Elani Dekker on ‘Die Bloedhonde’ and ‘Toorbos’

Elani Dekker is a captivating force on screen, a dynamic actress who steers into challenging dramatic and comedic performances. Best known for her leading roles in Die Bloedhonde and Toorbos, Spling interviewed Dekker with a focus on these films to get insights into the mind of an actress and the nuances of the craft. From a quirky crime comedy caper and murder mystery set at a no-frills holiday resort to the visual poetry of a sweeping coming-of-age romance drama, Dekker is unrecognisable when you contrast these roles, bringing her pure talent and screen presence in equal measure.

In Die Bloedhonde, you’re immersed in the gritty, contemporary world of crime and trauma, while Toorbos transports us to a mystical, almost timeless wilderness. How do you prepare to embody such disparate realities?

For me, although the environment of a character plays a huge role in who they are and the way they present themselves to the world, in essence, both of these characters are still human. And I had to find the parts of me that resonate the most with this specific human and their perspective on this world.

The overall contrast between them was primarily informed by the environment, the wonderful scripts that were written and the scenarios that these characters found themselves in. But at their core, they still needed to be real people with genuine, human qualities. So I prepared quite similarly for the two, actually. And although the milieu and the setting was so different and their missions in life might seem very different in some ways, I had a clear understanding of what they want in life.

I start by spending as much time as possible with the script. And I think it helped me realize that my brain does not know how to distinguish between imagination and reality. So I also play around a lot with my imagination and ‘dream up’ scenarios that might not be in the script, but could imbue my subconscious with moments from my character’s life. I enjoy spending a lot of time in that kind of imaginative space and it’s a big part of my preparation.

There’s a powerful sense of inner strength and vulnerability in both roles. How do you manage that contrast in your performance?

Gosh, it can feel like dancing on a tightrope sometimes. I try not to draw my attention to this balance, because for me it’s a case of, when you think about the pink elephant, soon that’s all you can obsess about. But the spontaneous honesty that comes with these qualities that you’re describing can only really be there if you’re completely present.

So I try and stay away from having my intention be ‘vulnerability’ or ‘strength’. There are other ways to help myself or focus on something actionable that then naturally, almost as a side effect, has these qualities shine through. This is something I’m still experimenting with and learning to do. But I tried to focus on what really matters for these characters. And that’s the drive in life for them. And of course, I’m very grateful that it does come across as strength and vulnerability. But I can’t, as a performer, focus on creating those qualities directly… they are very welcome side effects though.

On a slightly different tangent, it’s interesting that you mention strength and vulnerability because although from one perspective they are opposites, they can also be the same thing for me… If you look at it from another angle, you can’t really have inner strength and agency without being vulnerable and exposed to an extent, and you also can’t really be vulnerable without having a certain amount of inner strength that carries you. So yeah, that’s just an interesting thought for me, that those two qualities go hand-in-hand.

Both characters display a very strong drive for truth. How do you navigate the complexities of truth in your own life, especially in an industry that often blurs those lines?

Ooh, wow, what a question! Yes, truth and the search for my own truth has been a very, very dominant theme in my life, and I think that’s why I’ve been drawn to stories that focus on this subject matter. Honestly, I’ve always struggled with knowing and listening to my own truth, especially in this interesting… exciting industry. And at the moment, I’m learning that I need to find some sort of ‘safe space’ …that’s a very hip-and-happening, pop culture word that is floating around these days, I know, but I need to have a sense of safety for myself where I feel grounded so that I’m not clouded by everything that’s happening in the world and industry.

Of course, this isn’t exclusive to the film and TV industry. The whole world – all the “industries” – are experiencing this kind of pressure and whirlwind of haste and uncertainty. And I’ve found that having specific practices for myself, like practical things – going for a walk, doing yoga, I also do a modality called TRE – these things help me to quieten down and feel safe enough so that I can observe and think more clearly.

Then it becomes much easier to recognize how I really feel, what my ‘truth’, values, principles to live by really are. ‘Cause I know, it often seems impossible to know what truth even means and what ‘standing in your own truth’ is?! But I’m learning that it’s possible to trust your inner truth and compass, wholeheartedly, despite what anybody else around you says. And in order for me to start living from that place more and more, it has really helped to have some anchoring routines.

Both films touch on themes of societal expectations and individual truth. What do you hope audiences will take away, particularly in today’s social climate?

If I could choose only one thing that strikes a chord with an audience member, it would probably always be to gain a sense of empathy and understanding for someone or something different from you. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with what happened in the story. We are all allowed to have our own opinions. While acknowledging that we all have our unique perspectives – and that they can change over time – we have to also make space for others to have theirs.

