LISTEN | Ian Roberts on ‘Nomad Heart’

In this episode of Jonathan Ball Publishers’ Pagecast podcast, the actor and musician discusses his memoir with journalist and poet Jo Prins

21 October 2024 - 11:21
By Jonathan Ball Publishers
Nomad Heart: Adventures on and off the set by Ian Roberts.
Image: Supplied Nomad Heart: Adventures on and off the set by Ian Roberts.

Actor and musician Ian Roberts is something of a South African icon, renowned for his roles as the rugged boer fighter Sloet Steenkamp in the TV series Arende and as Boet in the immensely popular Castrol advertisements.

Roberts had an unconventional youth, running wild on his family’s citrus farm in the Eastern Cape. There he grew a love of nature and first learnt the art of communicating through song and story.

A master storyteller with a wicked sense of humour, Roberts offers a highly entertaining glimpse of how actors make the magic happen, whether on a theatre stage or before TV cameras. Drawing on a career that runs from Long Street to Los Angeles, and from Shakespeare to Tsotsi, Roberts gives a masterclass on the art of acting, making his life story a vital guide to aspiring actors.

His no-nonsense and fearless approach to life means he has never hesitated in tackling challenging roles and doing things in his own unorthodox way. Today, as frontman for Die Radio Kalahari Orkes, he continues to follow his heart.

Listen to Roberts and Prins' conversation here: