Esta TerBlanche

Esta TerBlanche (born 7 January 1973) is a South African actress, best known for her roles on television soap operas in both South Africa and the United States.

Esta TerBlanche
Born (1973-01-07) 7 January 1973
Rustenburg, North West Province, South Africa
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
Spouse(s)André Kock
(1997–2008; divorced)

Early life

TerBlanche was born in Rustenburg, North West Province. She is of Huguenot descent. She grew up on a game farm, replete with monkeys, cows, horses, sheep, warthogs, and elams.[1]

Television

TerBlanche was crowned Miss Teen South Africa in 1991, and subsequently played Bienkie Naudé Hartman on the South African drama Egoli: Place of Gold from 1992 to 1995. In 1995, TerBlanche decided not to renew her contract with Egoli and, instead, opted to further her acting career in the U.S.[1] Within three weeks of arriving in Los Angeles, she found her first job, acting in a hair products commercial.[1] In 1997, TerBlanche was cast in the role of Gillian Andrassy[2][3][4] on the American daytime drama All My Children. Gillian, a troublemaking princess, was killed off in 2001[5][6] as TerBlanche asked to be written out of the show to move back to South Africa.

TerBlanche made a guest appearance on Egoli: Place of Gold in 2004.[7] She also made additional appearances on South African TV and in movies, but later returned to the United States. In 2010, she was interviewed by the American magazine Soap Opera Digest. She reported then that she had divorced and taken a break from acting.[8] She stated that she had opened a spa, exploring her interest in the medical field and in healing.[8] In the interview, TerBlanche also noted that she had begun acting again and had recently filmed a pilot in South Africa.[8] She expressed interest in returning to All My Children or acting in another soap, citing her time on All My Children as the best of her life.[8] In 2011, she was briefly profiled in the People magazine tribute to All My Children.[9] In August 2011, it was announced that TerBlanche would reprise the role of Gillian during the final weeks of All My Children's broadcast on American network television.[10] TerBlanche made a guest appearance on the show on 24 August 2011.[11]

Plays she has appeared in include: The Glass Menagerie, Pygmalion, Hear Ye, and Ten Times Worse on Friday. She also starred in the film, Three Thieves and a Wedding.[2] TerBlanche also worked as a TV presenter in South Africa for the environmental program 50/50[12] and the children's show, K-T.V.[13] TerBlanche is well known in South Africa and has appeared on the covers of many magazines.

Personal life

A native speaker of Afrikaans, TerBlanche also speaks English and German fluently, and can speak French, Italian, and Russian with varying levels of fluency. TerBlanche was married to André Kock from 1997 to 2008, when they divorced.[14]

References
  1. Nancy M. Reichardt, "South African finds success in America," Austin American-Statesman, 16 January 2000, p. 37. Retrieved 14 October 2011 from Academic (Lexis-Nexis).
  2. "About the Actors: Esta TerBlanche," Soap Central. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  3. "Soap Suds," Bartow Press, 25 August 1997, p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  4. "Soap Bubbles," Calhoun Times and Gordon County News, 16 August 1997, p. 17. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  5. Kroll, Dan J., "Esta TerBlanche leaving; Darnell Williams Staying," SoapCentral, 8 September 2001. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  6. "'AMC' plans to drop actress and her character," The Dispatch (Lexington, N.C.), 1 December 2001, p. 27. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  7. "Celebrity Mailbag," The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), 5 April 1999. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  8. "Scene and Heard: Where Are They Now? Esta TerBlanche (Ex-Gillian, All My Children, 1997-2001)," Soap Opera Digest (7 December 2010), p. 60.
  9. "Where Are They Now?," People Celebrates All My Children, 2011, p. 66.
  10. ABC Soaps In Depth, "AMC Casting: TerBlanche Is Returning!" 1 August 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  11. She Knows Soaps.com, "All My Children Newsroom: Ryan's Long Lost Love Returns," 22 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  12. "50/50 Beats the Odds Again and Again." IOL, 7 February 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  13. "Esta TerBlanche," Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  14. "Esta TerBlanche," Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
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