Talie Gray’s big break in the Tanzanian film industry with The Christmas Run

For a young actor who had never taken on a lead role in the US, landing a principal character in Tanzania was a crash course in accountability.

“My experience here taught me just how much responsibility comes with carrying a story,” Talie Gray shares. “You can rehearse all you want, memorise lines, but once you step into character, it's about holding the emotion and rhythm of a narrative all the way through. That was new for me.”

Born Natalie Mgonja, aka Talioso, a Tanzanian creative, is not one to be boxed into a single identity. 

Born in Tanzania but raised in the US, she carries a duality that bleeds into every creative expression she births.

Whether she’s curating immersive retreats, organising transformative events, or stepping into character on stage or film, Talie is centred on one mission—bringing ideas to life.

“I think of myself as a creative, or at least I hope I am,” she laughs. “I like giving life to concepts—mine and other people’s. Sometimes it’s a visual, sometimes it’s a mood, sometimes it’s a feeling that needs to be captured and shared.”

Talie’s creative evolution didn’t follow a straight line. Her educational background is rooted in communication studies, which she pursued at California State University of Long Beach.

Before that, there were flirtations with business and psychology—both abandoned with the realisation that they weren’t the right containers for her empathy or energy.

“I loved psychology,” she says, “but I realised I was too much of an empath to make a career out of being a therapist. I absorb energy too deep”

What drew her to communication studies was the sheer range it offered—from non-verbal cues to cultural messaging, from debate to performance.

It became the perfect channel for her natural curiosity and expressive flair. That same curiosity is what led her into acting.

Her first taste came in high school when her mother, recognising her passion, enrolled her in an acting and modelling school in Orange County.

“It was a short course, but it laid my foundation. Modelling was never really my thing—I’m 5’1”, so I was never going to do runway seriously,” she smiles. “But the training helped me become confident in front of a camera, and that confidence has stayed with me.”

After high school, life took Talie through a wave of transitions. She did a few auditions, booked minor runway shows, and then life, as it tends to do, interrupted with distractions—school, friends, football games, and homecoming dances.

When the acting school shut down, her formal journey paused. But the spark never went out.

In her early twenties, Talie signed with an agency in the U.S. and began auditioning seriously again. But then came a shift.

“I decided to move back to Tanzania. I just felt called to be closer to home,” she recalls. “I told myself, ‘If acting is really meant for me, it’ll find me again in Africa.”

She initially imagined Johannesburg or Nairobi as potential bases, drawn by their booming creative industries. Instead, she landed in Dar es Salaam, where new doors started to open. Not immediately through acting—but through a different form of creativity.

“I started organising events, curating experiences, and retreats. I really loved that, and I didn’t want to let it go. It felt purposeful.”

Then came the unexpected intersection: Black Unicorn Studios.

“They popped up, and I thought, ‘Wait, who are these guys?’ They seemed like they were onto something fresh and exciting. I auditioned for everything they did—Binti, the stage plays—but something always came up. I was either travelling or couldn’t commit.”

She landed her first lead role in a feature film—The Christmas Run.

A powerful debut in a story that would go on to mark a significant milestone for Tanzanian film.

“It was the right project, the right people, and the right time. Everything about it just fell into place.”

What made The Christmas Run stand out wasn’t just the role—it was the process.

“We were supposed to shoot the whole movie in 8 days. We wrapped in 10,” she recalls. “In the U.S., a feature would typically take at least a month. But here, we had to piece everything together.”

There were no trailers. No sprawling teams. Just passion, grit, and a small unit of people willing to build something meaningful from scratch. Yet, she wouldn't have it any other way.

“It was such a grounding way to experience film. There’s something about building something from the ground up with people who genuinely care.”

For Talie, this wasn’t just about stepping into character—it was about helping to build an industry.

“There’s so much potential here. I think Tanzania is just scratching the surface of what it can offer in film. Being part of that beginning... I’ll look back one day and say, ‘We did that.’”

Today, Talie juggles multiple hats. She’s an experience curator, an actress, and above all, a storyteller.

“I tell stories through Instagram, through events, through film. That’s my through-line. I want people to feel something.”

Her days are filled with producing events, working on creative content, and dreaming up new retreats that fuse self-discovery with connection. Acting, once sidelined, now holds equal weight in her heart.

“If more opportunities come, I’ll take them. I’ve realised I want more of it. Acting and curating—they’re head-to-head right now in my life.”

She continues to build her brand on her own terms, tapping into a global upbringing while honouring her Tanzanian roots. For Talie, this is only the beginning.

“I get to live out that passion through the work I do, and that’s very, very, very fulfilling.” says Talie

Recently, she found herself leaning more intentionally into her spirituality

While she was raised in a Christian household, singing in the choir and attending church every Sunday, her current connection with God is more integrated into her daily life and decisions.

She doesn’t preach, but she gently invites others to feel what she’s feeling.

“I’m like, here’s a taste. I won’t force my opinion on you but try going inwards and if it resonates, do more of that” shares Talie

As she continues to evolve, Talie has become increasingly intentional with how she spends her time, the stories she shares, and the energy she surrounds herself with.