"Reënboogrant ignited my love for reading" - Mila de Villiers

Starring as Sunette in Showmax’s adaptation of the Reënboogrant books is a dream come true for young actress Mila de Villiers, who still remembers how she stole away to the school library during break times to gobble up more of the teenage drama. 

Inspired by Louise van Niekerk’s bestselling 90s novels, Reënboogrant is a Tshwane-set telenovela centred on the Brink family. Mila stars alongside Minke Marais (Mooiweer en Warm) as Grade 10 sisters Sunette and Shani Brink, with Paul Strydom (Spooksoeker) as their older brother Dolf. 

SAFTA and Silwerskerm winner Desiré Gardner (Magda Louw) is the head writer, with André Velts heading up the directing team and Sonvelt Media producing. Sonvelt Media won the 2024 SAFTA for Best Made For TV Movie for ‘n Tyd van Waterpere.

Roz Els chats to Mila to find out more.

When did the acting bug bite you?

I have always loved telling stories. I was one of the few kids who loved presenting orals at school. I participated in the Eisteddfod every year in primary school and it taught me from a young age how to learn masses of text and create characters. I really enjoyed it. My family are all storytellers too – it’s just in my blood. Acting has always been part of how I function; it makes me Mila.

Had you read the Reënboogrant books before you got involved in the project?

The books are so precious to me and they form a very special part of my childhood. I read my first Reënboogrant book in Grade 6 in my primary school library and my mother had to buy more right away. I wasn't a big reader at that age because I couldn't find books that I enjoyed, but Reënboogrant was the series that ignited my love of reading. I would sit in the library during second breaks and read the Reënboogrant books that my mother and I couldn't get our hands on at Bargain Books. (laughs) So I couldn't believe it when I got the opportunity to audition for the series. It felt unreal.

⁠Tell us about the audition process.

When I saw the email about the audition for Reënboogrant, I screamed out loud and immediately called my mother. For the first round of self-tapes, I chose to audition for Sunette – I didn’t even think twice about it. She was the character I loved the most when I read the books years ago. I just knew that I didn’t want to play anyone else but her. She’s very special to me.

Tell me more about Sunette. Who is she, how does she fit into that whole world and what were your first impressions of her?

Sunette is smart, dedicated and reliable, and wants everyone to have a place in the sun. She likes to play it safe, she thrives on routine, she's logical, but she's more than just an exemplary, determined, gentle, hard-working goodie-two-shoes who just throws herself into schoolwork. She's also looking for excitement and love, and she wants to reinvent herself so that people really notice her. My first impression of her was that she experiences a lot of inner conflict and has yet to find and accept herself. It's very interesting for me to carve out her path because she has so many contrasting qualities.

Are there any commonalities between you and Sunette?

I think the reason I liked Sunette when I started reading the books is because she's so much like me. I was also a do-gooder at school; school things were also important to me, like academics and cultural extracurriculars. But I don't take everything as seriously as Sunette. (laughs) I’m not someone who ticks boxes; I don’t like routine. Where she lives more in her own little world, I thrive around people. And I’m definitely not an athlete! I had to take athletics lessons to convince viewers that Sunette was at home on the track, but I was terrified I would embarrass myself jumping over hurdles on camera! 

Why do you think viewers relate to Sunette? 

She gives an honest look at what it’s like to be a teenager and to make mistakes. I feel like she represents the group of people who push themselves to be the best all the time. She always tries to put her best foot forward and stay within her own rules. She struggles to allow herself to just be, to make mistakes, and have a little fun. Her biggest fear is failure and I think a lot of people relate to this. 

⁠How would you describe the sisterhood between Sunette and Shani?

Shani and Sunette are opposites. They attach different values ​​to very different things. Where Shani is more of an extrovert and popular and dreams of going to Hollywood, Sunette is content with little attention on her. She focuses more on her grades and dreams of the Olympics. But it was such a nice challenge for me to find the common ground between Sunette and Shani because they are sisters, after all. Minke and I happened to do the same mannerism on camera one day and it was so small, but it immediately helped me find the similarities between the sisters. And as we kept shooting, that dynamic and similarities only grew. It's funny because Minke and I are opposites in real life too, (laughs) so it feels like life imitating art.

