Since completing his studies at PALI Incubation in2017, Rikus Strauss has managed to take his career as an artist from strengthto strength.
Known for his role as “Tjattas” in 7de Laan,Rikus is a man of many talents. He is also an experienced video editor, photographer and is currently pursuing a career in music during his free time.
When asked about when he realized he wanted to becomean actor, he responded –
“Growing up playing make believe was a bigpart of my childhood. In high school I realized drama, and with that acting,was the socially acceptable version of doing that as an adult. So I think a bigpart of it stems from finding a place where I get to express my inner child,but then also being able to tell stories in a way that has the possibility oftouching others and exploring the complexities of being human.”
He mentions that one of his favourite memories of histime at PALI was preparing for end year shows. According to Rikus it was a lotof hard work and everyone was exhausted, but it was also the time of the yearwhen everyone was extremely focused. By the time of the performance everyonecould perform with a different type of comfort and focus than before.
"You need to remember this job isn't a sprint, it's a marathon..."
According to Rikus the two most memorable productions during his student years were “Plekke” (directed by Kaz McFadden and written by Johann Smith), because it was a lot of fun, as well as “Dalk” (directed by Melinda Brink), because it was the play that pushed him out of his comfort zone and allowed him to grow the most.
We asked Rikus whether he has any advice for aspiring actors and he answered –
“You need to remember this job isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. Sometimes you're going to hit walls and want to give up, but just remember that next acting high is just around the corner. As long as you stay focused on your passion and why you're doing it, you'll find a way to keep going.”
