Three more join Spud cast

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

Filming on the new South African film, Spud: The Movie, commenced in early March at the prestigious Michaelhouse school in KwaZulu-Natal. Lead roles are played by international star John Cleese (Monty Python, A Fish Called Wanda) and South African born Troye Sivan (X-Men Origins: Wolverine).

South African model and actress Tanit Phoenix has joined the cast, along with international model Charlbi Dean Kriek and rising acting talent Alex McGregor.

Phoenix has already shared the screen with Nicholas Cage and Jared Leto in Lord of War and with Wesley Snipes in Gallowwalker. In Spud she plays the role of the school’s sexy music teacher Eve, who shares some intimate moments with Crazy 8 member Rambo.

Having signed up with ICE Model Management at just 15, Phoenix landed campaigns and photo shoots in Paris, London, Amsterdam, New York, Miami and Los Angeles. Her first screen role came in 2004’s Charlie Jade, before she hit the big screen in local film Crazy Monkey: Straight Outta Benoni. The South African edition of FHM named her on its 100 Sexiest Women list.

Charlbi Dean Kriek plays one of Spud’s love interests, the feisty Amanda. Fascinated with acting from a young age, Charlbi enrolled in Cape Town’s Waterfront Theatre School to follow her dream. Spotted by a model scout at around the same time as her acting training began, and offered the opportunity to head to Tokyo to model aged just 14, Charlbi put acting on hold and pursued a career in the world’s fashion pages. Having spent three years jetting between New York, Paris, Milan and London, she rediscovered her passion for acting and enrolled at The Screen Actors’ Studio in 2007.

Alex McGregor’s acting resume encompasses work on stage and screen in TV series, movies and commercials. She plays the role of man-eating tomboy Christine in Spud. McGregor, who also models, sings, dances and plays the piano, is part of the McGregor clan which includes superstar models Kerry and Tracy.

Based on John van de Ruit’s novel of the same name, Spud is set in South Africa in 1990 and chronicles John “Spud” Milton’s first year at an elite, boys-only private school. Cursed with parents from well beyond the lunatic fringe, a senile granny, and a dormitory full of strange characters, Spud has to forge a new life for himself in this foreign and sometimes hostile environment. Surrounded by names such as Gecko, Rambo, Rain Man and Mad Dog, Spud takes his first tentative steps along the path towards manhood. (The path, it seems, could be a rather long road.) Armed with only his wits and his diary, Spud takes us from illegal night swimming to the cricket field, from ghostbusting to teacher baiting. He also invites us into the mind of a boy struggling to come to terms with a strange new world; a boy whose eyes are being opened to love, friendship and complete insanity.

Spud: The Movie is produced by Rogue Star Films and BLM Productions. For more on Spud see March issue of Screen Africa.

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