From Mzansi to Makoti, the rising star of Micaela Tucker

NICOLA MILTZ

Tucker, 21, may still be a fourth-year drama student at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), but she is establishing herself as an actor to watch.

As a teenager, Tucker was an established presenter on SABC 1’s YoTV, Mzansi’s premium and longstanding teen variety show.

But, the actress and presenter is best known for her television role as Jessica in the SABC 1 comedy-drama series Makoti, which recently ended a successful season one.

It was her first starring role in television, and has led to her often being asked by young fans for her autograph or to pose for a selfie when she is out shopping at a local mall.

“Makoti really helped my career because it was widely watched and gave me great exposure,” Tucker told the SA Jewish Report recently.

The highly rated and popular relationship drama, in which Tucker played one of the leading roles, was watched by more than four million viewers. It was voted the country’s most watched television series last year.

“It was inspiring working with such experienced actors, being the youngest member of the television cast,” said Tucker who matriculated from King David High School Victory Park.

Up until recently, Makoti was aired every Wednesday at 19:30 on SABC 1.

Tucker plays Jessica in the show, which she describes as a relationship drama that gets more and more “saucy and spicy” as the show progresses. In it she plays conservative Jessica (who like Tucker, is Jewish) who meets rebel disc jockey and graphic designer DJ Mo at their workplace.

“Jessica and DJ Mo work together in an office for a love blog. Jessica is the journalist, and DJ Mo is the graphic artist and a DJ on the side. In the beginning, Jessica is a very conservative overthinker, she is a ‘goodie-two shoes’, and DJ Mo is the complete opposite.”

It isn’t long before the two form a steamy love relationship that leaves viewers begging for more.

When asked what it was like to act in love scenes, Tucker said, “My first day on set was hard. My co-stars all have a lot of experience behind them in shows like Generations. I was the youngest on set, a student, with no time to get into the role, so I felt a bit out of my depth. But I loved the challenge,” she said.

“I met Ayanda McKayi, who plays DJ Mo, on the day we started shooting, and we had to develop a real chemistry between us. I had to act as if I had genuine, heartfelt feelings for him, but I had just met him. It was tough.

“It tests you as an actress doing scenes where you’re falling in love with someone, kissing, and touching; it’s quite tough,” she said. The show aired during family time, so a lot was left to the imagination.

But it didn’t take her long to get into the swing of things, and now she hopes SABC 1 will screen season two.

Her parents, Carol and Howard, and her younger sister, Racquel, are her biggest supporters.

Having said that, Tucker said, “My mom refused to watch, she can’t cope with me kissing a guy on TV, and just couldn’t bring herself to watch those more intense love scenes.

“My dad watched every episode, but he’d be like, ‘Oh My G-d, Micaela!’”

As an honours student in performance and musical theatre, Tucker is no stranger to balancing acting work and studies. She has been dancing, singing, and acting all her life.

“I used to put on shows for my parents on Shabbos. I’d turn the dining room into a mini theatre, and they’d have to sing and clap and be my audience,” she said, “I was always a bit of a character.”

In primary school, Tucker played Alice in Alice in Wonderland at the Wits Theatre. It was her first professional children’s production, and from there the acting bug continued to bite.

Tucker has her heart set on musical theatre. As a classically trained ballet dancer, she now attends tap dancing lessons as well as singing lessons several times a week. “Singing is a challenge, I won’t lie,” she said. However, she feels blessed to have started vocal training with her musical-theatre lecturer, well known South African theatre actress, director, and producer, Gina Shmukler, and her vocal performance lecturer, well known singer and actress Carly Graeme.

Tucker said her high school mentor, drama teacher Renos Spanoudes, inspired her to pursue an acting career. Spanoudes, the head of arts and culture at King David High School Victory Park, continues to be one of her biggest supporters attending most of her Wits shows.

Spanoudes said Tucker was a talented performer with a solid work ethic. “Micaela is a wonderful inspiration for us all. She was one of those students who was very clear about her vision and her plans for her life and future.

“She came into the school hungry to do drama, to engage in the major productions. In the one-act plays, she was always someone who wanted to grow with every piece. She wanted to stretch herself. She wasn’t happy if she was in a comfort zone and a piece, character, or performance was too easy for her. She isn’t scared to work hard and go into territories and characters that are challenging.”

He said that as a King David Victory Park alumni, she has gone back to the school to mark drama practicals and be there for younger students.

Spanoudes has no doubt we will be seeing much more of his former student in the entertainment world.