After a dreadful break-up, a strikingly cultured student stuck in the small town of Potchefstroom, packs her bags for the adventure and bright lights of London. She falls head over heels in love with a handsome, barefoot Namibian, but allows her fears to get the better of her. When he knocks on her door years later, with promises of horizons and a life together, she can play it safe and choose the alluring city lights, or she can risk it all for sunsets, sand dunes and barefoot love. This is the bubblegum love setting of South Africa’s newest sensational movie, Vergeet My Nie.
But what depth does up and coming SA actress, Marguerite van Eeden, add to the film? This young actress with tenacity, initiative and a will to succeed, tells us.
How did you get started in the acting / entertainment field?
I grew up in Botswana and one day I was reading a book (My Pony Club – at that time I was obsessed with horses) and so I decided I would like to be the actress that would play the girl who rode the horses. I was in grade
6 at the time, so I mailed the author and she actually replied saying she would love to make a movie about her books, but that this was not in the pipeline as of yet. I started doing research on actors and learnt that I needed to get an agent and so ja it started.
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What are the attractions or challenges of playing a real life person?
My main goal was to make sure the “real” Mardaleen would be able to see herself in the character I was portraying. Whereas with other characters you would like a group to relate, this film actually has the actual person sitting there and watching you play them. Lekker maar pressure.
Was there anything in particular that drew you to the role of Mardaleen, that you can maybe relate with yourself?
I admire Mardaleen, she makes a choice not many of us can make when it comes to choosing between love and your career. She also shows us that you can have both, sometimes at a compromise, but hey.
My website, Pop S peaking (soon to be renamed) was set up as a tribute to the famous American actor John Ritter, who, in a 1976 interview, when asked how he would like to be remembered, stated that he’d like to be remembered as someone who tweaked the golden thread of humanity. This means basically as someone who makes other people across countries, generations, races, feel, laugh, etc. Is this a concept that interests you?
Sho ! S
o lovely reading this quote. I think all actors would love to be remembered for something, perhaps fame or or or. But I agree with John Ritter if you can tweak the golden thread of humanity (after finding out how and exactly what it means to you) you are a true actor or actress.
A lot of South Africans ARE actually making the move, temporarily or permanently, to the UK. Any words of advice, or just a simple connection, for them?
HAHA. I live in South Africa. I love South Africa, so my advice would be; go for a holiday and then come home.
Do you have any advice to others wanting to start out in the South African film industry?
Get an agent, someone who looks after you, helps you, advises you and can do your contracts for you. Mine is APM and they are the best. Then you need to wait patiently, your role will come. And enjoy the ride or the climb.
Vergeet My Nie is the perfect movie for a Valentine’s Date, and luckily, it opens across cinemas on 14 February.
All photos on set taken by Danah Spies.
Publicity photos and design by Fathom Media www.keyart.co.za
