From the wild jungle to the concrete jungle and then the silver screen, how moving to the UK opened doors I didn’t even know existed…
My childhood was one of adventure and fascination – I was born in Durban, South Africa, not far from where I grew up on an incredible Game Reserve amongst wild animals, created by my father, a hidden wilderness gem situated in the hilly countryside of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Growing up with Elephants, Rhinos and other amazing animals was very different to most kids around the world.
Later, during my journey my parents made the decision for me to immigrate to the UK for education and a stable “security” which later led me to Hotels and then my status in the entertainment industry, I was 10yrs old at the time when I moved. The UK was made a simpler choice by the fact my father was British and knew an education in the UK was, and still is, second to none. The only education superior in my mind is “Life Experience” which we will continue to learn throughout our lives.
Before the age of 8 I had survived snake bite(s), Rhino attacks, Buffalo charges and much more. The adventures I lived in South Africa were like no other, from learning to swim in rivers, to riding elephants, to walking among the wild and facing dangerous encounters. My beloved pets were baby Elephants, Warthogs, a loving Ostrich, and other free spirits which children from the UK had only seen on TV.
I consider myself fortunate to have had such a unique upbringing, thanks to my father’s willingness to chase a dream. That dream involved establishing a safari which channelled wildlife away from captivity around the world and back into the wild, and gave my mum and brother the chance to wildly live-in harmony with nature. I took these dreams with me to the UK where I was able to further my experience and meet loads of new people along the way.
However after finishing my education in the UK I studied Hotel Management in Switzerland before living and working around the World, opening and managing hotels for the majority of my career.
To be exact I have lived and worked in 9 countries, so essentially an immigrant to many but always welcomed in and made to feel at home in each. The beauty of travel opens your mind and views as it exposes you to cultures, traditions, rules, flavours, love, and so much more. It was only after my father went ill did I move back to the UK 7 years ago.
My father is my hero and best friend and sadly in 2014 I lost him to cancer, then I found myself presented with an opportunity in acting and modelling in the UK which I knew was a new and potentially amazing opportunity. Taking the opportunity by the horns I worked my way up, within 3 years I was acting in feature films including Hollywood productions alongside A-Lists Actors such as Brad Pitt & Marion Cotillard in Allied, Liam Neeson in The Commuter and The Transformers The Last Knight all as an extra. I had his first lead-role playing Lee Reynolds in Guide to Get Lucky in 2015 in a short film.
It was the best decision I have ever made as it allowed me to follow very different opportunities, even though I miss my wild childhood adventures, I know I would not be where I am today, if I had chosen to stay in South Africa.
Since moving to the UK I have become an active wildlife conservationist, using my platform to help inform others of how important respecting and supporting the natural world remains. But through acting and other work I have also been involved in commercials representing brands such as BMW, Ford, Argos, Burberry, Oracle and Deutsche Bank. Some of my modelling has been with brands such as Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, GANT & Tommy Hilfiger through El Corte Ingles in Spain and Jacamo & Ben Sherman in the UK. This was made possible by being in a much more commercial environment such as the UK.
Also, the move to the UK allowed me to write and publish a #1 Bestseller based on my extraordinary childhood called “The Boy From the Wild“. Written with International bestselling author Graham Spence, it’s a true story of my life in the wild of Africa and tribute to my late father who created the sanctuary and has been named one of the most inspiring African True stories of recent times. Being in the UK also allowed me to make the documentary around the book which is currently on Google Play and soon to be on Apple TV.
I may be British by birth thanks to my father, where certainly half my life has been in the UK and at least influenced by the UK but I will always feel an immigrant in some ways anywhere in the world based on where I came from and the life I had growing up as it was incredibly unique, exciting and beautifully wild.
For more information, go to: https://petermeyer.com.
