Interview by Sarah-Eve Leduc
Photos by Ben Cope
Dynamic and inspirational, Ines Camilia Tazi has made it her life’s work to use her gifts to change the world. Ines, who was born and raised in Morocco, has always been very passionate about the arts and creative endeavours. She started composing poems at an early age and quickly realized she had a talent for using words to convey intricate feelings and concepts. Ines continued to explore her artistic side as she got older and honed her abilities as a writer, painter, and musician.
In addition to her artistic endeavours, Ines is a passionate supporter of social justice and human rights. Her love for giving back has inspired her to collaborate with a variety of organizations that focus on community development and empowerment and projects that aim to strengthen vulnerable areas. She has worked with women’s groups in Morocco to provide support and resources to survivors of domestic violence, and has also been involved in initiatives aimed at promoting education and literacy among children and young people. Through her diverse talents and tireless commitment to making a difference in the world, Ines Camilia Tazi is a force and inspiration to women around the world.
Can you tell us a little bit more about you, who Ines Tazi is, your childhood and the influences that made you who you are?
It is difficult to answer this question briefly but to sum it up I have always been interested in fashion and theatre, as well as business and politics. Sometimes when I was a teenager I had debates on why fashion or sport was not inclusive enough, everything felt inter-connected for me. Like all young adults, I then had to decide on what to study, and what choice to make for my career and I had a hard time finding an answer that would truly make me feel fulfilled. This is probably why I ended up having three very distinct career paths in my twenties. First as a political economy student in London, then as a beauty-tech entrepreneur in Dubai and lastly as a TV reality personality in LA. I love the idea that you can pivot, learn new skills and eventually connect the dots. I have been influenced by various -and sometimes contradictory- things growing-up but I think it is the challenge of adulthood to grow in a way that you can combine your passions and engagements (just like the Japanese concept of ‘Ikigai’).
At only 15 years old, you undertook your first mission to support single mothers in Morocco. What made you do this at such a young age?
Growing up in Morocco, I was born into a family of strong women for whom many were involved in social work. It has given me a unique perspective on the power of advocacy and the importance of speaking up for what is right. I think I was a feminist before understanding the concept. I just spontaneously asked questions about social justice very early on to my parents. I also recently found a post I added on instagram when I was 15 years old writing a paper on Women’s inequality. I guess I always questioned my privileges and how to leverage it for others who did not have what I was lucky to have. I don’t pretend to know what is the best way to have an impact but I don’t think being too dogmatic is good either! It is important to be conscious of the power of influence and use our privileges for a greater cause than our person! Even if it is done in a clumsy way.
After completing your degree in political economy, you spent 8 years in London. You then decided to pursue acting in Paris. What made you switch from these very two different worlds?
I wanted to explore my different passions and so I decided to take some of my holidays to try acting for myself, not as a career at first. I was lucky to be born into a family with a strong focus on creativity, especially in music, theatre and fashion. Very early on was doing shows to my family that I was writing or improvising, creating outfits and characters to entertain everyone! I think this gave me the tool to learn to express myself following my very own logic. But whilst fashion is a great way for me to interact with the outside world, acting has been helping me look inward, and it has been almost therapeutic for me.
Tell us a little bit about your experience doing The Circle: France. How was it to apply, and to live the experience?
I would have never bet on me doing any unscripted TV ever! I personally never grew up watching shows like this, although I now grew to love them! Regarding “The Circle,” I received a DM from the casting whilst I was living in London and we were filming in Manchester. It was fun, unusual and surprisingly convenient, I did not overthink it when I accepted to meet the casting team! However, the crazy experience was live a ‘lockdown’ experience two months before a global pandemic. My fellow cast and I were all physically isolated, and all communication was going through ‘The Circle’ social media, which was very strategic and stressful at times! I loved the concept of the game and being able to feel that my brain could make me win the game without any interaction or pre-conception that we have in the physical world! I was super intense in every way!
Perfect Match is a total roller coaster of emotions in a short period. How was your experience on that show?
This was a completely different experience but the intensity was certainly there! Interacting with other celebrities, and looking for love, was something I had no idea how to manage. This is probably why in retrospect, the audience could relate to some of my experience there! I was feeling that I had a responsibility to be mentally, physically and emotionally strong to represent the woman that I would have liked my younger nieces to see on Netflix! It was an exercise that I was not ready for but I truly believe that embracing your vulnerability makes you feel more empowered and adaptable! I learned so much about both my surroundings and myself, and that is something I am very grateful for.
In the show, you have experienced being matched with many different people. If you could only choose one, which match was the one that stole your heart the most? And why?
I like to think that my one perfect match was the friendship I developed with a fellow citizen of yours! The Toronto-born Dom RomCom haha, became one of my best friends and I know that it is a match that is here to stay. We just both had a platonic connection, and have such different backgrounds and tastes but we have the same core values, and to me this is meaningful. From TV to reality, this is the most genuine thing that happened to me on Perfect Match! I am also very close with Chloe, Anne-Sophie, and Abbey..
Are you still in search of your perfect match?
Haha, this is a great question! I am not actively researching anything, I am going with the flow, I am working a lot on my future project at the moment and this is taking up most of my brain space. However, when it comes to love, I will try to always look for it with the same enthusiasm, a little bit of innocence with a good dose of self-knowledge!
