Meet the extraordinary Ines Tazi, an international Netflix star and beauty tech entrepreneur making huge moves in the industry.
As a content creator and TV personality, Ines brings her electric energy to any screen, such as in her starring role in the Netflix hit The Circle France and her latest show Perfect Match. Her talents and interests know no bounds as she is equally passionate about fashion, beauty, soccer, and even boxing. With a beauty-tech business, alongside her other pursuits, Ines truly defies boundaries.
We sat down with the multi-faceted icon to delve into her visions for addressing cultural and societal issues, her passion for empowering women and breaking the stereotypes…
Hi Ines! How are you doing?
Hi Wonderland, I am doing fantastic! Thank you for asking! I am taking a bit of time for self-care, to reset and reflect to plan my next steps smartly. Soft feminine power, finding passions, introspection and dedication to hard work can best define this crazy year. I cherish these times allowing me to find anchor and gain perspective. A wise soul recently shared a quote that perfectly encapsulates my current mindset: “You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day – unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”
What came first — your love of acting or drive for activism?
Since I started talking, I was always entertaining the family which allowed me to start exploring my creativity at a young age. I happily participated in shows and performances at schools and this passion stayed with me coming into adulthood. As for activism, that drive emerged later in my life. However, even before fully comprehending the concept, I cared deeply about fairness and equality. I began to really grasp the political dimensions of activism and its potential for making a difference in high school. I had the privilege of working with an amazing charity supporting single mothers in Morocco called Insaf. I believe activism and artistic pursuits both hold the power to transform perspectives and create collective desire for progress.
Your career is multifaceted — having earned a degree in political economy and working in the film/TV industry. How do these intertwine or how do you balance your time?
I think we are starting to normalise being multi-hyphenate. People contain multitudes, but we’re taught that we can only be good at one thing. I am a very curious person. If I could have nine lives—without being a cat—I would sign up for it! I like to be challenged and step out of my comfort zone, even in places where I might feel resentful to do so, because that’s where change needs to happen. However, while I enjoy working in different fields, I strive to find a common ground and meaning behind all my endeavours. Prioritising and pacing myself are exercises I am continuously learning.
What draws you to projects, and more specifically, what excites you about Perfect Match?
I am obsessed with going out of my comfort zone and doing the unexpected. I love surprising myself, getting over my fears, adapting, and eventually looking back feeling proud of what I have done.
For the show Perfect Match, I began questioning a lot of the knowledge I had about myself and love in general during the pandemic. Initially, I faced a lot of criticism from those around me, especially with how formal my work background was but I soon realised the importance of presenting a non-reality TV persona in a reality TV setting. Reality TV needs more authenticity; being relatable is sexy and entertaining too!
What was that experience like?
It was the most intense environment you could imagine, being both emotionally and physically challenging. There was something enticing and fun about being the French Moroccan girl in the group and seeing how my culture and habits would fit into a very American production! I view life as a laboratory where you get to conduct your own experiments and follow your own logic, and this experience was a wild one!
When did you relocate to L.A. and what prompted the move?
I have been travelling the world for the past four years but this year I spent a lot of time in LA and finally decided to move there permanently. LA is the most vibrant cultural hub (with the bonus of having the world’s best breakfast burrito at every street corner). The diversity of talent is incredibly inspiring. I would love to dive deeper into acting and TV but my early love for digital and entrepreneurship are still very important for me. My current priority is solidifying the best team that will enable me to work at my full capacity. I also think LA is a very energy-giving city which is important for driving creative work and providing that motivation necessary for innovation.
What inspired your business Skult?
The inspiration for Skult comes from my upbringing and cultural background, a combination of Moroccan bathing tradition and the effortless French skincare routine. I am also a facialist by training and passionate about product design. Skult is a brand whose story reflects mine, and I am taking time to curate everything before launching. Looking forward to sharing more soon!
You said your goal is for your next projects to be more personal and at the intersection of all your passions and commitments. What exactly would this look like for you?
I think often when you come from unscripted work you can get constrained to stay in that box. But luckily with today’s social media you have the power to create your own narrative and leverage what makes sense for you. I want to go into creative projects that match my passions and commitment level. For example, I would consider working on other unscripted shows that are more inclusive and promote a better, more realistic idea of what love and dating truly is.
Are there any other industries you’d like to venture into?
I thrive across many creative industries—media, entertainment, fashion, and digital. I have an appetite to try different things driven by my need to get out of my comfort zone. In front and behind a camera, I get very involved in the business and the politics of everything I do. I like to understand and industries from the inside out.
Do you have a career highlight?
I find myself rather looking ahead to goals I want to accomplish, so one thing I am eager to explore at this stage is the impact of AI in the creative industry. I am especially curious to see how it will be framed and be framed by behavioural psychology and regulations. AI raises questions that are both daunting and unprecedented on a philosophical, economical, and creative level, so I’m looking forward to seeing what comes from it.