arendsvlei, Big Okes, Madam & Eve and Fishy Feshuns.

References

  1. ↑ Tali's Wedding Diary , retrieved 3 June 2020
  2. ↑ “Things to Do While Waiting for the Bus" Archived 29 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine , UpCloseTours.co.za; accessed 1 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Anastapoulos, Julia. Designer and illustrator behind k n o l c, n.d. https://www.houseandleisure.co.za/news-and-trends/rising-stars-2013-julia-anastasopoulos/ Archived 25 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine .
  4. ↑ Baard, Brad. "Bollemakiesie: Julia Anastasopoulos - Cape Town Mural", bollemakiesie.blogspot.com, 18 August 2010.
  5. ↑ Profile, uct.ac.za; accessed 30 January 2016.
  6. ↑ Schijff, Johann. 2015. Drama Department At UCT Archived 2004-11-25 at the Wayback Machine , Drama.Uct.Ac.Za; accessed 30 January 2016.
  7. ↑ Hamlet 'For The Youth'. 2007. Entertainment Folio. Cape Town.
  8. ↑ Botha, Danie. Klassieke Teks Deur Banaliteit Ontluister. 2006. Report. Entertainment Folio. Western Province.
  9. ↑ “Winners of Lighting Design Competition” Archived 16 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine , EE.co.za; accessed 1 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Every Year, Every Day, I Am Walking, magnettheatre.co.za; accessed March 1, 2015.
  11. ↑ litnet blog. 'Interrupting Henry'. N.p., 2010. 15 May 2015.
  12. ↑ Tromp, Peter. 2015. "THE NEXT 48 Hours - Your Ultimate Guide To The Weekend"'; accessed 30 January 2016.
  13. ↑ "Megan's Head", meganshead.co.za/tag/julia-anastasopoulos; accessed 30 January 2016.
  14. ↑ A Midsummer Night's Dream Archived 29 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine , guydelancey.com/a-midsummer-nights-dream.html; accessed 30 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "Featured: Knolc Illustration and Design" Archived 30 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine , 10and5.com; accessed 1 March 2015.
  16. ↑ Fick, David. "BWW Reviews: TREE/BOOM/UMTHI, An Enchanting Experience For The Littlies'. BroadwayWorld.com. N.p., 2014; 16 May 2015.
  17. ↑ "Boeremeisie Becomes an Internet Sensation" Archived 29 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine , eNCA.com; accessed 1 March 2015.
  18. ↑ "South Africans Choose Their Favourite Local Online Celebs", Channel24.co.za; accessed 1 March 2015.
  19. ↑ "Suzelle Takes Us Shopping"; accessed 1 March 2015.
  20. ↑ "Suzelle Wins Superbalist Hot 100". elle.co.za. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.