Most South Africans will still remember Kim Engelbrecht as Lollie from the popular soapie Isidingo, but the actress has now come a long way in her career, as she has now an award-winning actress who has also been nominated on the global stage for an Emmy Award as well.
But the Cape Town-born star, says she is still the same girl who grew up in Belhar.
“I’m a simple girl. I have simple needs. I just want to act,” said Engelbrecht during a recent interview with David Mashabela on his King David Studio Podcast.
The “Reyka” star reflected her childhood, her career and what keeps her motivated.
Engelbrecht was born in Bellville South, but grew up in Belhar, Cape Town.
She went to the same school her mother taught at in Elsies River. She admits that while her siblings were more academically inclined then she was.
“I was the class clown. I was the playful one,” she said.
In her Sub A (Grade 1) report, it was mentioned that her head was always in the clouds but she didn't feel like that was a problem.
She was given the freedom to try new things when she was growing up.
“I wasn’t incredibly great at many things. I just did many things,” she says talking about when she participated in a variety of sports when she was at school.
“I wasn’t the best but I was in the team.”
It was because of her active participation that she won Sports Woman of the Year in high school.
And it’s because she was so active that she in fact thought that she would become a physiotherapist or a personal trainer.
Even though she didn’t go into that field, she’s still heavily into exercise and fitness. That’s not the only aspect of her life that she keeps fit.
Engelbrecht shares that she remains “audition fit” as well.
“I love auditioning. I learn a lot about myself,” says the actress.
Even though she has a very successful career, she still auditions. She adds that for every part she gets she has to do at least 30 auditions.
She knows that she has to audition to secure work and sees it as an adventure.
“Amazing things can happen,” she says.
To those who don’t always get the jobs they want she encourages by saying:
“You need to do as much as possible. You have to keep the fire going in yourself.”
When asked if she was aware of the fact that she is a good actress she said: “I like it. I love it. I don’t think you should judge yourself like that. It’s about the way you make people feel.”
Engelbrecht adds that she is terrible at judging herself but believes she is a good judge.
She can judge her performances and when there are gaps in her performances.
“We see you as a superstar,” Mashabela told her.
However, she doesn’t see herself as that and adds that it’s not her aim to be a superstar.
“I just want to do nice jobs.”
She simply sees herself as an actor who is working and at the moment she wants as many people as possible to see season two of “Reyka”.
Even though Engelbrecht doesn’t have any formal training in acting, she doesn’t feel that she is completely disadvantaged but she does however say that having training does give you a foundation and that it gives you endurance.
“Education is important when experience isn’t enough to draw on.”
She adds that she does a lot of research and reading to make up for the fact that she doesn't have formal training.
When things are slow and she’s feeling lazy, she really has to motivate herself.
She shares that she’s started doing woodwork, a hobby she’s always wanted to try.
Even though it’s a skill she knew nothing about she is now at an advanced level and already made a table.
Reyka can be streamed on Showmax.
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