Die Onderonsie's Simon Pretorius on the film, Britney Spears, first 8 sceneActress Simone Pretorius opens up about her character, Jolene, in Showmax's Afrikaans film Die Onderonsie'.
by Nokuthula Ngcobo
01-12-2023 17:18
in Entertainment
Die Onderonsie. Image Supplied
Die Onderonsie (aka The Quarrel) is now streaming on Showmax.
--
When five ex band-mates come together for their annual reunion, a dead body stirs up suspicion and violence among the friends. With tjommies like these, who needs enemies?
ABOUT DIE ONDERONSIE' The debut feature film from multi-award winner Philip Nolte (2023 SAFTA winner Sex in Afrikaans, Silwerskerm award winner Vossie Vergas Homself), the dark comedy co-stars SAFTA nominee Simon Pretorius (Hotel), Binnelanders stars Pietie Beyers and Lindsey Cele, and Getroud Met Rugby stars Adrian Steyn and former Mister World South Africa Sean van Noordwyk. Also look out for 2023 Royalty Soapie Awards nominee Tsholofelo Matshaba (Kedibone in The River) as Detective Mahlangu and David James (Colonel Koobus Venter in District 9) as Thys.
SIMON PRETORIUS ON HER CHARACTER What's your favourite part of Jolene's wardrobe?
--
To be honest, I would never in my life wear what she wore! She's really quite the opposite of myself. She wore bodycon dresses that were super-tight, so I had such a hard time in her wardrobe because I hate stuff that's tight.
But I did wear white, knee-high boots. And those were my own, so they were very comfortable! I don't know why I have white trompoppie [drum majorette] boots.
I love the fact that she wore these high-heeled, white leather boots for going away for a weekend in the bushveld with her friends.
--
Sometimes I feel like once you put the shoes on of a character, that's when you really step into their role. Clothing changes but there's a specific thing about what you'll wear as a shoe.
ALSO READ: It felt like I could redo high school': Melissa Myburgh on Trompoppie'
Her bandbates call Jolene Patricia Lewis after the South African singer. Why Patricia?
Them saying that Jolene is Patricia is not necessarily meant as a compliment. I did wonder if Gen Z would know who Patricia Lewis is, but I know that for people my age and older, especially in the Afrikaans community, she is cemented as an icon of pop stardom, with the hair [Simon mimics Patricia tossing her long, blonde hair], the glam up and stuff. For me, she'll always be that [Simon sings lyrics from Ek Is Lief Vir Jou] Doodgewone man kry 'n salaris - [ordinary guy gets a salary].
ALSO READ: It's a love letter to coloured culture': Actor Dillion Windvogel on Spinners'
So when you were fantasising about being a rock star as a kid, how did you see yourself?
100% Britney! I was a big Britney fan. I had all of the posters and the CDs. I didn't see myself as a rock star. See, it's the hoofmeisie [head girl] in me. I'll take the popstar vibe. Christina [Aguilera] was already a bit too edgy for me. I was very innocent and very naive, so I was Britney just maybe Britney before I'm A Slave 4 You Britney, before the snake around the neck.
Jolene has a gospel pop album out - Spread Your Wings. If she was making the music she really wanted to, what would it be?
I think she wants to do a bit of that Slave 4 U (Britney Spears)! That's the Jolene that she is on the inside, and maybe a bit of a rock chick as well. But the gospel album is just because that's where she's going to make her money, and she knows the market is really loyal. Especially in the Afrikaans market, people swoon over a gospel album. You could be such a hypocrite but if you bring out a gospel album your fans will absolutely love you. So she's doing a gospel album, but she's definitely 100% the opposite of a gospel album singer.
ALSO READ: Showmax drops hilarious trailer for dark comedy Die Onderonsie'
What were your favourite moments in the fight scene between Jolene and Bianca (Lindsey Cele)?
That was so hectic! We really looked forward to that fight. That's my first fight scene! I've done a few slaps across the face, but this was a whole choreography, like a whole dance. The way it starts was lovely. It's just this tension-filled moment where you don't think Bianca's going to do it. And then she just goes in for Jolene. And then later on, we used pans and we knocked each other on the head. That was quite funny. And there was also something about pulling on the hair. All of it was just absolute chaos. Lindsey is a good friend of mine, so I just feel so safe with her. So we really had a lot of fun.
With the scene where Jolene flirts with Chad the pool boy (Dean Goldblum), which moment nearly ended you?
I said to him something about the stars aligning and he was like, Stars? No, sorry, baby girl; I'm an atheist. And that was hysterical for me. The whole scene with Dean was such a highlight; it was pure comedy. I love playing opposite him. He was just so 100% committed to this pool boy character. She's like, You are so absolutely stupid. But okay, well, we're leaning into this. You can always get me with comedy, because comedy is such a difficult thing to write. It's an easy yes for me, you can buy me over with comedy, I'm a cheapskate.
