Siembamba: Exclusive interview with Reine Swart

When we had the first approach with Reine (South Africa, Pretoria 1991) to do this interview, we did not imagine that we would meet a very simple, kind and very cooperative person, besides all those qualities that this beautiful South African has, She not only works in acting, Reine is also co-producer of the Kleinkaapel Short Film Festival, which is the first short film festival in Centurion, South Africa. 

Married to Xander Swart, she loves hiking and surfing on longboard She's very fond of reading, Trudi Canavan (Australia) is her favorite writer at the moment. Earlier this year she moved to the USA to further consolidate her acting career. In this interview told us about his work and also about SIEMBAMBA the South African horror film she stars and was directed by Academy Award nominee Darrell Roodt.

Read interview in Spanish

Cover # 04 of the digital magazine Gawalpop

1.- How did you start your career as an actress?

I studied Acting for Film at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles in 2010. Thereafter I went back to South Africa where I got my first principal role in a popular South African TV soap, Villa Rosa. I worked on the TV soap from 2012 to 2013, then decided to start freelancing as an actress.

2.- What was it like working in Siembamba?

I feel honored to have worked on Siembamba, as it is defintely a first out of South Africa. The whole team behind Siembamba worked extremely hard within a limited time phrame and I enjoyed it immensely. 

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Reine Swart

3. Did you know this legend before the movie?

Yes, very well. Siembamba is a popular forklore song in South Africa as well. I've known the song since I was an infant. 

4.- Are you working on a new project?

Yes. I am working on Syfy's TV series Z Nation in Washington State. 

5.- How did you get to work on the film?

I auditioned for Siembamba and was very excited to hear that they didn't want to do callbacks as they felt my first audition was exactly what they wanted for Chloe. So I booked the job from the first round of auditions. 

6.- What is your filmography?

What projects have you worked on? I've worked on American feature films such as 20th Century Fox's The Empty (releasing 2018) and Detour (2017). I got numerous principal roles in South African feature films such as the lead in The Pro (2015), the first ever Afrikaans surfing film. Other South African feature films that I've worked also include Nul is Nie Niks Nie (2017), Kampterrein (2017), Van der Merwe (2017), Droomdag (2016) and Somerson (2014). I've also worked on a few TV series such as National Geographic's Origins (2017), Syfy's Dominion (2015), BBC's Jamillah and Aladdin (2016), Bloedbroers (2014), Geraamtes in die Kas (2013) etc. Other filmograpghy include TV movies that I really enjoyed working on.

Also read, interview with Darrell Roodt, director of Siembamba

7.- Have you ever visited Latin America?

No, unfortunately not, but it is defintely on my "Places to travel to" list. 

8. What is your anecdote about Latin America?

I have Brazilian friends and their photo's of Brazil are always so beautiful. I met Helly and Laura (both from Brazil) at the New York Film Academy in 2010 and they are definitely the most loving people I have ever met, thus I already love Brazil. My brazilian friends are always fun, kind and full of life. On top of that, everyone that I've met who are from a Latin American Country are gorgeous and very friendly.

Siembamba poster

9.Which actor or actress do you admire?

I admire Denzel Washington's work as an actor. He is a respectable and incredible actor. His work in Man on Fire was phenomenal. 

10.- How did you decide to become an actress?

I've enjoyed acting from a young age, but got more serious about it in High School. I probably only seriosly decided to become an actress during my studies at the New York Film Academy as I grew so much as a person and enjoyed it very much. 

11.- How was your relationship with director Darrell Roodt and the rest of the cast?

Darrell is such a fun director and he has a brilliant mind. He is one of South Africa's top directors and I've always wanted to work with him, so for me it was a massive privilege. I had such a wonderful time on set working with Darrell Roodt, Thandi Puren, Brandon Auret and Deanre Reiners. Truly a terrific time. 

12.- Is there any paranormal anecdote of the shooting?

Not a tale that I can recall from the top of my head, but I thought I saw a ghost like figure in the Kaapsehoop forest, which is a lovely ghost town in South Africa with a forest covered in fog. 

13.- Are you interested in continuing in the horror genre or would you like to make other types of films?

I really like the horror genre and will always be very keen to work on horrors. It is such an enjoyable and creative genre.