How did you and Minke work together to portray the relationship between the two sisters? 

Minke and I are so privileged. We already had a friendship before filming the series and it was just easy to see her as Sunette's sister. She was at Stellenbosch University the year before me and we performed together in a production and we have mutual friends. Before we moved to Pretoria, she and I just went for a lot of coffees and talked about our characters, and also just took the time to connect. Minke and I also live together now, so I feel like we operate as sisters, and that helps on set.

What’s on your acting bucket list? Your absolute dream role?

Sunette is a dream role for me. I never thought I would play my favourite character from my favourite children’s book series! (laughs) But I always say that I want to play in a meaningful movie. When I watched Vaselinetjie, I started dreaming of starring in something like that. And I would also love to act in a comedy. Comedy is probably one of the hardest genres to play because it's so specific. But at the end of the day, I just want to be challenged.

Watch the trailer for Reënboogrant

Binge the first 10 episodes of Reënboogrant on Showmax now, with new episodes every Wednesday. 

Bonus questions

Although the series revolves around the lives of high school students, its narrative is also accessible to an older and even slightly younger audience. What do you think makes Reënboogrant so watchable? 

I can't remember if there was an Afrikaans series that my parents and I watched together when I was younger. My parents always tell me about how they watched Koöperasiestories and other Afrikaans series together as a family when they were children. I believe Reënboogrant brings that family culture back again. It has characters of all ages with storylines that are relevant and accessible to every age group, but the story is told in such a way that the youngest and oldest in the house can enjoy it. I think that's incredibly special.

You also starred in Wyfie. This is, of course, a completely different type of story, but I'm curious about what you learned on the Wyfie set that you can apply here and in your acting in the future.

Wyfie's set was the ideal place for me to learn. I could observe how the people I look up to in the industry work and make magic. I was like a sponge that just absorbed every moment and learning opportunity. My time on Wyfie mostly taught me how to be comfortable in front of the camera and how to persevere when you have to shoot a scene over and over again, with the same dedication and passion each time.

⁠What’s next?

At the moment, Reënboogrant is taking up all my time (laughs) but I completed my drama honours degree in writing and directing at Stellenbosch University last year, and I’m cautiously excited to say that I can also see myself behind the scenes. During my studies, I realised I am very particular about the stories I want to tell and how they should be executed. I hope to get the opportunity to tell my own stories in Mila’s style in the future.

⁠⁠What was it like working with seasoned veterans like André Velts and Desiré Gardner?

It's such a privilege to bring Desiré's text to life under André's guidance. I'm generally in awe of working with so many celebrities, like Simoné Pretorius, Johan Scholtz, and Juanita Velts... I learn so much from them. It's a privilege to be in the same room as them and see how they work. André makes you feel so calm and safe. He brings so much life to his set and cares about every person he works with. Jeez, his passion is contagious! He's also so generous with his knowledge. When he speaks, it's as if the world stands still because everyone stops to listen.

⁠Tell me a little about the filming process – did you bond with other actors or crew members?

Reënboogrant is truly such a blessed production. I have never clicked so quickly and so easily with such a large group of people. In the first week of filming, we all knew that something very special was going on here. It was just crazy how quickly we clicked. I enjoy every moment and every day on set. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not professional enough because I laugh and enjoy it so much! (laughs) And it’s also sometimes difficult for me to act opposite my co-stars because we know each other so well now. So it’s strange to film scenes where my character and other characters don’t get along because off-screen we’re all just having so much fun. The cast hangs out all the time; I’ve made lifelong friends during this process.

⁠What has been a highlight of the project for you so far?

The first day we filmed at the school, Minke and I walked through the school in our school clothes and looked at all the Reënboogrant posters and signs. That's when everything sunk in for us. We just walked through the hallways without saying a word. The feeling was so tangible and we suddenly realised how big this opportunity was for us. We talked about what a privilege it is to play Shani and Sunette and to work with so many talented and hard-working people. It was also the first day that the full young cast was on set and we took pictures in front of the school signs. I just remember how grateful I felt to be a part of this special story and group of people.