Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Dillon Windvogel’s star is on the rise after ‘Blood & Water’ and ‘Spinners’
CAPE Town-born actor Dillon Windvogel has made a name for himself as one of the rising actors in South Africa.
He has acted in shows such as the kykNET & kie soapie Arendsvlei, Bhai’s Café and Riding with Sugar.
But it is his role in the Netflix series Blood & Water that put Windvogel on the map. His character, Wade, became a fan favourite with Mzansi and his role as Shane in Spinners showed audiences his acting range.
“A lot has changed for me since my first screen role,” the actor tells Lifestyle Entertainment. “I’ve grown emotionally and physically, which has allowed me to delve deeper into the mind of the characters I’ve been blessed to play.
“I’ve been able to handle it with a more mature truth,” he says about his growth over the years.
Coming from a theatre background and going into TV, Windvogel has learnt about the skill of telling a story with your eyes.
“It has allowed me to breathe through more subtle scenes and not force myself to make a fiasco out of it.”
Season four of Blood &Water made its debut on March 1, much to the delight of Parkhurst High fans.
Series may come and go and there is plenty of content for viewers to consume, but Blood & Water has managed to keep captivating audiences.
Windvogel admits he didn’t think the series would achieve all the success
it achieved locally and internationally, and thinking about it made him anxious. “The nerves had completely got in the way while shooting, and being the second African Original Netflix Series didn’t make it easier, either.
“All of these things, combined with
the hope to tell the story as truthfully as possible, just added to the nerves. I hoped that people would enjoy the series.
“It’s so heartwarming to see that they do and I am so grateful to everyone that’s been on this wild ride with us. A huge thanks to the audience, the viewers, it’s because of them that we get to keep on sharing this story,” he said.
Windvogel said of his character: “He is a ball of light and that’s what he has been for me.”
A lot of his moments while portraying Wade have helped Windvogel grow as an actor and some took him “completely out of my shell”.
“From season one, all the way to season four, Wade has constantly been put in situations that not only push him but me as well.
“From stunts to comedic moments, to iconic lines or reactions from Wade.
“All of it has been completely different, allowing me to grow within Wade and experience these new things with him.”
With his character in Spinners, the actor got to tap into a “rougher character”, which he relished. “I thoroughly enjoyed playing a rougher character. I enjoyed his serious, yet witty sense of humour. His heart and commitment to his friends and family. And the fact that he had a dog!
“I love dogs! It was so lovely to have a dog on set.”
In his spare time, Windvogel usually plays with his “best friend Skai”, enjoys board games, watches anime, or trains in karate, which he has maintained for 16 years.
When Windvogel is not on a film set, he is also quite the creator on YouTube and TikTok, which has allowed him to be his “weird and funny self”.
He added: “Consistency has been super helpful with the steady growth in this industry.
“Being as raw as possible has been beneficial as well. Showing the real you, because that’s what people want to follow.”