Hayley Owen

Already a familiar face in South African homes with her role in the drama series The Wild, Hayley Owens now takes the bold new step to showcase her talents on a different stage as she starts her very own show on Ballz Visual Radio.

The Hayley Owens show will be broadcast every Friday from 10am to noon giving Hayley the opportunity to explore a new audience as she continues her rise in the South African entertainment industry.

It is a new step that comes naturally for the vibrant blonde actress, who hails from Bryanston and who has held a deep desire for the arts since she was young, fostering the passion from her late grandmother, who was also an actress.  At a young age Hayley and her sister Megan were encouraged to play dress up and perform for their parents.

Hayley¡¯s love for performing was nurtured through school and at Wits University, where she graduated with honours in Dramatic Art. After graduation, spurred on by her desire to not only entertain, but to use her talent to change hearts and minds, Hayley became involved in Educational theatre. She was a pioneering member of the first Playback Theatre Company in Johannesburg, who specialised in improvisational theatre where the audience tell stories and actors spontaneously bring them to life.

After an internship with the Playback Theatre Company in London, Hayley made her first venture into television, working as a TV presenter for the SKY Gambling channel, and had to acquire a croupier¡¯s license for the job.

Since returning to South Africa at the end of 2010, Hayley has kept herself busy in television commercials and further developed her love of Educational theatre, starting Actorvate, a company that uses actors for marketing promotions and produces Educational Roadshows.

She then landed the role as Angie on the television drama, The Wild. Her character, a tough-talking bush ranger who stands little nonsense has endeared her to audiences by immersing herself in the role.

But far from the character, away from the mike and camera, Hayley is a much more laid back person, describing herself as ¡°ditzy, friendly, diplomatic, ambitious and competitive. Buoyed on by her personal motto that ¡°Nothing in Life comes without sacrifice¡± she is perfectly placed to work her way to the top.

With so much going for her, it isn¡¯t a surprise she¡¯s so positive about the future in South Africa.

¡°I am very excited to be living and working in South Africa. Whatever the future holds there is nowhere else I would want to be!¡± she proclaims boldly.

Other than her current challenges, Hayley envisages expanding her role in educational issues, and playing a positive part in the lives of others.

¡°I would like my Educational Theatre company, Actorvate, to make a large impact on the youth of the country by encouraging them to confront and discuss pressing social issues,¡± she explains.

¡°I would like to leave a legacy of being a highly acclaimed South African actress that was great company and a true friend.¡±

Twitter: @HayleyOwenSA

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