Having first broken into the industry as the dancing sensation called Charmaine on Backstage, seasoned actress Lorcia Cooper says her latest role as Rochelle Booysen in Paradys may be one of the timidest yet nurturing characters she has played to date.
The 47-year-old thespian, also known for portraying the cutthroat prison boxing champion and gang leader Tyson in prison drama Lockdown, is relishing the opportunity to step into a very different kind of role: a mother navigating family and community struggles in the new SABC2 drama.
In an interview with Sowetan, Cooper talks about her new character and how it offers an opportunity to celebrate the Coloured community in ways she claims have rarely been seen on free-to-air television before.
