Be yourself
Thomas is hopelessly in love but the matric student gets bad advice from two guys who should know better.
When it comes to romance and relationships in Hillside, Marko (Francois Lensley) and Rickus (André Lötter) aren’t what you’d call role models thanks to their many, many flops with love. “Shame, they’re really kind and try to help Thomas with advice, but they give him conflicting tips,” says 15year-old Vian Singleton, who portrays smitten matric student Thomas. The teen character notices 16-year-old Mieke (Reze-Tiana Wessels, who is 23) when he bumps into his friend Shawn (Deànré Reiners) in the arcade and “he has instant butterflies. She likes him too, and that’s where trouble starts,” says Vian with a laugh. Because while he’s happy being himself, “guardian angels” Marko and Rickus have other ideas.
UNHELPFUL HANDS
Looking at Marko and Rickus, they are two very different men with different approaches to romance, explains Vian. “Marko, who is a rough-around-theedges guy, tells Vian that he must play safe, he must play hard to get and make her [Mieke] do the work if she wants to date him. Rickus, who is suave and looks neat, tells Vian to give everything he’s got – he must give his most.” Reze-Tiana says that it was a really fun story arc to tell because it’s your typical rom-com movie set-up. “They like each other from the start, as they are. But they’re both so nervous that they don’t realise there’s already that bond and they do too much and they miss their love connection.”
HEART-TO-HEART
Confused, Thomas gets advice from a third expert on love – Gabby (Blyde Smit), which also falls flat. “Times have changed and what worked in the past with teens falling in love and that young puppy love doesn’t work in the world of today,” says Vian, adding that “when it occurs to Thomas that the advice he’s been given isn’t working, he decides to just be himself.”
Realising the error of their ways, the “romance gurus” band together and put on a cute date night for the teenage couple and it’s really fun, says Reze-Tiana. “We had a ball filming this because it’s just a nice light, fun story. It gives hope for love and that you don’t need to worry about what others think. Be yourself and love will come calling.”
PREVIOUSLY
Nozi turned to her friends and revealed what she had been dealing with privately, and the fire at T&T led to Fikani being accused of arson. Bonita and Vanessa were beginning to feel unsafe following a series of strange events, and Rickus and Marko saw an opportunity to help.
5 MAY
Thomas realises that he needs to be true to himself, and Hillside’s criminal genius DeWet is pleased to see that his plans are paying off as hoped. Connie and Khethiwe meanwhile have a heart-to-heart about life and love.
10 – 12 MAY
Tjattas lashes out at Gabby and storms off, leaving her confused, and Mariaan and her daughter Alexa start making headway planning Alexa’s upcoming wedding to Fikani. Ludo for once isn’t amusing with his comments and he manages to create tension among his group of friends, and Marko tries to give young Thomas support after things don’t quite work out as he’d planned. Marko is popular in Hillside and he gets an unexpected call from DeWet who wants some input into his new business plan, and Aggie gives Connie moral support as Connie decides to stand up for herself.
17 – 18 MAY
A panicked Vanessa is running round like a headless chicken, paramedic Tjattas responds to an emergency, and there might be a happy ending for Thomas’s love story.
CAST: Aggie Ngwenya Mimi Mahlasela •Alexa Welman Carina Nel
•André Vosloo Marcus Muller •Bonita Meintjies Hildegardt Whites
•Byron/Trigger Ruben Engel •Chris Welman David Rees •Connie van der Lecq Quinne Brown Huffman •Daniel Kynan Lottering •Denzil Jacques de Silva •DeWet Basson Dirk Stoltz •Eddie Peterson El-Kody Langeveldt •Erika Basson Corine du Toit •Fikani Chauke Nicholas Nkuna •Gabby Blyde Smit •Hettie Karin van der Laag •Ivy Peterson Nazli George •Karmen Gabriella Linton •Khethiwe Sesethu Ntombela
•Lana Basson Mila Guy •Lesedi Moloi KB Motsilanyane •Llewellyn Liaan Ferreira •Ludo (Ludwig) Venter Rubin Wissing •Mariaan
Welman Deirdre Wolhuter •Marko Greyling Francois Lensley •Marvin Peterson Duncan Johnson •Mienkie Marijke Bezuidenhout •Nikki Basson Danielle Retief •Nozi Dimpho More •Ouma Motta Khadija Heeger •Rickus Welman André Lötter •Romeo Peterson Clint Aplon
•Shady (Crushanda) Vermeulen Beáta Bena Green•Shawn Basson Deànré Reiners •Thomas Fouché Vian Singleton •Tjattas Rikus Strauss
•Vanessa Ingrid Paulus •Vee Peterson Zoey Volkwyn •Vince Meintjies Jacques Blignaut