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Roughly three years ago, I got a message from a friend of a friend asking if I would be interested in being a background actor (extra) in a movie which was already in production in Pretoria; or at the least knew someone who would be interested in making some extra cash. It is one of those once-off things like skydiving or some shit that I always wanted tick of my bucket list – star in a movie (as a nobody) – but I never got around to it until this opportunity came along, because I guess I also never really cared enough, but this was an important movie.

An Act Of Defiance tells the story of Bram Fischer. Most of you only know the name because you’ve been stuck in traffic in Bram Fischer drive in Joburg, but here is the deal: He was pivotal to South Africa’s democracy. He was a renowned lawyer, sympathetic to the nation’s resistance movement during apartheid. He risked his freedom and his career. He took on defending a group of political activists, including Nelson Mandela, after they were arrested during a raid at the Lilliesleaf farm in Rivonia. They faced a possible death sentence under the charges  of conspiracy to commit sabotage .

I am ashamed to admit that I was partly unaware of this guy’s role in South Africa’s road to democracy and I am glad I had a very minute role in this award-winning film myself. It was a moerse befokte experience and I got to share it with some of my friends who are legit South African actors but I also got to share it with other friends who are plebs like myself – people who just rocked up for fun (and little bit of cash).  One of these friends were Yaki Naude and I asked her a few questions around her experience on set. We don’t always have to just feature the famous people, right?

What was it like being part of this production? Did you feel like a Hollywood actress?
It was awesome. I got picked out from all the extras because I believe I arrived really looking the part. After they selected me as stenographer, I got to wear amazing 60s fashion on a daily basis. So yes I did feel like a Hollywood actress, minus the dressing room!

You were only part of a small portion of the production of the movie. What was your reaction when you finally got to see the full length movie?
I was super chuffed. Small part yes, but still part of the bigger picture and contributing to the end result!

What was the vibe like on set? Were you star struck?
Set life was great! The long waits sometimes dampened the vibe though.I was most definitely  star struck meeting Willie Esterhuizen from Orkney vibes!

What was the most fun part on set?
Most definitely the amazing vintage outfits!

What was the most crappy part of working on this production?
Waiting. Waiting and more waiting… But I guess that’s film life!

What was the most fun part away from the cameras?
Listening to the “defendants’s” banter in court.

What was the single thing that got you out of bed and totally amped for the day’s shoot?
Styling my beehive!

Why did you decide to do this for 8 Saturdays in a row, getting up while it is still dark and only getting back home when it is dark again?
I was in between jobs. Also as a musician, I always gravitate towards the camera!

How were you treated as an extra by staff, cast and crew?
Extras are, well, extras. Needed, but not that much. I guess that’s how we were treated?

Did you for a moment consider doing this as a full time job?
Hell yes! But not in this country. In Hollywood, baby!

Will you work as an extra again on a movie or TV film set?
For sure!

How do you think this movie could benefit South Africans?
Good question! This is a must see for all South Africans. I believe it will break stereotyping of race. There were blacks and whites fighting for justice in this country always!

What are your top three current movies to stream at this moment?
Act of Defiance, Hotel Artemis and I, Tonya
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Go stream some lekker stuff over the weekend! An Act Of Defiance is also in our top 10 pick from the Plumlist:

10# I Am Not Okay With This Being a teenager is tough enough on its own, especially when you’re 17-year-old Sydney – you’re quiet, you know you’re average, nothing special, while your best friend is stunning, and dating the most popular boy in school.	On Netflix (read more)
#9 Five of the best TV crossovers to watch right now Joining two shows isn’t something that just happens overnight. There’s a tonne of planning that goes into just one episode. It’s two worlds, possibly two entirely different TV universes, that are being smooshed together. And that’s the easy part!	On Showmax (read more)
#8 Hunters season 1 Executive produced by master of horror Jordan Peele, this show stars Al Pacino as the leader of a motley group of Nazi hunters trying to prevent ex-Nazis from establishing a Fourth Reich in the USA. Set in New York in the 1970s, the highly anticipated series also stars Logan Lerman, Tiffany Boone and Josh Radnor.	On Amazon Prime  (read more)
#7 Interview: cast members from An Act of Defiance share their experience The SAFTA-nominated film tells the story of Bram Fischer: a renowned lawyer, sympathetic to the nation’s resistance movement during apartheid, who risks his freedom and career as he takes on defending a group of 10 political activists, including Nelson Mandela.	On Showmax (read more)
#6 Shooting the Mafia (2019) In the 1970s, Letizia Battaglia became the first female photographer in Italy to be hired by a major newspaper. And she attracted a lot of negative attention from the mob in her home town of Palermo when she first pointed her camera at a brutally slain victim.	On DStv Now (read more)
#5 Somhale wedding takes viewing crown, smashing Showmax records More than half of the catalogue of TV shows and movies on Showmax, whether measured in hours or number of episodes, is now local content. This deliberate shift to local started more than a year ago with shows like The River and The Queen, and more recently with Lockdown and Kwa Mam’Mkhize.	On Showmax  (read more)
4# American Factory (2019) The winner of the hotly contested Best Documentary Feature statue at this year’s Oscars, this absorbing documentary examines the opening of a Chinese-run factory in Ohio that hired thousands of jobless Americans, and how the early days of optimism soon gave way to tensions between the Chinese owners and the working-class Americans manning the plant.	On Netflix (read more)
#3 Steve Jobs (2015) This award-winning drama takes us behind the scenes of three of the biggest tech launches of the 80s and 90s, ending with the unveiling of the iMac in 1998, focusing on the role of the iconic man at the centre of the digital revolution.	On Showmax  (read more)
#2 The Stranger: you’re going to need a conspiracy board for this one The trailer would have you believe there is a murder, perhaps related to Corinne Price (Dervla Kirwan) faking her pregnancy to her husband Adam (Richard Armitage, The Hobbit, Hannibal the TV series).	On Netflix (read more)
#1 Watch: The insane trailer for Westworld S3 Part of the codex of Westworld has been the music, starting with Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden auto-played on the piano in the old-town saloon. This trailer features an orchestral rendition of Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses as the guns blaze.	On Showmax (read more)

[feature_headline type=”left, center, right” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ icon=”lightbulb-o”] Our randomized trailer pick of the week [/feature_headline]

Each week we take a number from 1 to 10 from our list of suggestions and put it through a randomizer to choose a trailer to show you. This week it landed on our number 1 spot, West World, season 3!

In a futuristic Western-themed amusement park, Westworld, the visitors interact with automatons. However, all hell breaks loose when the robots begin malfunctioning. The upcoming third season of this American science fiction-western television series, subtitled The New World, is set to premiere on March 15, 2020, and will consist of 8 episodes.: