Renate Stuurman talks joining The River & swimming with the tide

You know when they say, "be careful what you wish for because you might just get it?" well, that is exactly what happened to Renate Stuurman when she scored her role on The River.

Renate had loved the show since it began and when she finally landed a role on the popular drama, she couldn't believe it but she also had the huge task of matching their unparalleled synergy.

"Once I was there, I was like 'Oh damn, now I have to act with these spectacular actors that I've been watching for a while...' But another thing was when a show has been running for a while, the actors form a bond and a rhythm of the show and they get into a groove. When you get there you have to match that energy."

The actress said she believed that the synergy was part of the reason why viewers accepted a new character in a story. She said otherwise viewers get ticked off by your presence because they sense that you aren't a great fit.

"It was kind of a lot, then all of a sudden I was “Yah, see Renate? You go around saying you want these things and now look at you?” she said before she laughed.

However, Renate said the cast and crew are a dream to work with and she’s been having a great time playing, Prof. Sheree Jacobsen.

"It's been wonderful because I've always been such a big fan of the show. I've always been a fan but when 1Magic launched they launched with Unmarried and The River and I was already on Unmarried."

Renate said there's always so much pressure involved when one joins a new team, but every actor's job is to get her act right and make sure that she gels so well with the other actor's that viewers can't tell that you are new.

It turned out that all her nerves were wasted because viewers loved her after a few minutes on screen with the lead actress Sindi Dlathu.

Renate said Sheree is packing a whole bag of surprises for viewers that she was excited for people to see.

“She’s very confident and well-educated. She’s also very determined and once she sets her mind on something, she’s like a dog with a bone. She is going to surprise you!”

Well, we can’t wait!