Grant Swanby

(19*-) Actor, director and acting coach.

Biography

He was born in Durban. He is married to the actress Nicola Hanekom.

Youth

Training

Graduated with a Diploma in Speech and Drama from the Technikon Natal. He has a training certificate from Damelin College.

Career

After finishing his studies, he entered the professional entertainment industry, concentrating on acting in film, television and on stage.

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

In the theatre, credits include: Much Ado about Nothing, Altyd Jonker, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hamlet, Love, Valour, Compassion, Verkeer (Vleis, Rys en Aartappels, 2008), and Saturday Night at the Palace.

On the production side, Grant has written and directed for the stage and been involved in the corporate sector, pitching, writing, acting and directing corporate theatre and videos.

Film Credits include, 'Blood Diamond', 'In my Country', 'More than Just a Game' and the award winning 'Promised Land'. As an actor, Grant has worked opposite (amongst others), Juliette Binoche, Rupert Graves, Djimon Housen, Armand Assante, Lauren Holly, Robert Patrick, Luke Perry, and Vinnie Jones, and has been directed by John Boorman, Ed Zwick, Phillip Noyce and Tarsem Singh, as well as local directors Darryl Roodt and Gavin Hood.

On television, Grant has appeared in Charlie Jade, I Shouldn't be Alive, Sorted, Sewende Laan and Isidingo, for which he received an N.T.V.A. Avanti Award .

Since the late 2000s Grant has also been working as an acting/drama coach giving workshops for the actor's studio in Cape Town, Boss Management, AMAC and City Varsity and worked as a private tutor. He has a training certificate from Damelin and utilises outcomes based methodology to effect tangible results.