This is such a powerful way for us to grow and work together. Instead of assuming that what worked for me must also work for you, and then forcing that ideology and principles onto others. So, I hope that after experiencing these films, people will have new discussions with their close relatives and move through the world a bit more curious about other people’s views – knowing that there’s space for it all. You don’t have to feel attacked because someone else has a different opinion, and you also don’t have to feel like you need to defend what’s true for you. You can live in alignment with your truth without condemning anyone else for living in theirs.

And I guess it’s each of our own journeys to figure out what that actually looks like – it can feel like very abstract ideas or fancy words, but in real life, we all have to try, test, and find ways to live in more harmony and coherence with others.

I understand Die Bloedhonde is a personal film in the way your fiancé directed and co-wrote the film with you. How did this help you gain special insights into Katrien’s world and were there any unique challenges of working so closely on the film?

Yes, this was an incredibly close-to-home and personal story. The themes in it are things that both of us have worked and lived through in our personal lives. Talking about “standing in your truth” – this was a big one for us both. And, absolutely, having been a part of the project from its very beginning, seeing it grow and shape and reshape and reshape, was a privilege that actors don’t often have. And because of that, I actually had to be more aware of my overthinking and perfectionistic tendencies – I did get a bit overwhelmed with how much had already gone into the project by the time we started shooting and put a lot of pressure on myself.

It was a great exercise for me to completely let go and trust that everything will work out in the end. And then working with my best friend, I mean, of course, we had some intense storms that we got to navigate through. It was an incredible learning curve. And I couldn’t imagine having to do this specific project with anybody else. It was really very special and, um… Yeah, quite personal to us.

Katrien has a very strong personality. When you are playing a role that is so different from yourself, how do you decompress after a day of filming, and then after a film wraps?

Yeah, Katrien has a very different temperament from me. She is a lot more aggressive, and even though I was part of the project’s creation, I am not often that outspoken and headstrong. It was a hectic shoot for me – we had 18 days to shoot the whole film, I was in almost every scene, 12 hours a day… So, to be quite honest, I got home and tried to fall asleep as fast as possible so that I could get a few hours in before the next day. It was quite a blur and not the healthiest way to operate.

After the film though, I had a lot of decompressing to do, and I started making very different lifestyle choices after this shoot. I realized that I wanted to live with more ease and less anxiety – something a lot of us probably long for, but don’t always know how to go about getting, and I’m so grateful for that. But the shoot was quite a low point for me to recover from and to slowly figure out how to take better care of my mental health.

So in that way, it really was a life-changing project. I found better ‘tools’, I had a few ‘processes’ or ‘methods’ to re-group after playing characters that I’ve learned over the years, but this was one had me back at the drawing board. So I regained ways to ‘reset’ better. Like I mentioned, the TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) were especially helpful.

Toorbos deals with a young woman literally finding her roots on a quest for personal freedom. Did you find it easy to sink into Karoliena’s world and did you use your own experiences and memories to find her?

I remember feeling extremely connected to this specific character, the story, and the world. As I was growing up, we used to go to a little beach called Buffalo Bay, very close to the Knysna Forest, and my dad and I used to go for long walks there. So I knew that area well, and I only ever went there when I was on holiday – so I didn’t have, you know, school and pressures and expectations.

It was a very special, almost sacred, place for me already. The fact that we got to film in the forest had a profound impact, I feel, on the whole project. It happened with relative ease – not in the sense that it wasn’t a lot of work, but there was ease in me, and a part of me just sort of knew that this was going to be an amazing experience – which it did end up being. I mean, I met my partner there!

I did draw on my own memory and experiences, but I also loved the book. I think I read it three or four times. I loved the way it was written, and the perspective and mindset that the writer had – it just completely resonated with me. I felt like the luckiest human on earth to be able to play this character. I remember being inspired by her, thinking that if Karoliena can do it, then I’m sure I can also figure out this life, stand for what I believe in, and stay connected to nature and the beauty of the world.

I wanted to stay soft and not become rigid. All those qualities really struck me, and they’ve stayed with me ever since. It’s awesome talking about these two films in particular, because they really have been two very pivotal, life-changing projects for me. All the other ones are great and unique and wonderful too – but these two are extra special. I had a lot of trust in the process. There was an immense amount of quiet confidence inside me that trusted it was going to be exactly what it was meant to be.

There’s a particular scene in Toorbos where Karoliena interacts with the forest. It felt incredibly authentic, poetic and raw… how do you prepare for those kinds of scenes?

