What was supposed to be an exciting debut into the acting industry quickly turned into a sour moment for South African actress Jada McGowan, who went viral on TikTok after a clip of her scene in “Generations: The Legacy” was shared on TikTok.
The scene quickly became a viral sound as well as a challenge on TikTok, as critics claimed that her acting skills need some improvement.
However, for the 22-year-old, this turned into an opportunity for her to polish her skills even more because there is always room for improvement.
In a conversation with “Independent Media Lifestyle”, McGowan revealed that the online backlash motivated her to work even harder.
McGowan shared: “It didn’t have any impact on me at all. It motivated me even more, you know, to work harder and sharpen my craft because one thing I’ve always said from the beginning is that I know I’m not perfect and there’s always room for improvement.
“So it wasn’t a thing of I’m going to sit in the corner and cry. I can’t take too much from the trolls, the hate and the negativity because I won’t let one clip and haters outshine my whole mindset and my confidence. I’m going to continue pursuing, pushing and doing the most,” McGowan revealed.
The AFDA graduate further added that being in the public eye comes with criticism, and she made sure that she was prepared for it, the good and the bad.
Hailing from Durban, McGowan landed a role on one of Mzansi’s popular soapies, “Generations: The Legacy”, as Mellisa, a middle-class girl and content creator.
For the rising star, this role was a dream come true, as she had aspired to be an actress since she was a child.
“Since Grade 3, I’ve always said I want to be an actress.” She added, “I want to tell stories, I want to be a storyteller, I want to make films about the stuff that I went through in life.”
When asked how she felt seeing herself on national television for the first time, McGowan revealed that it was exciting because not only did she make herself proud, but also made her late grandmother proud.
“I couldn’t have been more proud. Because I grew up watching ‘Generations’ as well with my grandmother. We’d get so excited and she’d gather us all in front of the TV and she would tell me herself, well now she’s no longer around, but she said to me, ‘One day my child, you’ll be there’,” McGowan said.
McGowan is among the new faces that joined the long-running soapie for its 34th season, including Tinah Mnumzana, Nozuko Ntshangase, Phillip Tipo Tindisa and Sannah Mchunu.
