Manolita Grech had started making television appearances at the age of 29, debuting in Evanġelisti. She then went on to have a main role in Deċeduti as Rosie. She’s also played several roles in Min Imissu, with her most popular roles being Dolly and Mary Spitfire. She then had a three year break from TV after giving birth to her daughter.
Date of Birth: 6th February, 1981
Location: Marsascala
Star Sign: Aquarius
Media-related occupation: Producer and presenter
Manolita is now working on a new project, ShowOff TV, with Owen Bonnici, where she hosts the show and also produces it.
Can you recall the first time you had performed in front of an audience?
My first experience on stage was in Form 1 Secondary school. I loved it instantly! I remember being very excited before going on stage, but once I was up there, it felt like going into a different world, and had no record of what was going on. I still get the same feeling when I’m performing.
You’re an aromatherapist by day and an actress/presenter by night. How would you describe all these in a nutshell?
They’re both part of who I am. The performing side of me lets out my creativity, my emotions , my perception of the world in general, and my sense of escapism as well. Aromatherapy would be the holistic side of me. Mind you, I do get to express my creative side as well through it. It’s not solely about massage, as it can involve preparing remedies and/or home-made cosmetics, which I love doing.
Any behind-the-scenes anecdotes you could share with us?
The person that I am behind the scenes is sensitive, quieter, messy, clumsy, and all-over-the-place.
What are the most important qualities in an actress?
I think acting boils down to imagination and emotions – the ability to give life to your perception of the world by being able to get carried away and portray different emotions in a disciplined manner.
What has so far been your greatest achievement in your career?
I can’t really say. I think it’s all been made up of some very important steps.
Image credit: Matthew Cutajar Icam
How would you promote the media scene to the younger generation?
I think a big part of the Maltese population doesn’t follow the local television scene because local productions can’t be compared or compete with international ones. This is because Malta is a small market, and resources and finances are limited. It’s only fair to state however, that there’s been a lot of improvement over the past few years. I would ask the younger generation to support local productions and talent. I myself was one of those who never watched local television until I became involved in the scene, and know first-hand how hard people in this sector work to make something happen, be it the actors, producers, scriptwriters and so on.
