Anyone who has been around in the South African acting circles of late, is sure to recognize the name Jannes Eiselen – most recently seen on our television screens as Dr Deon Bekker in the highly acclaimed SABC drama series “Hillside”. Here is an actor who continues to leave an indelible footprint on an entertainment industry that is crying out for role models; and with his passion and commitment to the industry, his is a name that will undoubtedly be written in the “history annals of South African Entertainment” and will be justly deserved.

Upon meeting him, you could easily mistake this 28-year old as being a lot older; purely because of the staggering list of roles he has already fulfilled but so too because of the mature outlook he has on the industry and his desire to be a part of the development and sustenance of it. Add to that his incredible pro-active nature and drive to personally succeed and you soon realize that we have a gem in our midst and the industry is finally sitting up and taking notice!

Born in New York, but raised in South Africa this current Westdene resident has always loved the stage and performing. Not one to waste any “idle time” as Jannes calls it, whilst studying at the University of Pretoria, he joined the university radio station TUKS FM and was soon elevated to the position of Breakfast DJ - steaming up the air waves with his unique on-air personality.

Techniques learnt at that level have stood Jannes in good stead throughout his career. Since leaving University, Jannes has become a prolific voice artist: one of the most sought in the country – a detailed list of his regular clients would be almost too tiresome to read, but suffice it to say, he has performed in thousands of spots, both locally and internationally - and is regarded as a benchmark in the voice industry.

His experience in dubbing and flair for accents has added to this demand and keeps him extremely busy between television shoots and show rehearsals.

Being a TUKS FM DJ and professional voice artist hasn’t been his only venture into radio; Jannes also created the popular Daily Serial Moordsquad for SAFM, starring James Borthwick and directed by Bruce Millar, which was recorded in October/November 2006 and reprised again due to its popularity in March and October 2008. Jannes is also the narrator of the show.

But Jannes will be quick to point out that acting is still his first love, and in an industry that is uncertain and sporadic for many local performers, Jannes has been working non-stop thus showing his versatility and “staying power”.

His love of the live stage and his natural affinity for this art form has seen him notching up many accolades along the way; from his time at Pretoria University when he performed in productions including Ein Dunkel Nacht Aus Berlin and Bobaas van die Boendoe along to other professional productions including My Bloody Valentine, Tragic Ladies, Jack and his Big Stalk and others.

Jannes’s great love is all things Shakespeare, and memorable shows he’s participated in most recently has been in Macbeth and playing Claudio in Much Ado about Nothing last year for the Actors Centre, before its untimely demise.

“For me,”, says Jannes “it’s important to be a part of real quality productions and if I had my choice, it would be Shakespeare, Shakespeare, Shakespeare…”

A highlight for Jannes in his live stage acting career thus far has been the fact that he was a finalist in the Brett Golden Bursary in 2006, an honour that he will always treasure, especially having the opportunity to subsequently meet Brett’s mother.

At a time when most actors would love to be able to appear in just ONE local television series, Jannes has accrued an impressive list of acting credits in our television circles over the past few years. He continues making an impression to local casting agents and audiences alike with his performances in television programmes like Backstage, Jozi Streets, 7de Laan, Erfsondes, and Binnelanders.

He also took on a challenging lead role in Discovery Channel"s acclaimed docudrama series, ZERO HOUR, alongside Clive Standen. In this series Jannes had to call on his outstanding aptitude for accents to portray Captain John Laverty of the Irish Rangers, held captive by Sierra Leonean rebels in 2000.

It has been his ongoing role in popular television series Hillside since its inception three seasons ago that Jannes has now made a mark on the industry that will not be easily erased. He has shared this stage with many luminary actors including John Kani, Patrick Shai, and is an experience he won’t easily forget. He was particularly thrilled when the show was honoured earlier this year with a People Magazine’s Crystal Award for Best Local series.

With the 3rd season finishing on 25 November 2008, Jannes had this to say; “It is so rare to be able to work with so many truly great actors, writers and directors and to tell truly South African "slice-of-life stories". I had a blast!”

He continues “It was a great opportunity and I just drank it in. I tried to immerse myself in the world of a surgeon, and the cast and crew of Hillside really helped me to do that. I can honestly say that it was the most pleasant production I have ever worked on”.

With Hillside closing last week, many would think that Jannes would then take a well deserved break; not so for this highly pro-active individual.

Wanting to learn more skills, Jannes started the film-group called “Collective Pictures”, in 2006, which includes fellow thespians Anrich Herbst, Sivan Raphaely, Ashleigh Harvey and Benita Doria. Within their circle, they continuously work on various shortfilm projects which they develop from inception to end product. Jannes produces the films out of his own pocket.

Their current project being a horror film entitled “Faye” – the script which has been written by Jannes and which he is also producing – is currently in pre-production and they will start shooting in early December for release to the Festival and Arts Film Circuit sometime in 2009. Watch this space for details.

“It’s been tough to develop a script that has deep roots in psychological drama, I re-wrote "Faye" nine times from scratch before I was happy with it. It"s quite a challenge to write something that is unsettling, even to you. but I love a challenge! In fact, I thrive on it, and I can’t wait to see the end product”, says Jannes.

Jannes is also known and respected as one of the leading vocal coaches, coaching actors in voice technique, – again it’s a way he believes he can “give back” to an industry that has been so fruitful for him and with a family full of teachers, it comes naturally to him. He also runs his own sound studio, Audio Basic. Log onto www.audiobasic.co.za for more information.

Whilst not rushing around following his thespian dream, Jannes enjoys relaxing in the outdoors – whether it’s hiking or mountain biking or the like. He also believes in the philosophy of Yoga – thus showing that his diversity in his professional life also crosses over into his personal life.

Jannes recently married industry agent Claudia Moruzzi, and they enjoyed and idyllic wedding and honeymoon on the islands of the Seychelles earlier this year in September.

And to the future?

“I am an actor. That will not change. The future is unpredictable, but my goal is to have a body of work to look back on in my old age and think – that was really fun…and I got paid for doing it!”

With his deep-rooted ethics and passion for “all things entertainment”, here is an actor who most certainly be around for a long time to come; continuously achieving and developing an industry that can only benefit as a result. JANNES EISELEN is a name that will enjoy much more than just one chapter in the South African Entertainment Industry books!

Jannes Eiselen is represented in the industry by his agent, Raymond Theart at LEADS Artists Agency cc. For television, film, commercial or other audition possibilities, arrangements can be made directly with him at 011 782 1162 or [email protected]