SAFTA award-winning actress Renate Stuurman is back on our screens playing the role of Princess in the Netflix special, Happiness Ever After - the sequel to Happiness Is a Four-letter Word.
Stuurman said it was a wonderful experience getting to reprise the role of Princess.
“The first movie holds such a special place in our hearts. To come back for the sequel and take the audience on this journey with Princess, five years later.”
We’ve known the talented actress for her roles in local television series 7de Laan and The River. Stuurman said her role as Princess was a pivotal moment in her career.
“The first film was an unexpected success for me. I loved making it, but I had no idea how audiences would respond. How do you top that?”
She added: “I suppose you top it by having your work be seen in 190 countries around the world.”
Having played the female lead in films Meisie and Zama Zama, Stuurman is no stranger to the big screen. She described her latest experience in the Netflix special as a progression of something she’s loved her entire life.
“I keep on saying, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It feels like a very pivotal moment in my career. I am trying my best to take it all and be grateful for everything and everyone that has brought me here,” she said.
She added: “I had to take a moment and experience the goosebumps and remind myself that this is happening to me in my life right now. I realise it is something to be proud of.”
Stuurman said she has always been a storyteller. She recalls how her first report card had said she was friendly but very talkative.
“How do you make money out of that? Well, here we are. I’ve always felt such an intense connection that I have to express,” she said.
She added: “That urge is what pushes me, it’s what wakes me up and draws me out of the challenges in this industry.”
“The job of telling the story is where I get all of my energy from.”
The actress said in future she will be putting a lot of her energy and focus into making sure that this film is received as well as it can be.
“I want to stay open to whatever that means. I’m working on something else at the moment but trying my best to enjoy every moment as much as I can.”
Her advice to aspiring actors is to focus on the intention that they have in their acting careers.
“For me, the intention was always longevity over something momentarily. I get my joy out of the process of doing the work and what comes out of that. Start and do what you want to do. It is in the doing that you will know that you love this thing and whether you have the perseverance to go the distance.”
Happiness Ever After will be released on Netflix on November 10.