Refilwe Maitisa, a young South African actress, singer & model, is flying the South African flag high in New York. She recently graduated top of her class, summa cum laude, from the prestigious New York University (NYU), Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama and Minor in the Business of Entertainment, Media & Technology.
She was also awarded the Drama Banner Bearer Award for Top Student in Leadership and Academics at Tisch Drama, Outstanding Achievement in Studio Award for The Classical Studio, for acting, University Honors Scholar and selected by Tisch as the Student Representative for Tisch Drama.
After Refilwe gave a speech at her graduation, the Associate Chair of the Drama Department, Nathan Flower said, “It is clear that Refilwe has exemplified the artistic, collaborative and community values and ideals that our drama community strives to practice.” The Director of The Classical Studio, Daniel Spector, lamented, “Will there ever be another like her again?”
Refilwe was also nominated for the Princess Grace Award in 2021 – a national award recognizing extraordinary emerging artists in the US.
In 2019, she made her Off-Broadway debut in the original musical Humanity’s Child staged in New York. Refilwe can be seen in the South African blockbuster film, Zulu Wedding which won the Pan African Film & Arts Festival 2020 award for Best Narrative Feature. She played the role of Young Lungile Sabata.
Before the Big Apple
After completing matric with six distinctions in 2015 from Crawford College, Lonehill in South Africa; Refilwe went to study at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles and received an Associate Degree in Drama before transferring to NYU.
In high school, she was named a Top 10 Vocalist at the South African Talent Championship in 2014 and chosen to attend the 64th Actors, Models & Talent for Christ SHINE Conference in Florida, USA where she received the 3rd Place Overall Female Teen Actor Award and 3rd Place Overall Teen Singer Award. She was the first student to win the Crawford’s Got Talent show in 2011 at the age of thirteen and she later wrote the school’s first official song.
Refilwe applies her creativity in various artistic ways. She was awarded the Josh Goldfaden Award at NYU for her leadership, impact and contribution to writing. She later directed and staged a new play in less than 24 hours at the annual 24-Hour Play Festival at Tisch.
“I’m passionate about creating and being part of projects that empower, encourage and enlighten people to rise above where they are into something better. I choose to do this through singing and acting,” said Refilwe. “I’m motivated by the innate desire to see a vision come to life. A vision coming to life means that there is transformation and transformation means that lives are changed”, she concluded.
The 24-year-old is presently auditioning for roles in both South Africa and the US whilst taking classes to keep her acting sharp.
