Simoné Pretorius on kykNET series Sy, die meeue en die Heilige Gees

Sy, die meeue en die Heilige Gees, a three-episode mini-drama series that started on kykNET in September, tells the story of Ingrid, a woman who can make almost anything work. But being the single mother of her six-year-old daughter, Zoey, is the one thing she just cannot get a handle on. With the hope of a new beginning, Ingrid and Zoey move to Fish Hoek. Simoné Pretorius on kykNET series plays the role of Ingrid, while Mila-Sofi Clasen and Evan Hengst are seen as Zoey and Simon, Zoey’s father. The supporting cast includes Cintaine Schutte, Albert Pretorius, Daneel van der Walt, Ira Blanckenberg and Marion Holm.

The series has already made a strong impression with its intimate storytelling, emotionally grounded performances and honest portrayal of motherhood. With Simoné Pretorius bringing vulnerability and depth to Ingrid, Sy, die meeue en die Heilige Gees stands out for its ability to explore faith, relationships and the realities of starting over without feeling forced or preachy. Its nuanced approach and relatable characters make it a compelling watch, with the first episodes setting the stage for an emotionally resonant story as Ingrid navigates the challenges of single motherhood and the possibility of a new beginning.

Simoné talks about the story and the character she plays in this mini-drama series.

How would you describe the series?

It’s a series that doesn’t let go of you. Ingrid takes you along on a very intimate journey. Sometimes it is so intimate that it feels as though you as the viewer are too close, as if you are seeing more than you are supposed to see. It’s a vulnerable, raw and honest look at the challenges of motherhood, and specifically at what it’s like to do it alone as a single mother.

What was it about this story or character that made you decide immediately to be part of the project?

I was initially approached to play Celine, and on paper it made sense: Celine is religious, she has three children and a healthy marriage. But a few weeks before filming, the writer and director, Chanél Muller, told me she actually felt Ingrid was my role. When I read the script, I couldn’t put it down. I saw so much of myself in her, and also of my mother. My mother was a single mother who had to make a new start for herself when I was four years old. Coincidentally, she also drove a Golf! The story was just so close to home. And the chance to do a proper drama was very exciting to me.

Faith, identity and relationships are major themes in the series. Which of these themes touched you most deeply personally?

The theme of faith is very close to my heart. But what really excites me is how subtly it is woven into the story, without preaching. People immediately feel it when something is shoved down their throats. Here it is almost as if the viewer is discovering God along with Ingrid. And He is gentle and patient with her, just as He is with us. It’s special for me to watch a story that shows my world – at home and in church.

Tell us more about the character you play.

Ingrid is a mother who tries her absolute best, but often feels it isn’t enough. She is tired, she is sometimes short-tempered, she makes mistakes, and she loves her child with everything she has. I think many women are going to recognise themselves in that tension: that you have to be strong while you’re just longing for someone to notice you. She starts over in a new place, without a plan, and slowly learns to let people in again – and also God. You don’t have to be a single mother to relate.

Were there aspects of the character’s journey that you could identify with yourself?

Yes, definitely. My husband is a fantastic father, and we are a real team, but he works very hard, and there are evenings when I have to put three children to bed on my own. Then my fuse is sometimes really short, because I’m naturally an impatient person. I know that fatigue and frustration well. The rest I based on what I experienced as a child: growing up with a single mother who had to go through a painful divorce.

You have been one of South Africa’s beloved actresses for a long time. How has your approach to roles and stories changed over the years?

Thank you, that’s a big compliment. The biggest change came with three young children who require so much of my time and attention. When I say yes to something now, I know it also demands sacrifices from many other people. These are people who step in with big smiles and help with so much love. But one is just much more aware of what it costs to be away from home. So, I now consider every opportunity three hundred times, because it really has to be worth it. Earlier, when I was less bound, I said yes more easily and quickly, and that was good too. But now I choose with more intention.

What was the biggest challenge, but also the biggest reward, of this role?

Both were working with Mila-Sofi. She is absolutely wonderful. It was so rewarding to see everything she brings to the table, and how honest and spontaneous she is. It’s contagious. But she is still small, and a set is exhausting and overstimulating, even for adults. There is a scene at the bath in episode one that we shot after she had already worked so long and so sweetly. But then she had had enough of sitting in the bath, and we had to respect that. So, I played my side of the scene facing a wall and shouting at it. Finding that emotion without her in front of me was a terrific challenge.

What do you hope viewers take away from the series?

Episode two is a lovely episode. Ingrid starts finding her feet in Fish Hoek, things are going well with her and Zoey, and she starts opening her heart to the people around her. And then Simon arrives. If I could ask viewers to take one thing with them into the last episode, it’s this: remember how Ingrid is in episode two and how she is a better mother to Zoey without him. That gives important context for what she does in episode three.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about love, faith and life, what would it be?

I would tell her you don’t have to be perfect to be loved: not by God, not by your husband, and not by your children. They don’t need a perfect mother. They need a mother who can say sorry and start again.

Sy, die meeue en die Heilige Gees airs on Tuesday evenings at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv channel 144) and is also available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.