I had new headshots and full body shots made by Jennifer Evans recently.
She is very good to work with, fair price and a quick turnaround. She is based in Lewisham and you get to do some pictures outside and some inside. I am very happy with the results.
What do you think?
The Witcher 4 is out! It was a pleasure to be part of this scene! Very inspiring acting wise and generally fun 🙂
Watch the episode 3 especially, my favourite character of the Priest is doing an amazing job, just like in the books 😻
Those 3 days in the fields on Farnham were also incredible because of the beautiful location of Waverley Abbey and it’s famous monastery ruins with an ancient tree. Unforgettable memories !
Happy Halloween everyone!
Sword fighting with vikings, punching faces, getting punched, kicking demons, spitting and eating fire , shooting arrows at lost hikers and breaking bones while dancing nicely on the graves of my enemies – that’s me in my full potential 🤣
Enjoy some action scenes from my recent films!
In my reel I cut the scenes from Viking Revenge, Cannibal Troll, Defenders Eternal, and Salty Fist features, from We Bring The Breed dance show, Something Is Coming and Blight music videos, Gold dance show and from some pro clips of performing my fire show.
Let me know what you think!
You are not ready for this!!!
From a behind the scenes still to a poster: DONALD BIT ME feature by Darryl Kelly is coming out this year so brace yourselves!
Great poster art by Brianna Miller!
The film is on a finish line of the post-production.
Written and directed by crazy fantastic Darryl Kelly, the whole thing was shot with amazing cast and crew quite a while ago in south-west London. I will not disclose our location just yet so I don’t give away the plot line but just wait for the trailer 😍
And yes that’s me holding a man-puppet 🙂
Watch this space for more info and sign up to my newsletter for extended behind the scenes updates of making movies and shows, reviews, news and real life talk: zuzatehanu.co.uk/subscribe
I share more via email than on social media!
Also: I am playing a gig with my band on the 29th of June in The Good Mixer in Camden, for more info go to Yaveniriemusic.wordpress.com
Hope to see you there!!
I am changing acting representation!!!
My agent is sadly closing doors of her agency so I had to jump ship pretty quickly 👀.
In this industry you never know what will happen tomorrow. You think you have a solid agent one day and the next they have to close business because it’s so tough out there and you have 2 weeks to find a new agent….
I am very grateful to Mel from Chaos Acting Management for all her hard work and her coaching and support. That’s what happens quite often in this industry – a change. We need to be ready for it.
But this time also the situation is teaching me something new. Last time when I left my agent in very different circumstances I was in a state of panic, I felt like a failure and from this space of mind I sent almost 100 emails looking for a new representation and I had NO positive response. Mel responded to my pity-post on Twitter 🙂 and took me in. I was so grateful because she was the only one who decided to give me a chance in that moment and it helped me just feel better about myself and the industry as a whole.
This time was completely different. From the moment I heard the agency is closing I felt that it’s gonna be alright 💚. I sent around 10 emails and although no one responded I still felt it’s fine and it will resolve itself somehow. Then the day before agency closing came and my dear friend (thank you 💜) when heard I m still without new representation offered to contact his agent. The next day I got signed, it took a 1-minute phone call :-). So I didn’t even miss a day.
Different mindset 👉different results.
I am now represented by Imperial Artists Agency, very honoured to be part of the team and to have Robert as my agent 🥰🥰🥰.
Feeling also very grateful for this smooth transition and looking forward to new adventures 🙏💚💜🖤
Yesterday I was sent a great article – interview with Teodor Dore, the composer of Rachmaninov Variations album on which I read a letter from an Ukrainian refugee.
I am so grateful for the mention and for Teodore’s kind words, this project is very special and close to my heart because of the w*r and the obvious social and political consequences of it all.
Please listen to the whole album if you get a chance:
https://fanlink.tv/rachvariations
The article came just before the World Theatre Day which is also a very special day for me as it took me a long time to call myself an actress and see myself as part of the performance industry. So it’s a good reminder where I got in my journey.
Sending you all warm wishes with a bit of a holiday vibe going on 💚
It came this morning as a complete surprise!
I was awarded BEST ACTRESS on Bridge Film Festival in Vancouver in Canada for our film WE GO AGAIN!
Our movie also won Best Feature and Best Screenplay and my acting partner Charlotte Chiew and Annabelle Lanyon won awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress!
I am very happy and proud to be part of this production, well done to all involved and big love to my fellow actresses, actors , our writer and Producer Tom and director Oliver from Jolliffe Productions for making it happen!
We finished The World Of Yesterday play just a week ago and the life is already speeding up, pulling me in so many different directions that it’s hard to stop and reflect on what actually happened that week.
Well we played a show, twice!
The space was small, much smaller than we expected and were used to but we made it work (somehow).
Was it stressful? – obviously.
Was it amazing to be on stage again and become many different characters, and sing and dance, and almost cry, and be part of this moving machine which is the company, even only for one hour – absolutely.
