SA-born actress Alice Krige talks top roles - from Star Trek to Chariots of Fire

CapeTalk host Pippa Hudson chats to SA-born actress Alice Krige.

• South African-born actress Alice Krige says she had a very fortunate start to her acting career

• Krige has played a range of phenomenal characters both on stage and on screen

• Most recently, she stars in the British drama series, The Syndicate, which dropped on Britbox earlier this month

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Veteran actress and South African export Alice Krige says she'll always hold fond memories of her major breakout role in the classic Chariots of Fire.

Krige first came to international attention when she starred in Chariots of Fire in 1981.

"That was a very privileged and fortunate launching pad", she tells CapeTalk.

Krige has gone on to amass a substantial body of work on stage and on screen, including her famous role as The Borg Queen in Star Trek.

Currently, she stars in the third season of the popular British drama series, The Syndicate, which dropped on Britbox earlier this month, where she plays the role of Lady Hazelwood.

Krige chats to CapeTalk host Pippa Hudson about her journey from being a "ballet-obsessed little girl" to reaching global stardom.

The Borg Queen was a fascinating character to play and it was quite an extraordinary experience because I worked an 18-hour day for 14 straight days because the make-up took so long... I was just kind of floating at the end.

Alice Krige, actress

I knew nothing about Star Trek. I grew up before South Africa had television so there's kind of a huge black hole where my pop culture knowledge is meant to be. I discovered all about the Star Trek universe some years after the film screened.

Alice Krige, actress

I think it's an extraordinary privilege to be able to go back and forth [between film, TV, and theatre] and each one has a specific set of challenges.

Alice Krige, actress

I headed off onto the path of drama and finally came into the United Kingdom to finish my training, then by sheer good luck and chance, through the agency of a fellow student... I got the role in Chariots of Fire. That was a very privileged and fortunate launching pad.

Alice Krige, actress

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