Elyorissa Makanga is a French actress recognized by the public thanks to her role as Thelma Ortega in the daily series Ici Tout Commence, broadcast on TF1. Her first appearance on screen in this fiction dates back to May 2, 2024. Before this role, her journey was built away from the limelight, between Parisian theater workshops and independent short films.
Training in private workshops: the atypical journey of Elyorissa Makanga
Most public profiles merely mention “French actress” without detailing the path taken. Elyorissa Makanga trained in private theater workshops and schools in Paris, complemented by intensive on-camera workshops. This trajectory does not go through the National Conservatory or Fémis.
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This type of training, more flexible and focused on practical stage work, promotes a very physical approach to acting. Elyorissa Makanga cites her experiences on short film sets as foundational in her way of embodying a character.
A journey outside the major national schools also involves building a network differently, often through open auditions and professional platforms dedicated to young actors. To delve deeper into the origins of Elyorissa Makanga, her childhood and cultural influences shed light on her artistic choices.
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Thelma Ortega in Ici Tout Commence: a game-changing role
The arrival of Thelma Ortega in Ici Tout Commence has disrupted the narrative habits of the series. The character arrives with a convertible bought for the occasion, an eccentric personality, and an energy that stands out from the rest of the cast. Her meeting with Solal, who comes to pick her up at the train station at her father’s request, immediately sets up a comedic contrast.
Thelma is not just a passing character. Her story arc confronts her with the world of culinary school, tensions with other characters like Florent, and romantic intrigues that give her real depth. The role has allowed Elyorissa Makanga to showcase a wide range of acting, between physical comedy and more emotional scenes.
What distinguishes this performance is the actress’s ability to make a colorful character believable without falling into caricature. The daily series imposes a fast shooting rhythm, with few takes and long days. Sustaining such an expressive character under these conditions requires a level of endurance that traditional training does not always teach.
Representation on screen: an evolution of French fiction
The arrival of Elyorissa Makanga in a mainstream daily fiction is part of a broader movement. Since 2023, better-written racially diverse characters have multiplied in French series. Screenwriters are giving more depth to these roles, which are no longer limited to secondary narrative functions.
Thelma Ortega illustrates this evolution. The character has her own motivations, contradictions, and a family history that goes beyond mere comedic relief. The descriptive biographies available online do not mention this context, but it highlights the significance of the role beyond entertainment.
Social media as an extension of acting work
Elyorissa Makanga uses Instagram and TikTok in a way that goes beyond simple promotion. She documents the behind-the-scenes of her shoots, shares her doubts as a young actress, and narrates her identity as a young Black French woman in the audiovisual industry. This approach builds a direct connection with her audience, outside traditional media channels.
This personal online storytelling serves several functions:
- Making visible a professional journey that has not yet received the press coverage reserved for headliners
- Creating a community of engaged viewers who follow the actress beyond her character in the series
- Affirming positions on diversity in French cinema, a topic rarely addressed by actresses early in their careers
Short films and film projects: what awaits Elyorissa Makanga
Before Ici Tout Commence, Elyorissa Makanga participated in several short films. These projects, less visible than television series, nevertheless form the foundation of her acting. The short format imposes an economy of means and time that forces actors to quickly find their character.
The transition from short films to daily series and then to feature films follows a familiar progression in French cinema. The visibility offered by TF1 opens doors that short film festivals, despite their artistic value, cannot always unlock.
The skills developed in private workshops, on independent sets, and in the rhythm of a daily series create a versatile profile. For an actress at the beginning of her career, this combination represents an asset in long film casting where adaptability is as important as pure technique.
The journey of Elyorissa Makanga reminds us that the most interesting paths in French cinema do not always follow the expected routes. Her training outside the major schools and her first major television role outline an atypical profile, to be followed in the upcoming seasons and on the big screen.