Meet Marilize du Plessis | South African Actor & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marilize du Plessis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marilize, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I think risk taking looks different for everybody. For one person skydiving is a risk and for another living their most true and authentic life is a risk. I believe that as long as you are leaning into choices that make you a little uncomfortable every now and again, you’re taking risks and it’s in those experiences that we really grow into the people we are meant to be.

I recently realized that for the last 8 years I’ve had a pretty mobile life. No set “home” and no routine; I don’t let myself get comfortable. So you can imagine when lockdown hit the world in 2020, I had a huge adjustment ahead of me but even that didn’t last too long.

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was moving to LA from South Africa in January of 2021. That’s right, mid pandemic I packed my bag, crossed the globe and ended up in Hollywood all by myself. It was a lot different than I thought it would be, a major culture shock. I always grew up expecting America to be the way I saw it in the movies and it is, in some ways. But movies glamourize life and I’ve really had to consolidate my lived experience with my expectations.

And I think that’s true about any risk, any choice, any decision; what you expect isn’t always what you get. Adjusting to the reality though, that’s where our personal growth happens. I believe taking risks are part of every life and every career, and I am blessed that the choices I have made have lead to some extremely interesting experiences.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It seems painfully cliché but my shoutout would have to go to my mom.

I know, I know. “Marilize you’re an actor with years of formal training. Surely there’s a teacher or a mentor…” but you see I’ve learnt more about my passion for performance from my mom than any teacher I’ve ever had.

You see, my mom made many sacrifices for her family when she was young but that never stopped her from following her own dreams. When she was 36, had two kids and a husband at home; she went back to school and did the thing she always wanted to do. She became a teacher.

I learnt never to give up on the things I want most in life, from her. I’m the black sheep of my family; the weird, creative performer that loved doing dances in the living room, and although I don’t think my family always understands my choices or my dreams, I know my mom would move mountains for me. She has always been my biggest supporter and a pillar that I could lean on, no matter my struggle. We haven’t lived on the same continent for the last 8 years but I know that I only need to make one phone call and she will get on the next flight to come help me.

My move to LA at the start of 2021 was an extremely difficult decision to make and my mom was there supporting me every step of the way. I would not be where I am today without her so, this is my shout out to my mom! I love you!