Tafelsig actress gets lead role in thriller
A Tafelsig actress has landed the lead role in a psychological action thriller called Stress.
Nikita Knowles, 22, from Tafelsig, will play the character Danielle Mitchells in the two-part film, produced by Touched By Style Community Arts Projects, which dives into the reality of persistent stress affecting people’s lives, to the point of impairing their daily functioning.
Knowles has lived in Eastridge, Woodlands, Westridge, Strandfontein, Rocklands and Parow, due to her family moving around.
She also moved to Johannesburg to pursue her dreams but it did not work out as planned and she moved back to Tafelsig.
She got the role of Danielle Mitchells out of 24 people who auditioned after putting on an impressive and convincing performance, now setting her on a new journey of being an ambassador for positive change in her community, said Nic Matthee, director and founder of Touched by Style Community Arts Projects.
The full-time actress and aspiring YouTube influencer, who worked in the forensic investigation field, found her passion for acting in television and film and modelling.
“I was so shocked to learn the news of getting the part. I shot a clip for my audition, I rushed to make it in time for the deadline. They said they were very impressed with the tape. I wanted the role because of the theme. I was very excited,” said Knowles.
She is comfortable with the script but still nervous because of the parts that will take her out of her comfort zone. Once she is on set it will feel more natural, she said.
She has been acting for two years. This year she took it more seriously, she said. She also appeared in Bloed Betaal 2, in a quick cameo in 2022.
Knowles taught herself how to act, and as this is an aspiration of hers as it comes naturally to her.
She is one of three children. The support of her parents, older brother, younger sister, who is a special needs teenager, and her fiancé, encourages her to keep pursuing her dream of becoming a professional actress.
She is also a great supporter of community youth projects and started a free modelling project for young women and girls in her community.
“If you would like to pursue acting and you’re afraid, take little steps that will get you closer to your dream or goal. If you’re going to sit and wait you won’t see the benefit of your dream. Take it one day at a time,” she said.
Stress is about a young model working as a sales lady for a start-up company but who realises that the increasing workload, pressure and gossip becomes the burden of her emotional and mental stability, to the point of becoming a killer. The murder she commits in the movie, was a hallucination caused by stress, said Mr Matthee.
"The message that the film brings to the viewer is the intense effect that stress can have on a person and the mental damage it can cause. Everyone can relate to the elements of stress whether it's work pressure, financial instability, abuse, worry and tension caused by different situations,” he said.
Production on the film starts in August and it will be released on Friday October 27. The film will be released on the Touched By Style Community Arts Project YouTube channel.
For more information, email touchedbystyle21@gmail.com