WIN R250 per day with our Christmas Advent Calendar competition - CLICK HERE
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
05/03/2026
Quality control (QC) has long been a gatekeeper of technical fidelity. Editors and technicians have adhered to a simple, disciplined checklist: bitrate, resolut...
05/03/2026
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced it has partnered with Swiss sports technology specialist, Asport to deliver global live streaming for ...
05/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, announced the promotion of Gretchen Taipale to Vic...
05/03/2026
Clear-Com has provided Gen-IC virtual intercom, its cloud-based voice communications system for SaxaVord Spaceport, the first fully licensed vertical launch s...
05/03/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) concluded the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, convening more than 800 industry leaders, technologists, creatives and executi...
05/03/2026
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of electrical power control solutions for professional audio, video, and lighting systems, today announced that its new Dual DMX ...
05/03/2026
Snicket Labs is pleased to announce a new distribution partnership with ES Broadcast for its award winning solutions, Match and Enrich.
Under the agreement, ES...
05/03/2026
LiveU today announced the first large-scale deployment of its AI-driven LiveU IQ (LIQ ) technology at a global, multi-venue sporting event, setting a new benchm...
05/03/2026
Comscore and Yahoo DSP Partner to Advance CTV Political Advertising with Proximi...
05/03/2026
March is in full bloom, and that means a fresh wave of games heading to the cloud. 15 new titles are joining the GeForce NOW library this month.
Leading the Ma...
04/03/2026
Lega Basket Serie A (LBA), the governing body for Italy's premier basketball...
04/03/2026
Wrexham AFC co-chairmen Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds will host a first-of-its-kind ...
04/03/2026
The countdown is underway and with just 100 days to go until the world's greatest sporting event begins on Thurs., June 11, FOX Sports, America's Englis...
04/03/2026
No matter where they are in the world, service members and veterans can stream N...
04/03/2026
Telemundo officially releases Somos M s, the anthem for the network's cove...
04/03/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) concluded the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, convening more than 800 industry leaders, technologists, creatives, and execut...
04/03/2026
Smith Entertainment Group transformed how local sports are consumed by creating ...
04/03/2026
The production method, which spans a distance of 36.2 miles, was designed and im...
04/03/2026
Haivision, a global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and...
04/03/2026
When Hugues Meyrath came out of retirement to take the helm as CEO of Quantum, i...
04/03/2026
Last week's launch of Banana Ball Championship League has spurred a significant upgrade of production facilities
The Savannah Bananas, arguably the hottest...
04/03/2026
sldkfjsdlfkjsldkfjsldkjfslkdjfslkdjfsl
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus...
04/03/2026
For many fans, a song's backstory can be just as compelling as the final pro...
04/03/2026
In 2006, Spotify was founded on the belief that technology could bring artists a...
04/03/2026
Spotify is back on the ground for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and we&#...
04/03/2026
Spotify had an energizing week in Sydney, Australia, filled with powerful conver...
04/03/2026
Earlier this year, we launched Directed By, a documentary-style series that pull...
04/03/2026
100 Days to Go: SBS Unveils World Class Team for The Greatest Show on Earth -The...
04/03/2026
KT and Rohde & Schwarz to showcase AI-enhanced radio transmission performance In a joint 6G AI proof-of-concept demonstration, the CMX500 one-box tester from ...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, 3 March 2026 - SES S.A. has today published its 2025 Annual Report, following the announcement of the company's full year financial results for ...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, March 3, 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, along with I...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON Partners with GSMA Innovation Fund to Accelerate Digital Innov...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON's Beeline Uzbekistan and Rakuten Symphony Partner for Open...
04/03/2026
Wednesday 4 March 2026
Sky Sports unveils plans for 2026 Formula 1 coverage
Sky Sports is preparing for one of the most highly anticipated F1 seasons in recen...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Bloodhounds' Season 2 Gears Up for April 3 Premiere with ...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Ads Suite Expands Capabilities
Business
04 March 2026
GlobalUnited States
Link copied to clipboard
After launching the Netflix Ad...
04/03/2026
Scripps Research welcomes healthcare innovator Joe Kiani to the Board of Directors Kiani brings decades of experience in patient safety and public service.
Mar...
04/03/2026
Nanoparticle vaccine approach takes on a new target: Hepatitis C virus Scripps Research scientists reengineer critical proteins on the surface of HCV, paving th...
03/03/2026
Beyond Sports, a Sony group company, and LIV Golf, the world's golf league, ...
03/03/2026
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment announces the launch of Detroit SportsNet (DSN), a year-round broadcast home for two of Detroit's franchises. With flexible op...
03/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media ...
Die Onderonsie's Simon Pretorius on the film, Britney Spears, first 8 sceneActress Simone Pretorius opens up about her character, Jolene, in Showmax's Afrikaans film Die Onderonsie'. 
