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Theodore Jantjies just wants to be an actor

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Actor Theodore Jantjies
Actor Theodore Jantjies

EVERY evening during the week, we see Theodore Jantjies convincingly portraying the role of Xander Meintjies on SABC2’s 7de Laan to a point where fans believe he is a real lawyer and ask for legal advice when they meet him. But the man behind the character says as good as he might be as an actor now, acting was never part of his plans when he was growing up. He wanted to be a school teacher.

GETTING INTO ACTING

Theodore got into acting without realising that he’s been honing his craft since he was a little boy. “I didn’t choose acting; it chose me. I was always involved in shows – even in primary school,” he says. The 33-year-old is now an award-winning actor who won't let awards and fame go to his head. He refuses to get caught up in all the glitz and glamour that goes with being in the spotlight. “I have learnt that I should never change who I am because of what I’m doing. I’m not focused on being a celebrity because this is not why I am doing this. I just want to be an actor,” he says. Theodore admits that even though he was a naughty child when he was growing up, he has learnt some important lessons from his mother and grandmother. “They always tell me to stay humble and never forget where I come from. When you stay rooted, you'll never be shaken by anything.”

DEALING WITH FANS

The hunky actor says winning awards does put a little bit of pressure on him. However, that pressure is from no one else but himself as he always tries to outdo himself. “There’s always pressure on me because I’m my own competition. I always want to be the best that I can be,” says the actor, whose character in the soapie has evolved over the years. When his character hit our small screens more than 10 years ago, he was unlikable thanks to his bad attitude towards his father, Neville Meintjies, played by Zane Meas. This led to Theodore getting a slap across the face from one of the soapie's fans. “Someone slapped me and shouted at me for my character’s awful manners,” he shares.  However, that incident has not stopped him from giving his fans the attention they deserve. “I love engaging with people. I'm willing to have a chat and take photos with my fans because I can see myself in their shoes,” he explains. With that said, he would appreciate it if people gave him space when he is out for dinner with his family.

GOD-GIVEN TALENT

Fast-forward to today, there's hardly anything bad you can say about this character. His fans think he’s a real lawyer. “When I started at 7de Laan, Xander was very disrespectful to his father. I thought I should change him and make him likable. That is when I decided to bring in some of my qualities, being warm, loving and caring, to achieve that. It’s amazing how people appreciate my work. I’m glad that God gave me this talent,” says the Northlink College drama graduate.

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