Tanit Phoenix (born 24 September 1980) is a South African

fashion model A model is a person with a role either to promote, display or advertise commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creating works of art or to pose for photography. Thoug ...

, actress and makeup artist. She is known for her swimwear and

lingerie Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fash ...

photo shoots after appearing in a ''

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue The ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue is published annually by American magazine ''Sports Illustrated'' and features female fashion models, celebrities and athletes wearing swimwear in various locales around the world. The highly coveted co ...

'' in 2003 and in '' GQ'' magazine and ''

FHM ''FHM'' (For Him Magazine) is a British multinational men's lifestyle magazine that was published in several countries. Its master edition contained features such as the ''FHM'' 100 Sexiest Women in the World, which has featured models, actres ...

'' in the same year.

Early life

Tanit Phoenix was born in

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

, KwaZulu-Natal, and is of Dutch and Irish descent.

Modelling career

Phoenix began her career in Durban, South Africa at the age of 14, after being discovered by a modelling scout in her hometown, Westville. She has appeared in international TV commercials for Adidas,

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlant ...

, Volvic water, Aqua-mineral, Visine,

Schweppes Schweppes (, ) is a beverage brand that originated in the Republic of Geneva; it is made, bottled and distributed worldwide by multiple international conglomerates, depending on licensing and region, that manufacture and sell soft drinks. Schw ...

, American Swiss Jewellery, Citroën C3,

Nivea Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...

Alberto VO5 Alberto-Culver was an American corporation with international sales whose principal business was manufacturing hair and skin beauty care products under such brands as Alberto VO5, Andrew Collnge, St. Ives (skin care products), TRESemmé, FDS ...

Aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

, Transition Lenses,

Volvic Volvic () is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. The church at Volvic is dedicated to “St Priest” ( Projectus), who is reputed to have been killed here in 676 AD. Population International relations ...

, Distractions lingerie campaign and

Veet Veet, formerly called Neet and Immac, is a Canadian brand of chemical depilatory products manufactured by the British company Reckitt. Hair removal cream, Lotions, gel, mousse, and wax products are produced under this brand, with differing variant ...

television commercials and campaign which she held for 5 years. Phoenix appeared in the European TV ad for Fa shower gel, skydiving. She was then chosen to be a cover girl for German ''Maxim'' in 2004 after being named "Who's That Girl?" at the Woman of the Year German Maxim awards in 2003, and then appeared on the cover of American ''Maxim'' the year after. She was ranked #5 in the ''FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World'' poll of South African FHM readers in 2004, #6 in 2005, #10 in 2006, #40 in 2007. In 2011 Phoenix won "IGN's Sexiest woman of the year". She was the most popular girl ever photographed for Babeology by

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

. She has appeared on the cover of South African ''Cosmopolitan'' four times, South African and American ''

'' numerous times, ''Legacy'', ''Indwe'', South African '' Marie Claire'', German and South African ''Shape'' and South African '' GQ'' magazines, and has frequently been shot for ''

''. In May 2014 Tanit Phoenix appeared on the cover for ''Maxim'' South Africa.

Acting career

Phoenix began her acting career with a brief appearance as one of Jared Leto's girlfriends in the 2005 film ''

Lord of War ''Lord of War'' is a 2005 American crime drama film written, produced, and directed by Andrew Niccol, and co-produced by and starring Nicolas Cage. The film was released in the United States on September 16, 2005, to positive reviews and grosse ...

'', and the South African-Canadian mystery series ''

Charlie Jade ''Charlie Jade'' is a science fiction television series filmed mainly in Cape Town, South Africa. It stars Jeffrey Pierce in the title role, as a detective from a parallel universe (fiction), parallel universe who finds himself trapped in our univ ...

'' as Malachi's associate in the episode "Things Unseen". In 2007 she filmed a role in '' Gallowwalkers'', opposite

Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist. His prominent film roles include '' Major League'' (1989), ''New Jack City'' (1991), '' White Men Can't Jump'' (1992), '' Passenger 57'' (1992), '' ...

. The film was not released until it went to video in 2013. In 2008 she appeared in the thriller ''Kamasutra Nights'' (also known as ''Maya''). In 2010, she starred in the horror film '' Lost Boys: The Thirst'' and in the

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

''Spud'' opposite John Cleese. In 2011, Phoenix appeared in the TV series ''Femme Fatales'', where she was the narrator of the show and appeared for a snippet of every episode. She also had a minor role in ''Safe House'', and plays the sexy antagonist alongside

Leon Schuster Leon Ernest "Schuks" Schuster (born 21 May 1951) is a South African filmmaker, comedian, actor, prankster and singer. Early life Schuster was drawn to the filmmaking process at an early age. As a child he and his brother would play practical ...

in the 2012 movie ''

Mad Buddies ''Mad Buddies'' is a 2012 South African comedy film directed by Gray Hofmeyr, co-written by Gray Hofmeyr and Leon Schuster, and starring Leon Schuster, Kenneth Nkosi, Tanit Phoenix and Alfred Ntombela. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures acquir ...

''. Phoenix starred in ''

Death Race 2 ''Death Race 2'' is a 2010 American science fiction action film directed by Roel Reiné, written by Tony Giglio and Paul W. S. Anderson. It is the second installment in the ''Death Race'' film series. The film serves as a prequel to '' Death ...

'' and '' Death Race 3: Inferno'' alongside

Luke Goss Luke Damon Goss (born 29 September 1968) is an English actor, and drummer of the 1980s band Bros. He has appeared in numerous films including ''Blade II'' (2002) as Jared Nomak, ''One Night with the King'' (2006) as King Xerxes, '' Hellboy II ...

and

Danny Trejo Danny Trejo ( ; born May 16, 1944) is an American actor. He has appeared in films including ''Desperado'', ''Heat'', and the ''From Dusk Till Dawn'' film series. With frequent collaborator and his second cousin Robert Rodriguez, he portrayed ...

and reprised her role as Eve Wilson in '' Spud 2: The Madness Continues''.

Make-up artist career

In 2013, Phoenix took her first job as the key makeup artist and designer of the character Jimmy on the P.O.V. action film ''

Hardcore Henry ''Hardcore Henry'' (also known simply as ''Hardcore'' (russian: Хардкор) in some countries) is a 2015 science fiction action film written and directed by Ilya Naishuller (in his feature directorial debut), and produced by Timur Bekmambeto ...

''. Jimmy was played by her husband Sharlto Copley. She transformed him into 11 different characters.

Personal life

Phoenix has been in a relationship with actor

Sharlto Copley Sharlto Copley (born 27 November 1973) is a South African actor. His acting credits include roles in the Academy Award-nominated science fiction film ''District 9'', the 2010 adaptation of ''The A-Team'', the science fiction film ''Elysium'', t ...

since January 2012. On 15 February 2016, they married in Cape Town, South Africa, and announced their first child together on 1 January 2017. Phoenix resides with her husband alternating between their houses in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

and

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. Phoenix is a

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...

Filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Phoenix, Tanit South African television actresses Actors from Durban South African people of Dutch descent South African people of Irish descent South African female models South African expatriates in the United States Living people 1980 births Afrikaner people