Nul Is Nie Niks Nie Cast Prove Young Actors Can Deliver Great Performances

‘Nul is Nie Niks Nie’, a heart-warming and darkly amusing new film about life, death and everything in between, tells the story of three friends living in a sleepy town – Martin ‘Hoender’ (Jaden van der Merwe), Drikus (Pieter Louw), and Chris (Daniah de Villiers) – who set out to make Drikus’ dying wish come true – to make a zombie movie.

What makes the movie stand out from the slate of local films in recent years is that it revolves around performances by children.

“The story is brought to life through the brilliant performances of a charming and talented young cast,” says Helen Kuun, CEO of Indigenous Film Distribution. “As risky as it can be to hang your film on the performances of teenagers, this film proves that it can pay off handsomely if you cast the right children. Those who have seen ‘Nul is Nie Niks Nie’ have nothing but praise for the fresh, nuanced portrayals of three troubled youngsters living in an isolated town where nothing much changes.”

The discovery of this young talent seems all the more impressive for having seemingly come from nowhere. “We auditioned more than 400 kids to find our three leads,” says director Morné du Toit. “It was a demanding process, because the actors you cast in a film about young teenagers have to have a level of maturity to cope with the emotional demands of the story, which is at times comical and at times extremely poignant.

“What’s more, from  a director’s point of view, I was also tasked with capturing a different kind of magic; with children, there is a sense of temporality, of catching them at a specific moment in their lives, and of reflecting that with integrity and insight.”

Jaden van der Merwe (Hoender) was the first to be cast and he set the bar, according to Du Toit. “When we saw how he interacted with Pieter Louw (Drikus) and Daniah de Villiers (Chris), we knew we had nailed the casting. All three brought so much depth to the characters they portray,” he adds.

“In many ways, the young characters in this story have a lot to teach the adults who are able to undergo transformation thanks to what they learn from a trio of young misfits. The roles are reversed as the kids become the teachers and mentors”.

Casting the right young talent has paid off in several memorable films. Among the most successful child performances of the 21st century is Keisha Castle-Hughes in ‘Whale Rider’ (2003). At the age of 11, she played the daughter in a long line of sons who fights to fulfil her destiny as the leader of her ancient Maori tribe, despite the patriarchal nature of the clan’s traditions. The richness of the emotion she brought to this exceptional story earned her an Oscar nomination for best actress.

Another fine example is ‘Stand by Me’ (1986), which tells the story of four boys, inseparable friends all, who set out in search of a dead body that one of the boys overhears his brother talking about. The foursome comprised the intellectual Gordie (Wil Wheaton), born leader Chris (River Phoenix), emotionally disturbed Teddy (Corey Feldman), and chubby hanger-on Vern (Jerry O’Connell), all of them affected by the pressures of the adult world round them.

‘Lord of the Flies’ (1990), starring Balthazar Getty, Chris Furrh, Danuel Pipoly and James Badge Dale, an updated take on William Golding’s classic novel, depicts what happens when a group of American military schoolboys become marooned on a remote island after a plane crash. While initially cooperative, after the discovery of a ‘beast’, the boys split into two warring camps.

An enduring favourite is ‘The Man in the Moon’ (1991), a coming of age drama which was also a young Reese Witherspoon’s film debut.

Locally, the 1976 feel-good cult film ‘e’Lollipop’, told the story of a friendship between two young boys – one black, the other white – in the racially divided South Africa of the 1970s.

“What is charming about ‘Nul is Nie Niks Nie’ is the sense of watching real children who have a natural ability, proving that that age and experience don’t necessarily dictate talent,” says Kuun. “It’s exciting to see kids in memorable roles which show that they have acting chops on par with well-known names.”

Also appearing in ‘Nul is Nie Niks Nie’ are Morné Visser, Marisa Drummond, Antoinette Louw, June van Merch, Kim Syster, Bradley Olivier, and Francois Jacobs.

The film is produced by Redhead Productions and Faith in Motion Productions, in association with kykNET Films, the ATKV, and the DTI. It is being distributed in South Africa by Indigenous Film Distribution, and will be released in cinemas nationwide on 7 July.

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By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb