Entertainment South Wales are proud to present a quick fire introduction with our new columnist, the actress and writer Danielle Fahiya also known as The Welsh Exotic, Danielle will be keeping us updated with several projects she is involved in, in the coming months but first of all lets find out more about Danielle.
Do you have a nickname?
No nicknames except a close friend once remarked that because of my multiple ethnicities I was like the ‘UN’ and shortly after The Welsh Exotic followed.
Tell us three dead or alive guests you’d like to dine with?
Ken Loach- he would bring the intellect, conversation and wise perspective, Sade- she would bring the class, beauty and talents and Marlon Brando- he was a firecracker in all aspects of his life with an enormous amount of talent and a great campaigner for equality so a chance to chat with him would be thrilling to say the least!
What does The Welsh Exotic mean to you?
Well it is obviously a nod to my outward appearance in terms of exotic ethnicities but it is also a part of me that fully embraces my feminity and it’s power; women are powerful and we should acknowledge that.
For too long women have been considered as secondary to men and now more than ever in politically turbulent times we need to raise our voices and stand strong in the many accomplishments and obstacles we have overcome, so The Welsh Exotic brand is also reaffirming women’s strength, beauty and power.
What’s the future for The Welsh Exotic brand?
I am in the final steps of my illustration being launched, my vlogging site being set up as well as merchandise being created including t-shirts with my illustration and sassy quotes that I have coined.
Aside from the business and brand work your main profession is as an actress and writer so tell me what you have recently been up to?
I have not long returned from a playwriting retreat in beautiful bonny Scotland called Moniack Mhor; it really was an awakening for me in unearthing my true playwright voice and because of that has made me clear on the stories that I am compelled to write.
I was supported on this trip by Arts Council Wales who I have recently received funding from to develop my writing ideas further in particular a BAME female migrant verbatim piece that I am currently in a research and development stage of. I will also be supported by National Theatre Wales on this and my mentor Rani Moorthy of Rasa Theatre. In terms of my acting I recently played the lead role in ‘RATS- Rose Against the System‘ in June at the Wales Millennium Centre and will be reprising my role in October for a Halloween children’s show.
Danielle will return to entertainmentsouthwales.com soon with her first column.
- Follow Danielle on Twitter @TheWelshExotic
- Read Danielle’s Blog at daniellefahiya.wordpress.com