By: Danni Martin
Julia Anastasopoulos as household name SuzelleDIY, and now @tali_babes, needs no introduction. Her and hubby, Ari Kruger, have a brand-new offering for us: Tali’s Baby Diary coming to Showmax soon!
How did becoming a mother inspire your creative process? It has inspired me so much creatively, especially for Season 2 where we really wanted to draw on our real-life experiences to enhance the comedy. Many of the references in the show come from our actual parenthood journey.
How have you used your comedy platform to address and normalise issues around motherhood? I really wanted to highlight the highs and lows of becoming a mom, especially in the world of social media. I think by putting Tali babes in these scenarios we are almost more susceptible to addressing change by looking at the issues through a comedic lens.
Which three words sum up and describe Tali’s Baby Diary? Crazy Momfluencer whirlwind.
How has the delay between the original show and this sequel turned out for the better? We had much more time and space to write the show and finesse the characters and were so lucky to have also gained more life and work experience in that time that we were able to draw on. We also had a baby during that time which we found to be a wealth of comedic material.
What inspired the character of Tali, and how do you relate to her yourself? After doing Suzelle for a few years I was keen for a change and Tali babes was born. I grew up in Jo’burg so perhaps my inner Jo’burg princess decided to come out! I am quite different to Tali but do try and tap into my personal experiences and real emotions as much as possible.
What are some of the highlights and funniest moments of making the show? A real highlight was working with some of the wonderful cameos and actors that made appearances in the show, the likes of Coconut Kelz (Lesego Tlhabi), Danny and Lisa Koppel, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Deon Lotz, and so many more. Any scene with Kate Normington in it had us all in hysterics but there was one day on set where Kate and Adam Neil (who played Dr Oberholtzer) were improvising in a scene and things escalated into total madness. None of us could keep it together.
What is it like working with your real-life hubby, and do you manage to separate your work and home life? We have a kind of unspoken dynamic that keeps us very in tune. We also really support and understand each other which helps any creative process. We make such a great team! This also extends into our parenting life, but we do sometimes struggle to find that work/life balance. We try to disconnect and focus on family when we have time off.
Tell us something your fans may not know about you? While my characters are very bold and outspoken, I am the kind of person that likes to blend into the background.
What are your top three streaming series this year? New Amsterdam, High Maintenance, and The Undoing.
