Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Musetta Vander

Musetta Vander, photo by, C Thomas. Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Musetta Vander

Musetta Vander was born in Durban, South Africa on May 26, 1963. Her original name is, Musetta van der Merwe. She was the daughter of a ballet teacher, putting her on stage as early as four years old. She got married Jeff Celentano, an actor, writer, and director.

Musetta Vander was not raised with the most basic of modern conveniences such as televisions but she had the opportunity to have formal education. She graduated and earned B.A. in communications and psychology.

Musetta Vander qualified as a ballet teacher shortly after completing school and was part of various dances performances such as Giselle, Coppelia and The Student Prince and Showboat during her childhood. Apart from being extremely talented dancer, she performed in numerous productions such as musicals and solo dance pieces.

In 1997, Vander portrayed Sindel in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. She also appeared as anchor host for a South African music video channel; appeared in television commercials for Skittles candy, 1999, Heineken beer, 1999, and Prudential Realty, 2006. Here are top 10 facts abouft Musetta Vander.

1.She was raised without the most modern devices

While Musetta Vander was growing up in South Africa, she didn’t have the most basic of modern conveniences such as television. She got introduced to the interesting world of movies through radio programming, childhood books and weekend trips to the drive-in.

South Africa finally got television around the mid-’70s and the big black box in the family living room was introduced. She was however advantaged as her first debuted on stage was at the age of four.

2.She graduated with her BA in Communications and Psychology

Photo by Leon Wu on Unsplash

Many assume that movie stars and celebrities have zero to minimal formal education, however some including Musetta, have graduated. After earning a BA in Communications and Psychology, she then secured the plum job as anchor host for an MTV-like television show in South Africa.

3.She got married to a visiting American

Jeff Celentano, an American who came to visit South Africa, had initially spotted her on television was baffled by her beauty. The two fell in love and he did not hesitate to make her his bride, and took her to America where she had always dreamed of growing her career.

Her career and life took a big change when she moved to Hollywood with Jeff Celentano. Since then, Musetta has performed in numerous feature films, including working with her husband on Under the Hula Moon (1995) and Gunshy (1998).

4.She has worked alongside many celebrities like will smith

Musetta Vander has had the opportunity to work alongside celebrities and screen veterans. These celebrities include Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh and Will Smith in Las Aventuras de Jim West (1999) to George Clooney and John Turturro in Dónde estás, Hermano 2000.

She also worked with John Hurt and Louis Gossett Jr. in Monolith (1993) and she recently had a role in The Cell alongside Jennifer Lopez.  She made guest appearances on the hit shows Viaje a las Estrellas: Voyager (1995), Stargate SG-1 (1997) and Buffy, la cazavampiros (1997).

In the famous adaptation of Molière’s “The Bourgeois Gentleman” at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, she combined both her dance and acting background to make this masterpiece.

5.She made a guest appearance on the popular TV show Boy Meets World

Musetta Vander started rising to fame and begun making guest appearances. Her greatest guest appearance was when she made a guest appearance on the popular TV show Boy Meets World a few years later.

6.Vander is featured in commercials and magazines

Photo by Albert Vincent Wu on Unsplash

Vander is featured in various magazines, including a pictorial in Maxim and a cover on Details. Vander also appeared in commercials, including those for Lancôme, Sanyo, McDonald’s, Diet Coke, Mercedes, Heineken and Skittles.

Her screen time was not limited as she played various lead characters such as the wife in the comedy Kicking & Screaming, and co-starred in Say It in Russian. She played the lead female character in the thriller Breaking Point and was also in the spoof/comedy Transylmania.

7.She Appeared in more than twenty music videos

Musetta Vander has in total appeared in more than twenty music videos. These music videos have given her a lot of fans. She has done music videos for artists such as Rod Stewart, Amy Grant, Tina Turner, Elton John and Chris Isaak.

What provided her transition to the big screen was her stage performance in the original South African play Soweto’s Burning, about the trials of an interracial friendship in that racially segregated country, South Africa.

8.She has appeared in a wide variety of TV show

The cover art of Hawaii Five-0 (season 4), photo by CBS. Wikimedia commons

Apart from movies, she has also appeared in a wide variety of TV shows. She mostly took part in science fiction and fantasy series, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Stargate SG-1, Star Trek, Voyager, Babylon 5, Xena, Warrior Princess and Highlander the Series version.

The most recent TV credits she did include guest appearances on NCIS, Criminal Minds, Beyond Borders and Hawaii Five-0.

9.She was unable to play the role in the movie Alpha Dog

Despite the various roles she has played in various shows, series and movies, there are some movies that she was not able to play due to various reasons.

In 2006, she was cast for a role in the movie Alpha Dog, but the filming schedule kept changing, and because she was working on another project at the time she was unable to play the part in the end.

10.She once starred in a Christian movie

Photo by Sinziana Susa on Unsplash

Musetta Vander has done a variety of roles and is known for not sticking with a particular niche. For instance, she starred in a Christian movie called Johnny with Lee Majors and played the stepmother of Gattlin Griffith in the horror movie Under the Bed, directed by Steven C. Miller.

Most recently, Vander played a part in the psychological thriller Spreading Darkness with John Savage and Eric Roberts; she also played Tom Sizemore’s love interest in the indie film 5 Hour Friends, directed by Theo Davies.

Musetta Vander is indeed among the few actors who made an amazing career despite not growing up with the most basic of modern conveniences such as television. She got introduced to the interesting world of movies through radio programming, childhood books and weekend trips to the drive-in.

She has played the part of Sindel, mother of Kitana (Talisa Soto) and had one of the most iconic lines in the film Too bad, you will die! Although the film was widely panned by critics, it has found a cult following among fans who hailed it as one of the best Worst-Movie of All.