Jessica Haines

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Jessica Haines (* 1978 in Umtata ) is a South African actress .

biography

Jessica Haines grew up in the Eastern Cape region and was twelve years old when apartheid ended in South Africa. She attended Epworth Junior and High School in Pietermaritzburg and began studying theater and acting at the University of Cape Town , from which she graduated with a bachelor's degree. From 2001, Haines aspired to a professional career as an actress. She took on her first extra role in the South African television series Isidingo , which was followed by other appearances in South African series such as Gazlam and Home Affairs (2009). In the latter series, which was nominated for the International Emmy and the Rose d'Or , she played the role of a victim of assault and abuse.

Haines 'international breakthrough as an actress came in 2008 with the female lead in Steve Jacobs ' Australian-South African feature film Shame . In the film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Nobel Prize winner J. M. Coetzee , Haines slipped into the role of a young South African farm owner who, along with her father, a literature professor (played by John Malkovich ), is attacked and raped by three colored people. Her decision to have the rape child and to stay close to the perpetrators on her farm despite the humiliation begins to put the father into serious internal conflicts.

Over a year, Haines auditioned several times for the role of Lucy, in which Australian Oscar winner Cate Blanchett was also interested, before the unknown South African was accepted. Compared to the literary model, screenwriter Anna Maria Monticelli opened up the part of Lucy and, according to her own statements, made this a bit of a kind of Joan of Arc . Haines' portrayal received high praise from international critics. The Australian trade press drew comparisons to her compatriot Charlize Theron . The German critic Elmar Krekeler ( Die Welt ) praised shame as a "duel of actors" and emphasized that the Lucy of the debutante Jessica Haines was in no way inferior to the Lurie of John Malkovich.

Jessica Haines lives in Carthage, Tunisia and is married to Richard Walker. Her husband works for the United Nations . Known by her appearance in Shame to an international audience, Haines received other role offers, including for the South African drama The Bang Bang Club with Ryan Phillippe and the remake of the British television series number 6 on the side of Ian McKellen . Screenwriter Anna Maria Monticelli is also planning to work with her as the leading actress on another film.

Filmography (selection)

  • 2008: Shame ( Disgrace )
  • 2009: Home Affairs (TV series)
  • 2009: The Prisoner (TV series)
  • 2010: The Bang Bang Club
  • 2010: Lost Future - Fight for the Future ( The Lost Future ; TV movie)
  • 2011: Outcasts (TV series)
  • 2016: Cape Town (TV series)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. Windsor, Ailsa: Jessica Haines makes her début in 'Disgrace' on newsonline.co.za, August 17, 2009 (accessed February 19, 2010)
  2. ↑ cf. Lawrence, Vanessa: Saving Grace . In: Women's Wear Daily 198 (2009), No. 47, p. 4
  3. ↑ a b c d cf. Cole, Barbara: Movie stardom Beckons Haines . In: Daily News (South Africa), July 31, 2009, p. 5
  4. ↑ cf. Ndebele, Gabisile: Local star beats Cate Blanchett . In: The Times (South Africa), April 16, 2009, Arts, Culture & Entertainment (accessed September 20, 2009 via LexisNexis Wirtschaft)
  5. ↑ cf. Muller, Clive: 'Home Affairs' back with stirring stories . In: WeekendPost (South Africa), August 29, 2009, Arts, Culture & Entertainment (accessed September 20, 2009 via LexisNexis Wirtschaft)
  6. ↑ a b cf. Bailey, John: Finding Lucy . In: Sunday Age, June 14, 2009, p. 10
  7. ↑ a b cf. Rapold, Nicolas: Tough Terrain To Document: South Africa . In: The New York Times , September 6, 2009, p. 11
  8. ↑ cf. Krekeler, Elmar: Nobody is safe here . In: Die Welt, September 17, 2009, p. 25
personal data
SURNAME Haines, Jessica
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South African actress
DATE OF BIRTH 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH Umtata , South Africa