Cape Town – Eleven-year-old actor from Stellenbosch, Caleb Payne, has his eyes set on Hollywood following his nomination in the Feature Film Leading Youth Artist category for a Young Artist Academy Award for his role in the 2021 movie, Good Life.
The movie is about Olive Pappadopoulous, an Oral Hygienist who flees Cape Town for Greece after some heartbreak. However, she is faced with hostile local villagers. Amidst all the animosity she receives, she is befriended by a 7-year-old refugee (played by Caleb Payne) who teaches her how to live “The Good Life”.
Along with being the first South African nominated for this award, the starlet could also go down in the history books as the first South African to win it.
According to News24, Payne said he was at his aunt’s house in Bloemfontein when his dad informed him of the news.
“At first, I thought it was just a small nomination. But when I got home and realised what it was, it’s a massive, massive thing,” the young actor said.
It certainly is “massive” considering past winners of the Young Artist Academy Award include icons such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Ryan Reynolds, Julia Roberts, and Johnny Depp.
Payne, speaking to Cape Talk, explained how he first got into the world of acting: “I was about 6-years-old when I did a Christmas commercial market, and one director came to my dad and suggested I come into film.”
The 43rd Young Artist Academy Awards takes place on October, 2 in Los Angeles.
Caleb’s parents have set up a Back a Buddy account in order to raise funds for flights and accommodation to and in the US around the award ceremony and press.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Instagram/ @thecalebpayne
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