Oh, these are the kinds of things every artist’s ego longs to hear – thank you, I’m flattered. But, as you know, it’s all one huge collaboration: the production team, crew members, and all the amazing artists involved we all add accumulative value to the impact of a story.

To answer your question, though – in preparing for those kinds of scenes… There are often a few of scenes in a project that have the potential to overwhelm me. That’s when my insecurities come out and I start thinking, “I’ll never be able to do this justice!” The best way I’ve found to prepare for, and avoid those thoughts, is to first overcome overthinking and questioning everything! To investigate things and to commit to broad choices for the story and the character. Like – what’s the story about? What does my character want more than anything else in the world? And how does she go about trying to get it in every single scene? I analyze their way of being, where they come from, and so on. It’s a really fun, in-depth exploration, and I enjoy being meticulously analytical.

But then, it’s incredibly important for me to stop thinking and let everything go – so that I can be present and allow my subconscious to play its part. I was fortunate in Toorbos because about a week before we started shooting, I got to go to the locations in the forest with our director René and just be there – without the pressures that one has on the day of shooting.

That helped a lot: to feel what it’s like to be there and to give my brain, my nervous system, my body as much sensory information as possible. I remember I made so many head crowns out of grass and flowers that week! And that’s sort of the point where I started trusting that what I’d done to prepare was enough – and that my subconscious or intuition – whatever you want to call it – would offer up wonderful things in the moment when we shot.

The most important thing for me then was to be present. And now, retrospectively, I realize I was basically practicing mindfulness – and not allowing my thoughts and ego to trip me up. Because there could have been a big fear that this scene wasn’t going to be “good enough” or that I’m not good enough – that sort of thing.

There’s a self-sabotaging part of me that wants to control those ‘intimidating’ scenes and make sure everything is perfect and amazing but that just never works. That never really relates or connects with an audience. Whereas if you are completely open, with no preconceived ideas of what should happen or how the moment should look – that’s often where the magic happens.

It isn’t always easy to do but I’ve noticed that if I really feel something in a scene, then chances are whoever’s watching will also feel something. So yeah, my preparation is often a lot of thinking and analyzing… and then letting it all go. Forgetting everything. Just trusting – and being as present and open as possible.

You’ve demonstrated a remarkable range in these two films. What kind of roles are you typically drawn to, and why?

Honestly, the script – how truthful and engaging the actual scenes are – plays a big role in whether I want to be a part of a project or not. All the other things in a production can be great and wonderful, but in the end, what I’m going to be doing is being in a scene with other actors, playing. And if those scenes are well-crafted, it’s just so much more fun and exciting.

The main themes being explored are also important to me – they make me feel like I’m part of something that matters, that can really make a difference and have an impact. So that’s definitely something I consider too.

Thank you for your kind words. I actually don’t mind what kind of role it is, as long as they feel truthful and honest. My character might not be the main protagonist… or the positive, strong, independent woman, you know – but if I feel encouraged by the message of the overall story, then I love being involved and bringing what I can to the project.

With the changing landscape of film and television, how do you see the role of the actor evolving, and what skills do you believe will be most essential for future generations?

Oh, such a good question! Um, I’m generally quite cautious when giving advice because it’s such a unique and personal journey to be any kind of artist. Everyone has their own path to walk and sometimes you “gotta do what you gotta do”.

In terms of the actor and the role that we have – as storytellers – I’m becoming more and more aware of how influential the stories we tell can be, and how potent and powerful they are in communicating messages to a wide audience.

And I guess if I had to comment on an essential skill for an actor to have… I would say it’s the ability to say no. Because, as an artist, there’s often this illusion of limited job opportunities. And up until very recently, I always felt compelled to say yes to every single thing that came my way. But I’m beginning to realize that saying “yes” to one project means saying “no” to all the other potential projects that could happen in that time frame. And the same goes the other way around.

It all comes back to having a grounded sense of what you stand for – who you are, what your truth is – and trusting it enough to actually follow it. Because the best way you can serve the world and those around you is by being honest and adding to projects that align with your values and contribute in a way that feels positive and uplifting to you.

I think realizing that can have a profound effect on the kinds of stories we choose to tell in the future. So yeah – being able to listen to your gut, to that little voice inside of you that says, “Oh, I can’t wait to do this” – then do it! And if that little voice says “Wait a minute, something feels off…”, then maybe listen to that too, you know?

Toorbos Movie Review / Die Bloedhonde Movie Review / Rene van Rooyen on Toorbos