| Gérard Rudolf | |
|---|---|
| Born | Pretoria, South Africa |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) |
Gérard Rudolf is a South African actor. He has starred in many TV series and films since 1992, including the 2013 Bengali film Chander Pahar and the SABC 3 soap Isidingo. He stars as Boef Beukes in the 2023 M-Net series Devil's Peak, based on the novel of the same name by Deon Meyer.
Early life and education
Gérard Rudolf was born in Pretoria, South Africa, but spent most of his younger years in Cape Town and then his teenage years in Johannesburg.
After completing high school he did two years of compulsory military service, and was sent to fight in the Angolan War. In 1987 he joined the drama school at the University of Pretoria, where he graduated in 1989.
Career
Rudolf joined the CAPAB (Cape Performing Arts Board) drama company for a year, during which he performed on stage in Shakespeare plays, comedies, and dramas.
He left the company in 1991 to start his own theatre company called Makeshift Moon, specialising in original South African works. In the same year, he developed an interest in film and appeared in several roles over the following decade, beginning in 1992 with the series Arende II. He received some notoriety as an outspoken opponent to the Apartheid regime at the time, and he also campaigned against forced military conscription.
In 2013, Rudolf played Diego Alvarez in the award-winning Bengali film Chander Pahar, opposite Bengali star Dev (Bengali. Based on the 1937 adventure novel of the same name, which was filmed in South Africa. He described the role as "the most challenging and beautiful character I have ever played".
From 2017 until mid-2019, Rudolf played Hendrik Lategan in the SABC 3 soap Isidingo, before his character suddenly dies of a brain aneurysm.
In 2018, he starred in Kanarie, a "coming-of-age musical war drama" set in South Africa in the 1980s.
Rudolf played Boef Beukes in the 2023 crime drama series Devil's Peak.
Other roles and activities
In 1998, he started his own acting school in Cape Town, but left after feeling burnt out in 2002.
Rudolf published a collection of poetic writings in 2009, titled Orphaned Latitudes.
Personal life
Rudolf divorced his wife after quitting his acting school in 2002 and moved to the United Kingdom, returning in 2010 to Johannesburg.
Publications
| Year | Book | Publisher | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Orphaned Latitudes | Red Squirrel Press | Poetry |
Filmography
Selected Filmography :
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Arende II | TV series | |
| 1993 | Arende III | TV series | |
| 1997–1998 | The Adventures of Sinbad | TV series | |
| 1998 | Paljas | Jan Mol | |
| 2001 | Styx | Sloan | |
| 2001 | Dust | ||
| 2002 | Pavement | ||
| 2002 | The Piano Player | Ryan Tyler | |
| 2003 | Adrenaline | Ben | |
| 2003 | The Young Black Stallion | Rhamon | |
| 2008 | Transito | Priester | |
| 2012 | Wolwedans in die Skemer | ||
| 2012 | Wild at Heart | TV series | |
| 2013 | Layla Fourie | Van Niekerk | |
| 2013 | Chander Pahar | Diego Alvarez | Bengali film |
| 2013 | Jimmy in Pienk | Gigi | |
| 2015 | Die Ontwaking | Capt. Fred Lange | |
| 2016 | The Siege of Jadotville | Black Jack | |
| 2018 | Canary (Kanarie) | Ds Koch | |
| 2018 | Griekwasted | Hannes Cloete | |
| 2018 | The Tokoloshe | ||
| 2023 | Devil's Peak | Boef Beukes | TV series based on Deon Meyer's novel of the same name |
References
- "Gérard Rudolf - Celebrity photos, biographies and more". www.oestars.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "Poetic writings from Gérard Rudolf's Orphaned Latitudes". Peony Moon. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- Chakraborty, Shamayita (16 September 2024). "Chander Pahar: Dev's iconic film to hit the big screen once again". OTTPlay. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- Sen, Subhadrika (17 September 2024). "Bengali movie 'Chander Pahar' to be re-released on September 20". Indulgexpress. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- "Gerard Rudolf talks about playing Dev's mentor". The Times of India. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- "Gerard Rudolf's dramatic, sudden 'Isidingo' exit stuns fans". IOL. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- "Schalk Bezuidenhout: "The one thing I'm the proudest of is 'Kanarie'"". Jacaranda FM. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- Ontong, Joel (6 October 2023). "'The nightmares and the night terrors': Delving into the darkness with the cast of Devil's Peak". Life. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- Engelbrecht, Leandra (2 August 2023). "Catch the first glimpse of M-Net's latest international co-production, crime thriller Devil's Peak". Life. Retrieved 7 January 2025.