Bio
Dorette Potgieter is a South African actress and model best known for her role as Susan Bosman on the M-Net soap opera Egoli, from 1997-1998.
As of 26 July 2007, Potgieter is playing the role of Gina, a cynical tough cookie and ex-stripper who runs David’s (Jamie Bartlett) underground strip club empire, on e.tv’s soapie Rhythm City.
Born in Stellenbosch in 1973, Potgieter made her acting debut at the age of five in the Afrikaans production 300-Plus, celebrating the tercentenary of Jan van Riebeeck's landing.
At age six she was acting and singing in the musical production of Gigi, followed by The Sound of Music as Brigitta. She worked on radio dramas and various dubbings for South African Television from 1980.
It was in 1989 that Dorette made her debut in film, playing the young Jane in Circles in the Forest, directed by Regardt van den Bergh. Some may remember her as the Timotei girl also launched on SA television in 1989.
At 16, she won a countrywide hair competition with prizes that included a car. She sold the car, finished her remaining two years of school in one at a private school and her career took off.
After matriculating with Drama and Ballet, she pursued a career in theatre, film, and international modelling. She also found time to attend Drama at the University of Stellenbosch, Musical Theatre at Pretoria Technikon, the UCT Ballet School, and a 6-week Film Acting Masters Course at AFDA in Cape Town.
She became a South African soap star in 1997 & 1998 as the "ice queen" Susan Bosman in Egoli Place of Gold, after which she pursued her acting career on the International market.
Other television roles include: "Pitbull Lawyer" Laura Hanekom in the third season of Hard Copy (SABC3), Voete van Goud directed by Rob Riley, Soutmansland and Vleisvreters directed by Gerrit Schoonhoven, Fishy Feshuns on SABC2, Charlie Jade on SABC3, Madam and Eve on e.tv, Villa Rosa on kykNET as Wanda Retief, a cameo appearance in Sorted on SABC3 and Going Up Again, as Leticia Cummings, for SABC2.
She has acted in the feature films Citizen Verdict (2003), The Piano Player (2002), and Africa (1999).
In between shoots and auditions, she busies herself with cabaret at local Arts Festivals, does charity work on the Cape Flats, paints, writes poetry, and gives method-acting tuition.