Photos: Kellie Blizard
In her own words, Gemma-Jayde Naidoo “came out of the womb a shimmy-shaking spotlight-stealer” and she has been proudly performing ever since.
“When I played Cinderella in kindergarten, I was already a scene-stealer and Mum said whenever she looked at me, I’d be mouthing everyone else’s lines because I wanted to be the star of the show all of the time!” she says of her first taste of fame.
Growing up in the South African port city of Durban, it was clear from the get-go that Gemma-Jayde – who recently appeared onscreen playing single mum Cherry in TV3’s award-winning comedy Madam – was destined for the spotlight.
“Virtually before I could talk, I’d pretend I had my own talk show,” says Gemma-Jayde, 28. “We still have videos of me interviewing my grandmother, making her sit down and answer my questions.”
Then tragedy struck when Gemma-Jayde was just 11.
“South Africa isn’t always the safest place and one day someone broke into my uncle’s house. My grandmother [on her mother’s side] was home alone and we tragically lost her during that home invasion.”
That heartbreaking event was the catalyst for Gemma-Jayde and her parents to move to New Zealand.
“I was 13 when we arrived in Auckland and I couldn’t believe there were no fences around people’s houses,” she recalls. “Or they were tiny little things that wouldn’t keep anyone out. It wasn’t until we left South Africa that I realised how dangerous it was there. Our whole lives had revolved around staying safe.”
Gemma-Jayde went from having loads of cousins and friends to play with, to it being just her mum and dad, an uncle and aunt, and their new baby. But moving to Aotearoa also helped Gemma-Jayde’s family heal.
“I was quite young when we lost my grandmother, so I didn’t fully understand the weight of it,” she shares. “I only realise now how hard it must have been for my parents.
“Culturally, too, within the Indian community, we don’t really talk about trauma. That’s just how we are, so it was really special when Mum started talking to me about how we were feeling and how we were coping.”
Since coming to New Zealand, Gemma-Jayde’s mother Priscilla Naidoo has even trained in trauma-informed healing, and Gemma-Jayde more recently as a Pilates instructor. One day, the caring pair hopes to open a wellness studio.
“It’s helped that we’ve made lots of new friends here because the minute one South African Indian knows you’re someplace, they all reach out,” explains Gemma-Jayde. “Like my uncle’s neighbour’s brother was here, and his neighbour was like, ‘Oh, I’ll give you his number,’ so our network has grown a lot in 15 years.”
The performing arts, notably dance and acting, have also helped Gemma-Jayde find her people. In 2022, she graduated from the prestigious Actors’ Programme. Since then, she has landed some great roles on stage and screen. Some of which include Shortland Street, a role in the Netflix series The Wilds and numerous ads.
But it was after being cast in TV3’s Madam last year, alongside A-listers Rachel Griffiths and Danielle Cormack, that Gemma-Jayde really started to get noticed.
“That was my first time working full-time on a series and it was such an honour watching that amazing ensemble of women at work,” she enthuses. “I especially loved learning how different people’s processes can be, whether they need to warm up or they just walk on set and then do things on the fly.”
Having now learned a lot about being a performer, Gemma-Jayde has some sound advice to offer younger actors, because while she’s definitely aiming for the stars, her feet are firmly planted on the ground.
“I’d say, ‘Know what your why is. Your driving force,’” she advises. “Because one of the hardest things is keeping that furnace burning, which is why you need to nurture your talent. Whether you take classes, or write and make things with friends, it’s really hard to be a full-time actor. So find something you enjoy and do that to earn a living between acting jobs, and find other ways to connect with people that bring you joy.”
Even though Gemma- Jayde’s motivation for coming to New Zealand was mired in tragedy, she’s turned her grief around and is making the most of every opportunity in her new homeland.
And as for what her beloved grandmother would say if she could see her granddaughter doing so well, Gemma-Jayde is certain of the answer.
She shares, “I have such happy memories of my grandmother looking after me when I was little and I know if she could see me now, she’d be happy that I’m doing what I love and she’d be so proud.”
Gemma-Jayde is appearing in Auckland Theatre Company’s A Mixtape for Maladies at Auckland’s ASB Waterfront Theatre from March 4 to 23. For tickets, see aaf.co.nz.
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