Meet the cast of Arendsvlei Season 4
With the latest fourth season recently starting, the hit Afrikaans telenovela’s storylines are only getting bigger and better. Meet the cast of Arendsvlei!
Main antagonist Wendy Newman (Rehane Abrahams) was exposed at the end of Season 3 (now available on Showmax) when all her evil deeds came to light, but like a true chameleon she got off scot-free and is currently rebranding herself in Season 4. “Wendy” is going by her real name – Ingrid van Schalkwyk – and in this new persona, she is a church-going angel who works at a boxing club. But viewers shouldn’t trust her angel face, as she could turn back to her wicked ways to feed her hunger for money and power… and sooner rather than later.
Opposite Wendy/Ingrid fighting on the side of the angels is Beatrice Cupido (Jolene Martin), the principal at Hoërskool Arendsvlei. She tries to keep her family and school on the right path, but that’s easier said than done. At least there is a wedding to look forward to between Lee-Roy (Roberto Kyle), the son of Beatrice’s best friend Ronel Martins (Melanie du Bois), and his love Wesley (Craig Adriaanse).
Other obstacles will test the community of Arendsvlei in Season 4, but with hope, love and the willpower to do and be better, things will change for the good.
In the meantime, here’s more about some of the new faces’ viewers will meet in Season 4 of Arendsvlei.
Nolan Baadjies (Jacques Bessenger, Jaco Kruger in the law drama Fynskrif) is a 40-year-old teacher from Calitzdorp who comes to Arendsvlei to wrap up family business after his grandfather dies and leaves him his house. One night while taking a stroll, he’s hit by a car and his whole life changes.
“He wakes up in the hospital and he is blind,” reveals Jacques. Ronel (Melanie du Bois) is secretly the driver and not long after the accident, she and Nolan form a bond that costs Ronel her marriage as they fall in love with each other.
Jacques says it was a challenge to play a blind person. “I can see, so I have to play the role as if I can’t see, and hope I made it as authentic as possible. The main thing I tried was to have a soft focus in my own eyes, and that I was not coming across as looking into the distance. Also I had to concentrate to not look directly into the eyes of the actor I was playing opposite in a scene, and to not react to something that crossed my line of sight.”
Lennie “Lightweight” Engelbrecht (Dann-Jaques Mouton, Abraham in the film Noem My Skolie) is a damaged man who, as an amateur boxer, got involved in illegal underground boxing tournaments. He was a ruthless boxer, brutal and into all kinds of wrongdoing. He ended up in jail after killing a man, Duggie Dynamite, in one of the illegal boxing matches. “Lennie then found faith in jail and when he got released, he started to attend church and decided to use his talent for boxing for good and start a boxing club,” says Dann-Jaques.
Ingrid slithers way into Lennie’s business and he quickly falls in love with her. At first Ingrid doesn’t share Lennie’s feelings, but in time she gives in to him (or so he thinks). “Lennie has no idea who Ingrid really is, he only knows her from church and because he believes in second chances, he offers Ingrid the same and thinks what she did in the past should stay there.”
Michelle Felix, or Mic as she is called by her friends, is a Grade 12 learner portrayed by newcomer Lisa-Maree Bruiners. Mic is outspoken, wild and likes to make jokes, but she knows her boundaries so that she doesn’t get into trouble. “She is always trying to prove herself,” says Lisa-Maree. “She never shows her weaknesses and tries to hide her family problems by working hard and always keeping a smile on her face.”
Mic’s best friend is Ezra (Reece Chloe Lewis), who encourages her to apply for the head girl position in season 4, but Mic worries that she isn’t good enough and that Jamie-Lee (see below), who she sees as a threat, will take it away from her. “Jamie-Lee is first in their class and a favourite among the teachers, something that Mic feels she lacks,” adds Lisa-Maree.
Naturally timid his whole life, Eugene Jansen (played by Earl Kruger) has never been one to call attention to himself. Quiet in class and on the school grounds, he tends to observe rather than participate. But he notices everything around him. He has admired his father Willem (Ruben Engel, Karim in the sci-fi series Die Spreeus) his whole life but knows that because he isn’t the biggest or strongest of guys, his father has always been disappointed not to have produced an alpha male. He takes a lot of bullying from his dad because he seeks his approval so desperately.
Jamie-Lee Kampher (portrayed by Chante Graiger, another newcomer) is a quiet girl who often disappears into the background. She isn’t interested in being seen. She joins the school’s debate club because her parents feel it will help with her confidence. When Jamie befriends Ezra, she comes out of her shell a little more – unfortunately Mic gets jealous and threatened by this.
