Season 1
Desert Rose is a South African television drama series which revolves around the Greyling siblings, who reunite at their family home in the Namaqualand desert in the Northern Cape after one of them reneges on a decade-long deal to settle the debts they took on when their father abandoned them and disappeared.
Set on a remote farm in the Northern Cape, the eight-part drama mixes black comedy, suspense, crime, romance and music while focusing on the unlikely reconnecting of a father and his children.
The father, Freddie 'Fingers' Greyling (Neil Sandilands), is an erstwhile music star in the Northern Cape.
When Eben Greyling, the young son of Fingers, refuses a request from the family's benefactor Van As to go fishing, it breaks the shackles of a long-time agreement – but the debt will not disappear.
Someone has to pay.
The consequences of the broken agreement set off a series of escalating events as the family is forced to confront the mayhem that is sent their way.
And they are up for it...
Emotional and rooted in character, Desert Rose is a love letter to the misfit; to loss, loneliness and eccentricity; to broken relationships – and to South Africa itself.
The series is inspired by Americana – highways, diners and gas stations – and is a thorny family drama with a quirky heart.
The series stars Neil Sandilands as Freddy Greyling, Amalia Uys as Jana Greyling, Kai Luke Brümmer as Eben Greyling, Christia Visser as Ishara Greyling, Daniah de Villiers as Lucy Greyling, Inge Beckmann as Ilsa Greyling, Ben Voss as Eugene van As, Brendon Daniels as Piet Panga, Tracey-lee Oliver as Ella Vaalbooi, Danny Ross as Hugo Heinz, Craig Urbani as Bill Thorne and Tinarie van Wyk-Loots as Rosie Greyling.
Desert Rose is an M-Net Original Production, produced by Quizzical Pictures and created, written and produced by Rohan Dickson.
The series is produced by showrunner Dickson and JP Potgieter, and directed by Cindy Lee.
The executive producers are Yolisa Phahle, Allan Sperling, Nomsa Philiso, Jan du Plessis, Rohan Dickson, Harriet Gavshon and Neil Sandilands.
Neil Sandilands also wrote and performed much of the music in the series, accompanied by Theo Crous and Georgio Frazer Barry.
Season 1 Cast
(scroll to bottom for available actor bios)
Starring
Neil Sandilands ... Freddy Greyling
Amalia Uys ... Jana Greyling
Kai Luke Brümmer ... Eben Greyling
Christia Visser ... Ishara Greyling
Daniah de Villiers ... Lucy Greyling
Inge Beckmann ... Ilsa Greyling
Ben Voss ... Eugene van As
Brendon Daniels ... Piet Panga
Tracey-lee Oliver ... Ella Vaalbooi
Danny Ross ... Hugo Heinz
Craig Urbani ... Bill Thorne
and Tinarie van Wyk-Loots.. Rosie Greyling
Recurring / Guests
Andahr Cotton ... Armand van Rooyen
Henré Pretorius ... Cornelius
Melissa Haiden ... Patti Dolly
Melt Sieberhagen ... Bertus van Rooyen
Reginald Hufkie ... Jimmy Hendricks
Roeline Daneel ... Suzanne van As
Adam Neill ... Ed Woodbury
Candice van Litsenborgh ... Esme Smit
Christiaan Schoombie ... Gus Dolly
David Viviers ... Johnny Kritzinger
Eduan van Jaarsveldt ... Mack
Frazer Georgio Barry ... Samuel Philander (as Frazer Barry)
Jane Rademeyer ... Marge
Tarryn Lamb ... Layla Williams
Vaughn Lucas ... Captain Williams