Antoinette Louw

Antoinette Louw (1975-) is an actress, playwright, translator and journalist.

Biography

Born in Pretoria on 9 May 1975, because of her parent's itinerant lifestyle, she was raised in Potchefstroom, Vanderbijlpark and Bloemfontein, also attending school in the United States of America for a time. The family moved to Bloemfontein in 1991, where Antoinette matriculated at Sentraal Hoërskool in 1993

She studied drama at the University of the Free State (UOFS), completing her degree cum laude in 1996. In this period she and won several awards, including the André du Plessis award for best second year drama student, the South African Theatre Journal award for best third year drama student, The Elsa Krantz award for best drama student 1994–1996, the UOFS Merit Bursary for Arts and Culture, and UOFS Honorary Colours for Arts and Culture.

After a short period in London, she returned to study film acting at the African Film and Drama Academy (AFDA), then took a break from the entertainment industry to live in Maltafor a year). On her return she rejoined the industry.

Besides plays and scripts, she also has written prose works, including the Afrikaans children's book Die storie van Racheltjie de Beer (2019) and also writes an occasional column, syndicated in Netwerk24 newspapers.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Stage work:

In her third year she produced and directed The Woman Who Cooked her Husband by Debbie Issit. The production was invited to perform in London at the Courtyard Theatre.

Among the plays she has appeared have been Die Vagina Monoloë (2012), Kinders van Stilte (2013), The House of O: A Reconstruction of Hamlet, Engele Sonder Vlerke and Bagasie.

Film and Television

She first appeared in the short film Skidmarks (), then went on the role of "Inge van Schalkwyk" in the SABC soap opera 7de Laan for two years, as well as roles in 'n Man Soos My Pa (2015), Foto (2015), An Act of Defiance - The Story of Bram Fischer (2016), Nul Is Nie Niks Nie (2017), Voor Ek Val (2017), Swartwater (2017–2018, 2020–2021), and Die verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer (2019).

As a translator:

Translated a number of English plays into Afrikaans, including Night Mother by Marsha Norman (as Nag, Ma , 2011), Children of a Lesser God by Mark Medoff as Kinders van Stilte (2013), .