She may be living it up in Hollywood these days, but for Cape Town-born actress Lesley-Ann Brandt, there is no place like home.
The 34-year-old actress, who now lives between Auckland, New Zealand, and Los Angeles, last visited South Africa nine years ago, but admits she dearly misses the Mother City.
“There is no place like Cape Town. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I’ve travelled a fair bit. I think Capetonians can forget that sometimes,” Brandt told the Saturday Star.
“I miss the Cape Flats sense of humour. One of the best things is getting on Skype with my best friends from high school, Oelfa, Noorjehan, Natasha and just talking k*k!
“I also miss my family back home, big family braais and that mountain of mine, Table Mountain.”
Brandt, who grew up in Athlone in the Cape, moved to New Zealand after she completed her matric.
Now she’s enjoying the Hollywood spotlight, having landed a leading role on Fox TV’s popular supernatural series, Lucifer.
The show debuted on South African screens this week and airs on M-Net Edge channel 102 every Wednesday at 7pm.
The series is based on the characters from DC Entertainment’s Vertigo and centres around Lucifer, played by Tom Ellis, who bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, gives up his throne to live in LA. He gets his kicks helping the LAPD punish criminals.
Brandt plays Lucifer’s best friend, Maze, a fierce demon in the form of a beautiful young woman.
She described her role as being best friends with the devil as “lots of fun”.
“Tom Ellis and I are constantly laughing on set,” said Brandt.
“I’d say it’s the most rewarding role I’ve played in that I’ve been mentally and physically challenged. I never want to be “comfortable” in my work. That would be the death of me.”
Brandt said her character is a strong female character with lots of depth and a colourful life.
“Maze, is Lucifer’s most trusted and loyal confidant. She is a demon and he is the devil.”
“They share a deep bond that get’s tested as the series plays out. We pick up at the point where the devil has left hell and runs a bar called Lux in Los Angeles. He lives his life like a modern-day playboy, forsaking any and all responsibility. The longer he is on earth, the more human he becomes and as a show, we explore the most irredeemable character in history, discovering his humanity.” Brandt dabbled in modelling, shot commercials and even worked as an IT recruitment consultant.
She hit it big with a lead role as the daunting slave girl Naevia on Spartacus and guest-starred on the popular crime series, CSI New York. Since then she hasn’t looked back. She even once spotted her face tattooed on a fan’s arm.
“My modelling agency had a very small acting department. The next thing I knew I was working with one of my now dearest friends, Craig Parker (Spartacus, Lord of the Rings, Reign).”
“We did one season and my next role was on Spartacus. I knew I wanted to be based out of LA and work in Hollywood so after the first season on Spartacus, I made the leap.
“Most Kiwi artists generally do some work in Australia first, but for me LA is where I wanted to be.”
Brandt admits that she had never imagined herself as an actress. “Coming from Cape Town, I never for one minute thought I’d be doing this for a living. I didn’t know anyone in the business and no one in my family is in it.
“I think my parents always thought of me as a little actress. I did school plays, sang in the choir, but it wasn’t until we moved to New Zealand that I got introduced to the art form.”
Keeping grounded in Hollywood isn’t too tricky for the SA-born star.
“You need to surround yourself with good people, find your tribe and hold on to them. I’m very blessed to have an incredible circle of friends. I’m not recognised very often and love it. I live a pretty normal life with my husband and two dogs.”
Saturday Star