Durban - To help learn the Afrikaans language while in school, Kyle Clark used to watch the Afrikaans soapie 7de laan, and today he is playing the charming and enigmatic doctor Sudesh Reddy.
Clark, 32, from Johannesburg, made his debut this week as the new medical doctor at Hillside Clinic in the soapie which airs daily on SABC 2 at 6pm. “I am thrilled to have made my TV debut and to have joined such a show.
I always dreamt since I was a kid to be on TV and this is such a surreal moment for me. The cast have been extremely welcoming, supportive, friendly and comforting to work with.
“I love the show because I used to watch it to pass my Afrikaans tests back in the day in high school. 7de laan has transcended through my family for generations.
“For me to be on the show, especially a person of colour is remarkable. And being a Coloured person playing the role of an Indian doctor is amazing. “I look Indian, but have no Indian family genes or heritage. I always get casted for Indian roles. I love the Indian community,” he said.
He said it was almost as if Sudesh was written with his personality in mind. “There's not a massive difference between Sudesh and Kyle. There was no adapting to who I already was with Sudesh,” he said.
Clark said although it is an Afrikaans show, he does not speak Afrikaans. “I understand the language, but struggle to speak it. I am getting better,” he said. Clark said his mother, Angela, told everyone about his new role before he could.
“Every person I told the news to said to me ‘I needed to act surprised because your mom told me already’.
Clark, who also runs a media agency, worked in radio for three years, appeared on TV commercials and acted in supporting roles in two films, which are still to be released. He lived in New York for four years where he studied dance and Broadway.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE