A mix of emotions surrounds Frankie en Felipé, the Afrikaans comedy to be released in cinemas nationwide on Friday February 23.
It’s a feel-good comedy, but it’s also the last production South African Binnelanders actor, Bradley Olivier, worked on before he died of a brain aneurysm in July last year.
The movie is a tribute to Olivier, who plays Frankie alongside co-star Solomon Cupido, as Felipé. The half brothers, Frankie and Felipé, are split apart as children, but later in life, Frankie makes a name for himself in the business world and Felipé is a perfume salesman. When both find themselves in financial trouble, they turn to each other for help.
Danny Ross, from Parklands, and Kim Syster, of Table View, are also part of the cast.
Syster was battling a busy schedule and was unable to speak to Tabletalk, but Ross, who grew up in Worcester, chatted to us about his character, Bevan, an egotistical dentist and yogi who can sometimes be a real “pain in the butt”.
“Bevan was supposed to be this macho guy who got his way around everything and a free-spirit, of course, because he teaches yoga. It was quite a challenge playing Bevan; it wasn’t like anything I have ever done before,” says Ross.
He did weight training for a month and half before shooting to prepare for the role, he says.
But the food on set was irresistible and threatened to scupper his meal plans, he says, adding that he faced a constant battle of wills to resist the urge to tuck into the buffet.
“I was so tempted to enjoy the food but instead I remembered how hard I worked to get to every pinnacle in that moment and drew motivation from it.”
He has worked on various local and international movies and series including Bakgat and Nommer 37, the 2022 Resident Evil series and 24 Hours To Live alongside American actor Ethan Hawke.
He says working on the movie was like getting together with old friends.
“It seemed almost natural, not like we were working.”
Choked with emotion, he says could not hold back the tears when he watched the trailers and final copy last month.
“It sank in that Bradley was no longer with us, but I am grateful that we got to work together.”
He feels the movie is not only a fun-filled comedy but also an apt reflection of the changing face of South Africa.
“The movie showcases that people of colour are owning wine farms, speaking our local languages.”