That’s what it’s like in this business.
Often uncomfortable, never perfect, never 100% how we want it to be, always under rehearsed, with lots of pressure, last minute changes and green room dramas.
But we do come back to that place on stage, to that moment, to this feeling. We never have enough of it. Even if we are frustrated – it passes and then we try again and again.
And we dream about big stages with strong lights, full audiences and spatial mirrored changing rooms, we dream about it being our one and only, well paid job.
And we do it underpaid or for free, in tiny cupboard changing rooms, with one mirror for 10 people and one toilet, with 15 minutes at the end for changing, packing costumes and all the set up of the microscopic size stage, we do it anyway, because it’s LOVE.
The World Of Yesterday was a very short meeting of more than 10 talented people with dreams of a life different than their own. People of synchronised passions, of enough space inside themselves to compromise, be patient, let go and handle rejection, and enough energy to keep going, offer their own thoughts and feelings, deal with stress and dramas and still, despite everything, love what they are doing.
Is it incredible ? – yes
Is it impossible? – yes it is.
All actors and other creatives know what I mean but I feel that we are not talking about it enough with the wider public.
With the people who often look at us from an outside, who come and enjoy the show but maybe don’t know exactly how that happens that it comes to life. Who don’t follow us on our every day journey to rehearsals through the chains of tube and trains, through frustration and revelation moments. But mostly trains.
Who often don’t know how many times we wanted to give up, kick this life in a butt and slide into a comfort of a 9-5 bank job.
And how many times we didn’t and all those times made this show happen.
All those times we didn’t give up created a moment for all of us to share on that one evening.
This post was supposed to be about reviews because for many years I chased the reviewers for their feedback, for this star of validation of our temporary creation.
Because I thought that the art to be shown publicly has be GOOD, in opinions of others GOOD. That reviewers needed to like our play, announce it online on their blogs and then it would matter, then we would be welcomed in the circle of artists who are allowed to create MORE.
But that was before, years before even.
Now, after all the effort and life troubles of recent years, I am proud and grateful that we can just DO it, that we can make it happen. I know so many people don’t have that luxury.
Between everyone’s jobs, lack of funding for arts, lack of time and lack of money in people’s pockets to buy a ticket we still managed to create a show in a few months, perform it on a festival and sell it out on the last night.
It’s a success despite what anyone thought about the show. It’s a success because it was made, it had an imprint on our material plane and in people’s minds and hearts and wasn’t, like in so many other cases, just a thought, just an unfulfilled dream and that’s it.
My big and warm thanks to our director Anya Ostrovskaia for making it happen and to all the cast and crew for sticking with her.
~ Zuza
🖤https://ayoungishperspective.co.uk/2024/11/21/review-the-world-of-yesterday-a-cabaret-evening/?amp=1
Last two shows of THE WORLD OF YESTERDAY directed by Anya Ostrovskaia are coming to Camden’s People Theatre as part of the Voila Festival on the 19th and 20th of November at 7pm, tickets are almost gone so if you want to come better hurry and get them now 🙂
Get your ticket here: https://www.voilafestival.co.uk/events/the-world-of-yesterday/
Pictures by Lucyna Kaniecka
I am wearing a dress by Paulina Palian
British Urban Film Festival Awards evening was very touching and eventful!
Thank you for the invitation and nomination for the Best Script Supervision for our film The Intruders by James Kentfield, so proud of all the cast and crew!!!
Thank you James and Pat for inviting me to come along ♥️♥️♥️
Big congrats to all winners and nominees!!!!
Our film WE GO AGAIN started a festival run with a selection for Direct Monthly Online Film Festival this month 😍 Big thanks to the organisers and well done to all cast and crew 👏👏👏 More festivals coming next year!!!
One of the roles I am playing in the wartime drama The World Of Yesterday is Theodor Herzl, come to see us perform for just 2 more evenings at The Courtyard Theatre, part of The Camden Fringe, don’t miss it!
Pictures by Lucyna Kaniecka
Tickets: https://camdenfringe.com/events/the-world-of-yesterday/
Day 3 of The Camden Fringe is done, 3 shows to go! It’s been an emotional few weeks building up to the Premiere of The World Of Yesterday but now we are more grounded and settled in our show 🙂
Tickets: https://camdenfringe.com/events/the-world-of-yesterday/
We are running only until the 25th of August in The Courtyard Theatre , don’t miss it!
Pictures by Valya Korabelnikova
Dress by Paulina Palian
Take a look at our beautiful poster for WE GO AGAIN drama feature. The music score and the whole post production is now in the works getting ready for 2025 festivals so watch this space for updates!
Written by Tom Jolliffe, Directed by Oliver Jolliffe
of Jolliffe Productions
With Charlotte Chiew, Annabelle Lanyon, Amy Jim and Nathan Shepka.
I got cast as Young Woman in The World Of Yesterday play by Anya Ostrovskaia, coming to Camden Fringe 20-25 August in The Courtyard Theatre.
