South Africans have always had an interesting sense of humour. We defuse complex situations with satire and deal with hardships through laughter. And no one taps into this sense of humour like SuzelleDIY, a.k.a. Julia Anastasopoulos.
A silver lining from the city of gold
Julia Anastasopoulos was born in South Africa in 1983. The daughter of an art teacher, Anastasopoulos was inspired from a young age to express herself creatively. This inspiration transpired in an eclectic career as illustrator, designer, actress and artist. She completed her BA degree majoring in Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town in 2004.
Rise to fame
Anastasopoulos rose to fame in May 2014 when she became an internet phenomenon with her DIY web series, SuzelleDIY. When she’s not causing widespread fits of laughter, her illustrations and designs keep her busy;  these can be seen on the website Knolc. She is also currently busy with a children’s book.
Things you didn’t know about Julia Anastasopoulos
- She has a range of plush toys called ‘knolcs’
- She was on the Dean’s Merit List at UCT for her academic prowess
- She won the Eskom Energy Efficient Lighting Design Competition in 2008 with her Peg Light design.
- She’s starred in numerous plays and theatre productions
- Her illustrations can also be seen on the walls of the MyCiTi bus stations and The  Book Lounge in Cape Town
- Her design skills aren’t limited to visual art, as she also designed the set for Vigil at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in 2013
- In 2014 she received a reward from Channel24 for South Africa’s favourite online celebrity