THE LIES WE LEAD
This new, binge-worthy murder mystery masterfully dissects one wealthy family’s dynamics against the backdrop of a society grappling with its past sins, writes Leonie Wagner
Driving through the winding roads of Bishopscourt, Cape Town, the air is warm and thick with a slight hint of eucalyptus and the ocean breeze. Towering trees stand as silent guardians, casting gentle shadows over manicured lawns. Each residence is a testament to opulence and generational wealth.
This is a fitting location for the launch of M-Net’s latest series, White Lies, which unfolds in the haven of Bishopscourt, where the elite revel in luxury.
Created by Sean Steinberg and written by Darrel Bristow-Bovey, White Lies is an international co-production starring award-winning British actress Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games) and Brendon Daniels (Spinners and Four Corners). The eight-part series is an intricate murder mystery which sees investigative journalist Edie Hansen drawn into the underbelly of Cape Town.
Dormer plays the investigative journalist who, after the shocking aftermath of her estranged brother’s murder during a home invasion, finds herself immersed in the investigation.
United with her niece and nephew, they find themselves thrust into the spotlight as prime suspects in the brutal crime. Enter detective Forty Bell, played by Daniels, a battle-scarred veteran wrestling not only with personal demons but also with the decay of a crumbling police force.
Dormer, an executive producer of the series, said she was fascinated by her character and spent hours on Zoom calls with journalists to prepare for the role.
“This creature — an investigative journalist — was immediately fascinating to me. I was able to talk to Mandy Wiener, Susan Comrie and a British journalist called Holly Watt. I hadn’t explored this world before. I was struck by Edie’s zealotry for truth but also by the hypocrisy that she hadn’t been able to face her personal truth and trauma,” Dormer said.
Hansen’s relentless pursuit of the real killer takes her from the opulence of the suburbs to the harsh realities of povertystricken ganglands. During this journey, she uncovers the unsettling truth that malevolence recognises no boundaries and harbours no biases.
Speaking from the UK, Dormer lauded the local cast, crew and directors she worked with, hailing her experience on set in Cape Town last year as a fun adventure.
“The South African ensemble cast were from diverse backgrounds and different walks of life and experiences. I had no idea I was going to be so supported and welcomed by a rich tapestry of actors, crew and directors,” she said.
Dormer was also drawn to this drama because she fondly remembers visiting the country in the ’90s.
“I went to Joburg, Durban and the Kruger game park when I was 10 and 12. This was the early ’90s, so it was a time of great transition for the country. As a child, that all went over my head but I could feel an energy and a vibrancy ... In addition to my attraction to the script, there was a whisper of pullback to South Africa because I had a vivid experience there when I was a child,” she said.
On the trip to film White Lies, Dormer returned with her partner and daughter. When she wasn’t on set, she enjoyed wine farms and safaris — watching her daughter experience giraffes and elephants up close.
“I enjoyed being in a different place every day, be it in the city or at the sea, experiencing the vibrant, textured pockets. Hopefully the show has done justice to all those beautiful, cultural places,” she said.
For co-star Daniels, playing detective Forty Bells was a departure from his usual on-screen persona as a notorious gangster, allowing him to showcase his versatility beyond the familiar territory of portraying antagonists and villains.
“This character is wholesome, he’s at a point where he’s doing introspection. He started out with an ideology of protecting and serving and, when he looks back, he’s asking himself, did he commit to that? How did he let challenges affect that outcome?” Daniels said.
White Lies masterfully dissects the inward-looking, affluent community, weaving a narrative with a binge-worthy allure. This enthralling mystery not only unravels the complexities of familial dynamics but also serves as a poignant exploration of a society grappling with the haunting echoes of its past sins.
For writer Bristow-Bovey the show explores the psychology of wealth — an idea inspired by his grandmother, who lived in a house similar to the McKenzie family in White Lies — particularly how people build walls around their lives that separate them from society.
“I wanted to explore what it’s like to live inside our walls, what it does to our hearts. I also wanted to write about Cape Town, a place I have mixed feelings about. I’ve lived here for a great deal of my life and it’ sa little like Instagram: it’s very pretty but inside there’s something that’s not quite right,” Bristow-Bovey said.
This is something Daniels agrees with and believes it’s the role of art to hold a mirror to society and break down the walls to show people alternative narratives. The whodunnit aspect of White Lies makes it a fun and entertaining show while exploring the underlying themes of corruption, inequality, identity, power and privilege.
White Lies is an international coproduction between M-Net, International Emmy-nominated Quizzical Pictures, and Fremantle and will be distributed internationally. The eight-part series premiered on M-Net (DStv 101) on March 7 at 8pm and will be available to stream on DStv Stream and DStv Catch Up.