Arendsvlei () is a South African soap opera. Featuring an almost all-Coloured cast, it premiered on 1 October 2018 as kykNET & Kie's first telenovela. It was originally intended to be a limited series spanning one year, its first season picking up two SAFTAs. Due to popular demand, Arendsvlei was renewed for a second season in August 2019 and a third in August 2020.
The series hit 500 episodes in August 2021.
Premise The series centres on a prestigious school, its administration, and the families associated with it in a fictional community of the Cape Flats called Arendsvlei.
Cast Main Jolene Martin as Beatrice Abrahams, Arendsvlei High vice-principal Oscar Petersen as David Abrahams, Arendsvlei High principal Maria Valente de Almeida as Samantha Abrahams, Beatrice and David's daughter and school captain Sherman Pharo as Thys Cupido, Beatrice's brother and co-founder of Arendsvlei High Crystal-Donna Roberts as Janice Cupido, Thys' wife Celeste Matthews as Aunty Gertie Cupido, matriarch of the Cupidos Ann Juries-May as Claudia Cupido, Thys and Janice's daughter Rehane Abrahams as Wendy Newman, the Cupidos' adversary who runs the WendyHouse restaurant Kay Smith as Debra Newman, Wendy's daughter Melanie du Bois as Ronel Foster, Beatrice's friend and an aspiring actress Roberto Kyle as Lee-Roy Foster, Ronel's son who transfers to Arendsvlei High to escape bullying Jody Abrahams as Lionel Foster, Lee-Roy's negligent father with ulterior motives for moving to Arendsvlei
Supporting Ernest St Clair as Christopher February, teacher at Arendsvlei High Dillon Windvogel as Vernon Booysen, an ambitious student who gets in an accident Christian Bennett as Emile February, a gardener who helps out at WendyHouse Craig Adriaanse as Wesley Roussow, a student with a troubled past Gerwen Simon as Valdonia Lee Matthews Menicia Sass as Chantel Williams Gretchen Ramsden as Nicolene Joseph Mitchell as Uncle Johnny Ceagan Arendse as Woelag (seasons 1–2) Elton Landrew as Steve Mortlock (seasons 1–2), Janice's brother Danny Ross as Nathan Koopman (seasons 2–3) Maurice Carpede as Ridwaan "Waanie" Matthews (season 2), Chantel's father Shaleen Surtie-Richards as Muriel Foster (seasons 2–4), Lionel's mother Zenobia Kloppers as Aunty Emily (season 2) Quanita Adams as Mother Laetitia (seasons 2–3) Jarrid Geduld as Gavin "Bompie" Galant (seasons 2–3) Cantona James as Daniel Lafras (season 2) Antoinette Louw as Advocate Rina Botha (seasons 2–3) Ilse Klink as Dorothy Galant (season 3), matriarch of the Galants Chelsea Thomas as Angelique Galant (season 3), Dorothy's daughter Nancia Dorland as Candice Burger (season 3), Angelique's friend Carmen Maarman as Natalie Burger (season 3), Candice's stepmother Chad Baai as Kaleb Jakobs (season 3) Brendon Daniels as Constable Krige (season 3), detective and Lionel's friend Inge Isaacs as Emmie Langeveld (season 3), new student at Arendsvlei Clayton Evertson as Jake Sylvester (season 3) Rodney Goliath as Gio Lobberts (season 6)
Production Arendsvlei is based on a concept Theltom Masimila brainstormed and originally penned as a short story. He serves as its head writer and co-producer. Masimila makes a point of the Afrikaans dialect used in the series being "authentically Cape-based". Also in the writers' room are Wilmien Rossouw, the head storyliner, as well as Ilse Oppelt, Margaret Goldsmid, Henry Cloete, Quanita Adams, Johann Davis and Retief Scholtz. The series is directed by Denny Y. Miller and produced by Penguin Films. Roberta Durrant was the creative director for season 2.
It is filmed at Atlantic Studios in Milnerton.
Reception Awards and nominations Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result 2020 South African Film and Television Awards Best Telenovela Arendsvlei Best Director – Telenovela Denny Y. Miller Best Art Direction – Telenovela Beatrice van Zyl Best Actor – Telenovela Roberto Kyle Best Actress – Telenovela Crystal-Donna Roberts Royalty Soapie Awards Outstanding Editing Team Arendsvlei Outstanding Lighting Arendsvlei Outstanding Writing Arendsvlei Outstanding Lead Actor Jody Abrahams Outstanding Couple Roberto Kyle and Craig Adriaanse Outstanding Newcomer Cantona James 2021 South African Film and Television Awards Best Actress – Telenovela Crystal-Donna Roberts Best Supporting Actress – Telenovela Quanita Adams Royalty Soapie Awards Outstanding Directing Team Arendsvlei Outstanding Lighting Direction Arendsvlei Outstanding Cinematography Arendsvlei Outstanding Sound Mixing & Editing Arendsvlei Outstanding Supporting Actress Quanita Adams Outstanding Onscreen Couple Clayton Evertson and Jolene Martin Outstanding Newcomer Chad Baai Outstanding Female Villain Ilse Klink
Notes
References
External links
Arendsvlei at TVSA