Meet Liaan Ferreira | Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Liaan Ferreira and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Liaan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Acting sets my heart on fire! It’s the one thing that makes me feel alive and like I belong, you know? It gave me a purpose at a time in my life were I felt like the world was crushing down on me and in many ways it guided me to always strive to be and do better, whatever the circumstances. I am always creatively charged, as a kid poetry and films woke something in me. Maybe it’s destiny or whatever it might be. It seems to call-out to me and I can’t help but heed the call. It’s part of who I am, a fundamental force carved deep within my soul to pursue these indelible conquest as an artist.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As far back as I can remember, I always felt like I wanted to do something that had real impact on people’s lives on a global scale. Growing up I didn’t have a lot going for me and things were tough. We barely got by and I had to over come a lot of adversity and fight for everything in my life. One of the biggest things that kept me going was my vision of being in California and to work along side the people that inspired and entertained me onscreen. At school I was an average student but really excelled at sport. For a brief moment I thought about pursuing a professional, cricket or rugby career. But at age 15 I had to start working and help out where I could. Soon after around ‘08-‘09, I decided to pack up and move to Cape Town from Johannesburg to pursue a career in acting. I remember getting there and immediately asked around for acting coaches. After getting a night job as a bartender, I took as many acting classes as possible. I started booking jobs in commercials and soon after I joined the local theater company. And that’s where my career really took a turning point and I knew this was on me, I wanted to do this for a living. I wanted to have a real long-lasting career that had weight, that had value, all the things that are important to me, that I love and that I’m passionate about. From that moment on, I became more serious about my intentions and grew exponentially as an artist. I landed a couple of international films and television parts as an extra & small cameo roles but by 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, I made my television breakthrough on one of South Africa’s longest running series 7de Laan (7th Avenue). It was a moment that I won’t soon forget, and I’m extremely proud of against all odds. I had a role that really resonated with me, and I knew that I could do something special with the complex character and beautifully written storyline. I feel I established myself as a serious actor after that performance and the raved reviews from the public really struck a chord with me, all the hard work and persistence was paying off. But I was far from done, soon after I got offered another lead role in an Independent Short Film, Visor. It had great international success in New York, Los Angeles and Europe and won 25 best actor awards. After the overwhelming success of the independent film, I starred in another series and I have since invested my time on another passion of mine — as director, producer, writer and actor in the new independent film, John Burrows. Slated for release in 2023 in Los Angeles. And beyond that, there are currently some exciting projects in development that I can’t wait to share with everyone.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
LOS ANGELES ITINERARY – A PERFECT LA GUIDE: Palm trees, sunshine, bike rides, beach time; welcome to the city of Angels!

Relax on postcard-perfect beaches in Malibu.
Grab a bite at Grand Central Market.
Museum hop along Miracle Mile.
Gaze into the cosmos (and out onto the cityscape) at the Griffith Observatory.
Bow down to the masters at the Getty.
Stroll (briefly) along the stars in Hollywood.
Public Art “Urban Light” Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Rodeo Drive.
Sunset Strip Blvd.
Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hollywood Sign.
Universal Studios Hollywood. Amusement & Theme Parks.
Speciality Museums.
Petersen Automotive Museum.
Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Griffith Park.
Staples Center.
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.

Best pizza – The Luggage Room Pizzeria
Best burger – Bill’s Burgers

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely owe a lot of gratitude towards my wonderful wifey Ruwé Jana Ferreira, who has standby and supported me, immensely. I’m extremely blessed to have amazing people that love and support me on my roller coaster journey as an artist. It’s important to have a strong support system. There are days that you just want to scream and I’m lucky enough to have wonderful people that understand and keep me focused on enjoying the important things by celebrating life and all the little victories. I surround myself with people that want only the best for me.

Instagram: @liaanferreira

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liaan-ferreira-44a476158

Twitter: @liaanferreira23

Facebook: @actorliaanferreira

Youtube: @liaanferreira9399

Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/liaanferreira/nm12234126/

Image Credits
Astrid Jamois & Justin Munitz