Esta TerBlanche (born 7 January 1973) is a South African actress, best known for her roles on television soap operas in both South Africa and the United States.

Early life

TerBlanche was born in Rustenburg, North West Province. She is of Huguenot descent. She grew up on a game farm, replete with monkeys, cows, horses, sheep, warthogs, and elams.

Career

TerBlanche was crowned Miss Teen South Africa in 1991, and subsequently played Bienkie Naudé Hartman on the South African drama Egoli: Place of Gold from 1992 to 1995.

In 1995, TerBlanche decided not to renew her contract with Egoli and, instead, opted to further her acting career in the U.S.

Within three weeks of arriving in Los Angeles, she found her first job, acting in a hair products commercial. In 1997, TerBlanche was cast in the role of Gillian Andrassy on the American daytime drama All My Children. Gillian, a troublemaking princess, was killed off in 2001 as TerBlanche asked to be written out of the show to move back to South Africa.