Langes (Bobby Stuurman) is on the hunt for his estranged sister Eva (played by Devonecia Swarts, Zoe in the drama series 4 Mure), the girl he left behind when he ran away from home. Langes remembers Eva as his somewhat shy but pretty and clever sister, who shared his love for books and literature. She looked up to him and he always felt he had to protect her because she lacked confidence, despite her lively, inquisitive mind. He is therefore shocked when he finds a brow-beaten, fearful woman at gangster Mario’s (see below) house.
Mario Bruinders (Dean Balie, Slappies in the comedy-drama series Extra Medium) is a narcissist, has a grandiose sense of self-importance and loves power. And he knows how to get it because he is intelligent and manipulates others. For a long time, he was in a relationship with Langes and Eva’s mother until he developed an unhealthy obsession with Eva and took her as his possession…
Ronnie Le Fleur (portrayed by Dean van der Ventel) is a failed boxing promoter who will wheel and deal his way out of anything, or into anything, if it means he can make some money. Where Ronnie goes, there’s trouble. He knows Lennie from back in the day when Lennie was the champion in the underground boxing world. Lennie decided to give up on that, but Ronnie didn’t. He has been scheming his whole life. Ronnie has no moral compass. Money drives him, and that makes him the perfect business acquaintance for Ingrid.
Familiar faces from Seasons 1-3
Dorothy Galant is Bompie’s mother and she’s played by Ilse Klink (Evelyn in Fynskrif). “Dorothy is a very complex character who has faith in God, but at the same time she is corrupt,” explains Ilse. “She has a lot of deals with the underworld. She is very involved with the church, and she does a lot for the community, but she also breaks down the community with her crime. Dorothy is ambitious, and she believes in women’s power. She wants to create an empire.”
Captain Krige is a policeman who is transferred to Arendsvlei, played by Brendon Daniels (Ben in Die Spreeus). “He and Lionel (Jody Abrahams, Andre in Griekwastad) have known each other since childhood,” says Brendon. “Krige sees his profession as a calling, but he struggles with an addiction to sleeping pills and stimulants. His addiction is due to depression, fuelled by his choice of profession. He is definitely struggling with a personal, unresolved issue. He uses the stimulants for energy to get through his daily tasks,” adds the actor.
Natalie Burger is played by Carmen Maarman (Maggie in Lui Maar Op, Belinda) and she is Anton’s (Dean Richard Olivier) new assistant in his bakery. “Natalie is stylish, well-groomed, confident but also manipulative. She wants what she wants and will do anything to get that,” warns Carmen.
Jake Sylvester, played by Clayton Evertson (Raymond in Die Spreeus), is an attractive and well-built man, but he is complicated, says the actor: “Jake is in great pain as a result of a traumatic event in his past, but he hides it well. He is secretly connected to one of the established characters and that’s going to play out this season.”
Angelique Galant (newcomer Chelsea Thomas) is Dorothy’s 18-year-old daughter and Bompie’s younger sister. She’s an innocent teen, believing that there are good things and good people in the world – clearly she’s oblivious to her mother’s crimes. Dorothy’s nickname for Angelique is “Angel”, and she chooses not to listen to the schoolyard gossip when her family name is mentioned.
Candice Burger (Nancia Dorland, Tessa in Kompleks) Natalie’s stepdaughter who is in Matric. She is gentle but also emotionally unstable. Candice is reluctant to form new friendships because she has a spirit of desolation.
Emmie Langeveld (newcomer Inge Isaacs) is a new matric student at Arendsvlei High School, having just moved from Plumstead in Cape Town. She is intelligent and has an infectious sense of humour, but sometimes she can be a bit dramatic.
Kaleb Jakobs (newcomer Chad Bay) is a 16-year-old student from Clanwilliam who lost his parents in a car accident. He and his younger brother moved to Arendsvlei to stay with family. Kaleb is proud, and never stands idly by in front of anyone.
“I am very grateful that Arendsvlei has been so well received by the viewers,” says Theltom. “We have written and produced more than 350 episodes. I never thought I would be the lead writer and producer of one of the country’s biggest telenovelas.”
“We work hard to tell the stories of the people on the Cape Flats and to keep everything as real as possible. The storylines are also driven primarily by strong women. In television, for a long time, it was the norm to portray only the women as the protagonist’s wife, sister, mother or girlfriend. In Arendsvlei, the protagonist (Beatrice) and antagonist (Wendy) are both women and it is interesting to see how fantastically the actresses can play these roles,” adds the show creator.
New episodes of Season 4 land weekdays on Showmax and on DStv, and all previous episodes from seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Showmax.