Trudie Taljaard (19 March 1948 - 31 January 2009) was a South African actress, theater coach, and casting director. She is best known for the roles in the films Windprints (1989), Hitchhiker (2008) and Hearts & Minds. She founded the drama school, "Another Center for Training Actors" (ACTA). She was playfully known as the 'two-year guarantee aunt' after appearing in a well-known furniture store's commercial for a long time.
Personal life She was born on 19 March 1948 and grew up in Melville, Johannesburg, South Africa. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in drama at the University of Pretoria.
She was married to fellow actor Errol Roelofsz. After the divorce, she married the actor Nico Liebenberg. She had three daughters: Marlene, Justine and Eloise from these two marriages.
On 31 January 2009, she died at the age of 60 after being diagnosed with bone cancer in 2007.
Career Started as a theatre actress, Trudie has performed in the stage plays such as A Cedar Fall in Waterkloof, The Pencil Thief and the Angel, The Dead, Three Seasons, The Other Man, The Miracle, Raka, Dream Smuggler, and Train Stories. In 1989, she was nominated for the Artes Award. She also performed in the controversial one-man piece Kitchen Blues produced by author Jeanne Goosen. Even though it was controversial, the play received critics acclaim and she was nominated for several awards for her acting, including the Computicket Award in 1991. In 1990, she played the role of "Charlene Brits" in the TV4 comedy serial People Like Us. For that role, she was nominated for several awards and won the Star Tonight! Award for Best Actress in 1991. In the same year, she was nominated for the Dalro Theater Award for Best Actress in an Afrikaans Leading Role and the Fleur du Cap Drama Award. In 1992, she was nominated at the IGI Life for Vita Drama Award for Natal.
Then she acted in many television serials and soap operas such as; Doctor, Doctor, Sun Circle, Home Affairs, Tekwan, The Sorrow Waltz, Eagles III, Suburban Bliss, Pastorie Petals, People Like Us, Dit Wat Stom Is and Saartjie. She also starred in the films such as; Elsa's Secret (1979), Brother Matie (1984), Windprints (1990), The Long Run (2000) and Hitchhiker (2007). In 2008, she played the last television role in the Afrikaans soap opera 7de Laan by playing as matron Netta Nortjé's sister "Esther".
Filmography
Year Film Role Genre Ref. 1974 Geluksdal Set decorator Film 1976 Ridder van die Grootpad Linet Hugo Film 1976 Liefste Madelein Nurse Film 1976 Dokter, Dokter Bekkie Hartzenberg TV series 1978 Drama Drama TV series 1979 Elsa se Geheim Mina Film 1979 Grensbasis 13 Smitty's girl Film 1979 Phoenix & Kie Ins TV series 1981 Die Avonture van Joachim Verwey Nakkie TV series 1981 Beloftes van Môre Sarie Bekker Film 1982 Harmonie Anna Potgieter TV series 1983 Mattewis en Meraai Suffie Barnard TV series 1984 Broer Matie Lettie Summers Film 1984 Broer Matie Casting director Film 1984 Laat Vrugte Annie TV movie 1985 Two Weeks in Paradise Charlene Britz TV movie 1985 Die Hartseerwals Kotie TV movie 1985 Dirk Hoffman Nellie van Rensburg TV series 1986 Konflikhantering Film 1986 Die Mannheim-Sage Helga TV series 1986 Tekwan Corrie TV movie 1988 Dot en Kie Mrs. Smit TV series 1989 Saartjie Mrs. Baumann TV series 1989 Windprints Marie Bruck Film 1989 Vleuels Corrie Ketelman TV series 1991 Die Sonkring Nelmarie Vermeulen TV series 1993 Die Sonkring II Nelmarie Vermeulen TV series 1993 Arende III: Dorsland Katrina Stewart TV series 1995 Hearts & Minds Elsa Fourie Film 1999 Sterk Skemer Unemployed woman TV movie 2001 The Long Run Second 1 Film 2001 Malunde Tannie van Rooyen Film 2002 Behind the Badge Ina van Wyk TV series 2003 Beat the Drum Lauren Film 2005 Gabriël Tant Malie TV series 2008 Triomf Dialogue coach Film 2008 Hitchhiker Michelle Film 2008 7de Laan Esther TV series
References
External links IMDb