Actress Tauné Block is excited to sink her teeth into her villain era as Dr Loren Blue, who shakes things up in daily TV drama Skeem Saam.
Away from the cameras, the 32-year-old performer tells Sowetan she’s a farm girl at heart – a former ballet dancer and theatre graduate.
Who is Tauné Block?
I’m just a girl from Kimberley in the Northern Cape. I grew up there my whole life and attended Newton Primary School and later Kimberley Girls’ High School, where I was head girl. I’ve always been a performer. I started ballet at the age of three and did it for 12 years. If I wasn’t dancing, I was singing. If I wasn’t singing, I was performing in school productions. I studied theatre at Stellenbosch University and graduated in 2014.
What was your journey into the industry?
After graduating, I landed my first professional role on an Afrikaans television series called Suidooster. I’m bilingual because my mother is English-speaking and from Durban, while my father is Afrikaans and from a small town in the Northern Cape. That worked in my favour while working in Cape Town because many productions there are in Afrikaans.
Eventually, I packed up my entire life and drove to Johannesburg with no job, no agency, and no real plan. I had my car, bags and faith. Within two weeks, I landed a small role on Generations: The Legacy. A few months later, I secured representation, and my career started gaining momentum.
What has it been like being on Skeem Saam?
When I first got the role, I was excited because Skeem Saam has an incredible reputation. Loren started out in a prison environment, particularly in the men’s section, which meant I had to think about how she would carry herself. I wondered whether she should come across as more masculine because of the environment or whether she should retain her softness and kindness.
At her core, Loren is a very kind-hearted person, despite what viewers might be seeing now. At the moment, I think she’s stepping into her villain era, which even surprises me sometimes.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
You’ll usually find me at the gym, journaling or reading. I’ve recently started getting back into reading because it’s something I used to love. I also travel whenever I can. At the moment, I’m in Turkey and a few weeks ago I was in Mauritius. Travel allows me to reset and recharge. I also spend as much time as possible with my family in Kimberley because they still live there.
I love solo dates too. I’m always discovering coffee shops and spending time on my own. And I absolutely love reality television. I’m a Real Housewives girl.
What have been your biggest lessons?
I believe in choosing life. Sometimes we get so caught up in stress, pressure and daily struggles that we forget to appreciate being alive. Covid taught us how fragile life is and how quickly things can change.
Whenever things become overwhelming, I remind myself and my family to choose life. When you choose life, you breathe easier, think more clearly, and appreciate the small moments around you.
What are your hopes for your career?
I want more challenging roles. I’d love to do an action film one day. A Tomb Raider-type role would be incredible. I’d also love to experience a sci-fi production because it’s such a different world.
