dyton mupawaenda
KAMOGELO Maree, a visually impaired actor, is only warming up with her new role of Thoriso in Scandal! as she readies to navigate the world of television and entertainment at large.
The 27-year-old rising star has always dreamed of being a prominent fixture on the small screen in leading the cross-functionality on inclusivity and representation for differently-abled performers.
Now, that time has arrived.
“A call came through to the college saying a certain TV soapie is looking for a female person living with disability to come through for auditions for a certain role and I took a leap of faith and auditioned,” said Maree.
“So far, it’s been an amazing experience. I used to participate in local stage dramas but I knew being on TV is where I wanted to be since I was a young girl.”
Maree joins the show as the sister to regular character Taps (Moses Mabuza).
“What I love about my character, Thoriso, is that she’s independent, goal driven and full of life no matter her circumstances. She always finds a way to sail through hardships and puts on her big girl shoes and makes the most out of life with passion,” said Maree.
She will juggle set life with completing her studies.
“What I want is for the TV and film industry to take people like me seriously. To take note of how we can contribute despite how different we look, our passion is what matters,” she said.
Maree detailed how a typical day looked like on set.
“A normal day on set for me starts early, with a thorough rehearsal of my scenes. I work closely with my colleagues to prepare and memorise lines while on set,” she said.
“I get scripts via email and I use a software called Jaws [popular screen reader] that I installed on my computer. It automatically reads the script back to me and that’s how I memorise my lines. I use my phone with an app that allows Siri to read everything to me — this allows me to access and study the material independently.”
Navigating the set was overwhelming when she first started shooting, but after guidance and getting used to it, Maree is overjoyed that she now knows the set like the “back of my hand”. — Sowetan.
Online Reporter