From the Price mansion to the Love Island villa with Qiniso and Sam’s stories in between, Local Thursdays are bringing all the drama.
But you don’t have to wait for Thursdays to keep it local. M-Net, DStv, and Showmax have got plenty of local movies and series on offer. The more you watch, the more you’re likely to recognise the names and faces of our local talent.
Just in case you need a guide – or are just plain overwhelmed by the smorgasbord of local variety – we’re going ahead and suggesting movies and shows by linking them through actors. It’s a bit like six degrees of separation – or six degrees of Kevin Bacon, if you prefer – and will inspire and extend your must-watch list.
Tali’s Baby Diary
Tali is back and her brand new baby bump means she’s now a #momfluencer!! OMG! Julia Anastasopoulos is as amazeballs as ever in the title role and is joined by a local line-up that will make you laugh out loud including Siv Ngesi, Nik Rabinowitz, Schalk Bezuidenhout, and some hadedas.
Stream Tali’s Baby Diary on Showmax.
Kanarie
If you want to see Schalk show off a whole different side to his talent, be sure to watch him in this stunning South African film that’s part war film, part coming-of-age tale, and part musical. The cast includes Hannes Otto, Germandt Geldenhuys, and Gérard Rudolf. Be sure you also keep an eye out for acting stalwart, Anna-Mart van der Merwe.
Stream Kanarie on Showmax.
Bonus: You can also watch Schalk in this week’s episode of The Bachelorette South Africa. If you miss it catch up with DStv using any connected device.
Reyka
Coming up in July, you’ll also get to watch Anna-Mart van der Merwe play the mother to the title character, played by Kim Engelbrecht. Other familiar faces in this series include Fiona Ramsay, Gerald Steyn, and Nokuthula Mavuso from Lioness.
Reyka starts on M-Net in July.
Lioness
These three actors – Ramsey, Nomvusa, and Steyn – respectively play Sam’s mother, friend, and lover in Lioness. Sam, of course, is played by The River’s Shannon Esra. Each and every one of these characters is keeping us on the edge of our seats with their secrets, lies, and deceit – and we can’t wait to see what they do next.
Watch Lioness every Thursday at 20:30 on M-Net.
Catch up with DStv using any connected device.
Still Breathing
Fans will also be familiar with Esra from her role as Candice in Still Breathing, which also starred Siv Ngesi whom we named checked earlier in Tali’s Baby Diary.
Stream Still Breathing on Showmax.
The Man Cave
You can also catch Siv talking cars, sports, adventure, and more cars as he presents The Man Cave alongside Jason Goliath and Warrick Stock.
Watch The Man Cave every Saturday at 21:30 on M-Net.
Missed an episode? Catch up with DStv using any connected device.
Bloodshot
OK, it may not be South African, but this action movie does feature local names, including Jason Goliath and his cousin Donovan Goliath. It was also primarily filmed in Cape Town, so while it may not be strictly local, it’s worth checking out for the local names.
One Night Kwa Mxolisi
But if you want to really watch Donovan Goliath flex his acting muscles, check him out in a starring role in One Night Kwa Mxolisi. Following a group of friends celebrating the opening of a new restaurant, the drama soon follows as the celebratory night takes a turn when secrets come out. It’s directed by Sisanda Henna, whom M-Net fans will know and love from Trackers and Inconceivable.
Stream One Night Kwa Mxolisi on Showmax.
Now that we’ve linked these gifted actors from one must-watch show to the next must-watch movie, let’s play six degrees of Kevin Bacon with the final star on our list, Sisanda Henna. This game involves having a Bacon number, which tells you how closely connected a person is to Kevin Bacon. Mr. Henna has a Bacon number of 4. Here is the breakdown:
Sisanda Henna was in Rogue with Megan Fox.
Megan Fox was in Jonah Hex with Josh Brolin.
Josh Brolin was in Milk with Sean Penn.
Sean Penn was in Mystic River with Kevin Bacon.
Can you connect Mr. Henna to Mr. Bacon in fewer steps? Can you connect yourself to Kevin Bacon, and how many steps will it take? Let us know on social media using #MNet101.