Tickets: https://camdenfringe.com/events/the-world-of-yesterday/
From the audition tape to being cast in this political and unapologetic controversial play based on the writings of Stefan Zweig, a play that provokes and rises uncomfortable issues of division, nationalism and hatred that are also so vividly present in our modern times. Come see us!
We wrapped another day of filming of #DJKill in Islington Studios on the hottest day of the year! This time I was doing a movement direction for the fight scenes. It was great to work with our lovely team again Peter Irving, Caroline Oakes, Andrea Rose, Tristan Pretty, DOP Jim Groom and director Anton Makon.
I just got cast in a new theatre project coming to Camden Fringe this August!!! Very happy!
I will reveal all the details together with a poster for my latest film in my tonight’s interview led by Adrian Doughty! Come to YouTube at 8pm tonight everyone!!! Going live in 2 hours! 👇👇👇
This Wednesday the 17th at 8pm Uk time I will be interviewed by Adrian Doughty on The Uk Comedy Chanel. We will talk about my life, my work and we will also pay tribute to late Johnny Tait , writer and director of my last play who had his interview with Adrian just a few weeks ago.
Interview YouTube link here 👇👇👇:
We wrapped the filming on We Go Again drama! Our feature is now going into post production slowly taking its final shape.
It was an amazing experience working with Tom and Oliver Jolliffe @jolliffeproductions and with amazing actresses Charlotte Chiew @charlottechiewvoiceover Annabelle Lanyon @annabellelanyon and Amy Jim @amy.jim.actress .
I feel we really made something special, a story about a relationship but also about a neurodivergent people struggling with life and with each other. Watch this space for more updates.
Zapraszam serdecznie na mój wywiad na żywo 15go Lipca o godzinie 20:00 czasu polskiego (19:00 w Uk) prowadzony przez Sylwię Kaczmarek z Laboratorium Meisnera w którym opowiem o mojej metodzie pracy i zdradze pare sekretów jak buduje postać i przygotowuje się do pracy nad filmem bądź sztuka teatralna.
I will have a live interview with Sylwia Kaczmarek from Laboratorium Meisnera in which I will talk about my work and my preparation for the role in film or theatre. I will also share a few tips on how to build the character and work on the script before going on set, stage or filming a self tape.
The interview will be in Polish but will be available to watch with English subtitles shortly after LIVE.
Visit:
Check zuzatehanu.co.uk/film
You can now watch short films I did or check features on Prime Video and other platforms!
We had our first review of Naked Truth written by Chelsea Patel for LONDONTHEATRE1, thank you so much!!
https://www.londontheatre1.com/reviews/naked-truth-at-the-welwyn-civic-centre-review/
Edinburgh Fringe tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/naked-truth
Last Saturday’s show of Naked Truth in Welwyn Civic Centre was a huge success! Almost sold out, full audience and well received! Check out great pictures below!!
If you are coming to Edinburgh Fringe – don’t miss our show on the 4th-11th of August. Tickets are here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/naked-truth
New poster for our play!! Who is coming?
I am playing Martha in The Misunderstanding after Albert Camus in Etcetera Theatre on the 19,20,22 July at 7pm.
It’s a brilliant and dark play, the rehearsals are well underway, I would love to see you in the audience!!
Tickets: https://www.citizenticket.com/events/etcetera-theatre/the-misunderstanding-after-albert-camus/
“All that life can give a man, has been given to him.He left this country.He has known other realms,the sea, some free existence. Me,I remained here.I remained,small and sullen,in a tedium,buried in the heart of this continent”
Martha,The Misunderstanding by A Camus
Come to find out about Martha’s story!
That is always a question, right?
I played in a show but how did I get there?
I’ve got a Patreon! And I am writing about my acting experiences of getting jobs on various projects and also giving a business of acting advice on how to get them, what steps to take when you are an unknown actor and what mistakes to avoid (which I didn’t :-).
Here is a snippet of the first of series of posts – whole article on
🔥PATREON.COM/ZUZATEHANU🔥
🔥Follow me me for more acting advice :-)🔥
This will be the first of many posts about how to get film roles when you are not a big actor with a big agent who has opportunities knocking at their door every day.
“I am not a big actress. Yet. I have skills and I have potential to do big things and many teachers and casting directors complemented my work. But I don’t have connections or famous family or anyone who could open the career door for me. I have to do it myself and I am working on it everyday. Because even if you are like me – working class, immigrant actor or actress with an accent, you can still get opportunities, you can get jobs and you can act, it’s just twice as hard. But you will if you really love it. I do, I would do anything to act a good part in a film or a play. But you need patience, persistence and hard work. And you need to find that place inside you where the love for acting lies and hold on to it, remind yourself daily why you are doing it. And always remember that moment when you are in a flow of performing and you feel so much alive!
So coming back to the role of Wallis Simpson… “
Zuza Tehanu 