kykNET reveals cast of new Diepe Waters telenovela as several actors tread water in the same timeslot and newcomers take a dive into TV.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET has revealed the cast of its upcoming new Afrikaans telenovela Diepe Waters, with several faces from the cancelled Getroud met Rugby soap staying put and treading water in the same TV timeslot, while several new and veteran actors have been added to the Penguin Films produced series.

Set around a competitive South African swimming club, Diepe Waters will start on Monday 3 October in the 18:00-timeslot on kykNET (DStv 144).

Diepe Waters makes use of the existing Coronationville indoor swimming pool in Glencairn Street in Johannesburg for exterior scenes, as well as new studio-based sets constructed in Johannesburg.

On Tuesday evening kykNET revealed the cast at a poolside media event at the Hotel Sky in Sandton, Johannesburg, that included a Q&A with the cast and crew, as well as kykNET executives.

The Diepe Waters cast includes veteran actors like Justin Strydom, Sandi Schultz, Nadia Valvekens, Neels van Jaarsveld, Lea Vivier, Werner Coetser, Altus Theart, Lizz Meiring, Rika Sennet and Eloise Cupido, alongside a crop of new actors.

Justin Strydom plays Gys Swarts who lives beyond his means with his ambition and drive causing him to hurt people close to him.

Sandi Schultz is the scheming Zelda, bent on taking revenge on Gys.

Lea Vivier is Meghan, with Werner Coetser in the role of Jacques, one of Gys' sons. Altus Theart plays the role of Gys' eldest son, Rossouw. Rossouw is married to Sanet (Nadia Valvekens). These two seem happy on the surface, but their true colours show behind closed doors.

Rossouw and Sanet have two children, Johan (Liam Bosman) and Karla (Danielle Swanepoel).

Reandi Grey plays the role of Anja, who left the country 20 years ago. Now she is suddenly back in South Africa and has a lot on her mind. 

Lizz Meiring has been cast as Auntie Bybie Bekker, who carries a big secret with her.

Stephanie Baartman plays the role of Lettie who owns the coffee shop, Lettie's Keffie.

"We asked the actors together to see if they work well together. You have to get the cast right, because I believe it is 90% of the success of a series," says Roberta Durrant, creative producer.

Lucia Meyer-Marais, kykNET commissioning editor, says "because a large part of the story revolves around a swimming school, many of the characters had to prove they could swim".

"The group of actors fit each role like a glove. To be able to see and hear how they interpret the storylines we've been working on for months and months, is wonderful."

ALSO READ: kykNET hopes to make a splash with Diepe Waters as a new swim club set telenovela from Penguin Films starting in October 2022.

BREAKING. The Agter Elke Man reunion on Kwêla reveals some startling new secrets! Guess who got fired because she got pregnant!

In a brilliant and utterly fascinating reunion interview the weekly Afrikaans entertainment magazine show Kwêla on Wednesday nights on kykNET (DStv 111) just reunited Rika Sennett and Sulette Thompson who starred as Mercia Meyer and Suzie Bruwer in the superb South African eighties primetime drama Agter Elke Man [Behind Every Man] that was produced by Franz Marx.

Agter Elke Man is currently in its umpteenth rebroadcast on South African television on kykNET on Thursdays at 21:00. Rika Sennett revealed the reason her character, ballerina Mercia Meyer unexpectedly left the show. She was written out because of her second real-life pregnancy at the time!

Sulette Thompson made a joke about nobody knowing - more than two decades later - who the real daddy of her unwed mother character's baby is. ''Until today nobody is sure who's baby she really had,'' says Sulette Thompson. Suzie was dating Jack, but met Wessel who suffered amnesia after a motorbyke accident. It was later assumed that it was Wessel's child, but was it? Both also agreed that Agter Elke Man was an excellent TV show - if not the best local TV drama production ever made for South African television.

''I think it's the best South African TV show that's ever been made - with original storytelling,'' says Sulette Thompson. ''Looking at Agter Elke Man now, the first thing that struck me is the old South Africa against which the show is set,'' says Rika Sennett. ''It's a completely other picture now than what the situation was then. That's interesting to me, that aspect of it. ''But you know, I'm watching Agter Elke Man for the very first time,'' she revealed on the Kwêla couch.

''At that time I did the breakfast show Good Morning South Africa; had to wake up early, and I had two babies both cutting their teeth. So I never watched Agter Elke Man when it was originally broadcast. So for me its wonderful to watch Agter Elke Man now. Its a great story! The players are phenomenal - Christine Basson, Sulette, Cyrilene Slabbert and Dulcie van der Berg. They all played their roles so honestly.''

Rika Sennett also dished for the first time about an on-set Agter Elke Man secret and her sudden - and somewhat unexpected - departure from the highly popular show.

''What stood in my way was a second pregnancy. Franz [Marx] had run out of patience with all my pregnancies - so then something happened after that to my character which I'm not sure if viewers have now seen that yet - and then he got rid of me.'' She says: ''I don't think this industry is family friendly; its not even relationship friendly.''

[Spoiler if you've never seen it: Mercia Meyer is involved in an oh so dramatic horse-riding accident - brilliant! - and the character is written out of the show. And her crazy old mother sets fire to the mansion that burns down.]

Both were very vocal and adamant that South African actors are not paid enough. ''No, no. Definitely not,'' says Sulette Thompson. ''I don't even want to go into that,'' says Rika Sennett.
''And that's what's sad to me. Actors here grow old poor. They don't grow old with grace. And if you're earlier work earns you royalties when it's broadcast again, maybe you could have aged gracefully, but it's not happening in our country.