EATING, SLEEPING AND BREATHING HANSIE!
By Daniel Dercksen

When filming of Hansie began, Frank Rautenbach stepped comfortably and confidently into the shoes of South Africa's scorned iconic cricket hero.

His year-and-a-half preparation and vigorous training paid off and his mindset was fully focused on a role he was destined to play, and a story everybody wanted to see splashed out on the big screen.

Hansie Cronje is a name everyone knows after he was 'sentenced to death' in the media and was delivered a life ban from cricket by the South African Cricket Board. The once loved and revered son of South African cricket had become a pariah, a traitor and outcast.

For Frans Cronjé, Hansie's older brother, telling Hansie's story has not been an easy journey but a necessary one.  He wrote the screenplay and produced a finely crafted film based on his book, directed by Regardt van den Bergh, with Rautenbach delivering an astounding honest and sincere performance of Hansie Cronje.

In Hansie we see the cricket captain of South Africa, with the world at his feet, trip and fall. With the unswerving dedication of his wife, and with the guiding wisdom of a dear friend, Hansie begins the journey back to forgiveness and redemption. 

"The movie business is tough and it has been a long hard road," says Rautenbach.

"I had about two weeks to prepare for Faith Like Potatoes, for Hansie I had a year and a half. As an actor this gave me the opportunity to get more 'into the skin of Hansie' so by the time we started filming I was being him as oppose to acting like him."

" That process took about a year and there were a number of things I did to get into  'Hansie's skin'," says Rautenbach, now as confident as ever.

Although Rautenbach steeped himself into Hansie's life by researching books and watching documentaries, interviews, and cricket matches, he also wanted to "train like Hansie".

"This meant getting up at five every morning for eight months and hauling myself to the gym for a serious workout. It also meant disciplined eating. By the time we started   shooting I was eating, sleeping and breathing Hansie!"

Although Rautenbach was fully prepared to play Hansie, it was still a difficult role to play.

"One of the biggest challenges for me was to keep the emotional continuity of the character. As you know movies are not shot chronologically. For example we shot the King Commission before we shot most of the scenes where Hansie speaks to bookies!"

"As an actor you are either mad or brave when you decide to play someone as famous and as Hansie was. I think I am both!" he laughs when asked about taking on the role. 

Rautenbach was eager to play the role because he regards it as "a gift to play someone as complex as Hansie."

It was also an opportunity for Rautenbach to "be a part of telling a balanced, fair and honest version of Hansie's life story."

It's a remarkable achievement for Rautenbach, who is now clearly eons removed from the boisterous Tiaan he played in 7de Laan or community hero and preacher Angus Buchan in Faith Like Potatoes.

"Hansie was a very complex individual," says Rautenbach. 

"From an early age he took on the responsibility of leadership in everything he did. He was a high achiever and as I've said very competitive. Now add to that the pressure of a very public life and the consequent fame, a match-fixing  scandal! You get the picture..."

He agrees that playing Hansie did change any perceptions he might have had before making the film.

"I think I now understand what Bertha meant in her speech at Hansie's funeral when she said she wanted to shout it out, tell the world that he was the same Hansie that we all supported and loved when he was our champion. That yes, he made a massive mistake but was still the same guy."

Rautenbach agrees that it is important to tell the story of Hansie and that "people can learn from Hansie's life."

"I don't just mean don't get involved with bookies and take money from them! But how to respond and rebuild your life when you have screwed up. Let us not forget that he was a great leader, captain and cricketer. "

For Rautenbach, Hansie has always been a hero.

"He is an incredible guy, an iconic figure of South African society and not just of cricket and sport, but definitely somebody that people look up to in society as a hero and as a leader" says Rautenbach.

"When he's completely broken, he still has the courage, with a lot of help from his friends and his wife, to find redemption in the situation and live his life."

He hopes that South African audiences will leave the cinema with "a balanced and fair view of the Hansie story, and that the film "will give the audience the opportunity to make up their own minds about how they perceive Hansie and his life story."

Does he relate to the character of Hansie?

"I could definitely relate to Hansie's competitive side and I also enjoy working hard to achieve my goals. Hansie's work rate was insane no matter what he did! He was also fiercely loyal to South Africa, his teammates and family. Ditto for me!"

As an actor, Rautenbach is constantly growing. He finds his motivation in the thought that his "last performance was unique and will never be repeated."

"Acting for me is not about trying to outdo my last performance by repeating it and trying to do it better," he says. "My motivation is to be different and creative with every new performance. That is how I know I am growing."

When he is not in front of the camera you will find him watching or playing sport.

"Like most South Africans I am sport mad. I'll watch just about anything! I am a complete golf nut and my world is in perfect equilibrium when I am playing golf on a good course with some mates."

Rautenbach is now happily settled in Hollywood with Leigh, his wife of 12 years, where his next challenge is to break into the American market.

"There you start with impossible and then hope for the best!" he says.

"My success in SA has definitely helped and as a result I qualified for a green card based on my work and managed to get a fantastic agent in Hollywood."

After shooting Hansie he completed The Filmaker's Son in London, playing the role of a father in a tender coming of age story.

"In the life of an actor it's very difficult to talk about future plans, it's more like future hopes!", he laughs.

READ MORE ABOUT HANSIE

FRANK RAUTENBACH TALKS ABOUT FAITH LIKE POTATOES

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Copyright © 2008 Daniel Dercksen
Published with permission in The Good Weekend (Argus) September 20, 2008