She’s an actor, a writer, a creator… but to many South Africans, Julia Anastasopoulos feels like family.
Johannesburg, South Africa (03 September 2025) – Some people light up a room when they walk in. Julia Anastasopoulos lights up the whole country (when she is on our screens). The talented South African has created characters and cultural touchstones that get South Africans laughing, thinking and even seeing themselves a little clearer.
On this week’s “Good Things with Brent Lindeque”, I had the absolute joy of sitting down with Julia.
Well… with Julia, Suzelle DIY, Tali Babes and Natalie.
Or more so, we chatted about them, we got the stories behind them, the voices, the quirks… and chatted about the journey that Julia has been on in the last decade.
Julia calls herself an actor, writer, and creator, but she’s also an innovator, a storyteller, and a master of capturing the heart of South African life. From the YouTube magic of Suzelle DIY (“because anybody can”) to the chaos and comedy of Tali’s Wedding Diary and Tali’s Baby Diary, she’s built characters that feel like old friends. Characters we laugh at, laugh with and sometimes secretly admit remind us of ourselves.
Born in Cape Town, Julia started her career in theatre before moving into illustration and eventually video content. But it was Suzelle DIY, the YouTube series created with her husband Ari Kruger, that changed everything. What began as a quirky internet experiment turned into a viral sensation, introducing South Africans to the loveable, pink-lipped DIY queen who could “make a braai pie” and fix just about anything (with a little help from Marianne, of course).
Since then, Julia has proven that her creativity has no limits. With Tali’s Wedding Diary, she gave us the ultimate Joburg princess with a sense of humour as big as her hair extensions. And then, with Tali’s Baby Diary and Tali’s Joburg Diary, she took us deeper into the character’s world, always balancing satire with something surprisingly real and relatable.
“Suzelle was the start; it was something that was scratching a creative itch. I am not sure how it all happened but Suzelle DIY changed my life for the better.”
This is a special episode. A really powerful chat. You can watch the full podcast below and join in on the conversation.
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