From law student to thespian: Celeste Loots speaks about her biggest role in ‘Wyfie’

Since her breakthrough role as Kaya in One Piece, Celeste Loots has been growing from strength to strength and her biggest role yet on Showmax's Wyfie is set to cement her name in showbiz. 

She plays Amanda in the series that follows four university students as they navigate life together. 

“Amanda is quite messy. She is opinionated and passionate. She has a massive passion for life, and she lives in the moment. She is very impulsive and a big extrovert who looks for the kind of experiences that make good stories,” she said.

“She has good intentions, but it's that typical thing that happens when you're 19 years old: you're quite selfish, but you don't realise it yet, and you accidentally hurt people, though that isn’t your intention.”

She initially auditioned for another character, but when they called her back to do another audition, it was for that character and for Amanda, a character with whom she shares similarities. 

“I'm also quite stubborn when I feel like it. I can relate to how she is protective of the people she cares about, and when she cares, she cares a lot. It was the strangest thing because when I walked out of that room, I could feel her [Amanda] in my body. Amanda was so in me. It was a very special thing to experience.”

Speaking about how she became an actress, Celeste recalled how she broke the news to her family. 

“I think I’ve always been drawn to acting but I didn't decide I wanted to act right after school. I first started studying at the University of Cape Town with the plan to go into law. I had drama as an elective subject and that’s how I met the other drama people. I had a feeling in my bones I had to do this thing.”

“I auditioned for a place in the theatre and performing arts degree programme without telling anyone. My family didn't know. Only when I was accepted, I was like, 'Surprise, you guys. New plan.'”