Clint Aplon joins Skemergrond – could his Lukas be the one for Patty?
The popular actor Clint Aplon, best known for his roles in Arendsvlei and 7de Laan, will make a guest appearance in Skemergrond from 19 November 2025. He plays the role of Lukas de Jager, a writer who follows his own path and meets new people in Gemoedsdrif.
“Lukas is a very awkward and nervous person,” Clint explains. “He’s a writer, and I think because he lives in his own world, he’s quite awkward around other people. He’s so deeply absorbed in his stories and books that he’s a bit shy in public. He’s a very passionate writer who wants to make it big and finish his book.”
In the telenovela, Lukas befriends Patty (played by Gretchen Ramsden).
“They become friends and realise they have a lot in common. They laugh at the same kind of jokes, and they both love stories. Lukas enjoys the food Patty makes, and she likes the book he’s writing. Their conversations are so enjoyable that maybe there’s something there.”
“Hopefully, Lukas can be someone who Patty deserves, and hopefully, she can be someone who helps him take a step back from work. He’s so focused on his job that I think he needs someone who understands his world, can show love and remind him there’s more to life than just work,” he says.
Speaking about similarities between himself and his character, Clint says:
“I always put a little bit of myself into a character. We both love writing – I wrote a musical a few years ago, and I love telling stories. I think I’m also sometimes a bit awkward, and that part of me went into Lukas.”
He adds that there are also key differences between them:
“Lukas is very work-driven – work is his priority. For me, it’s not; for me, God’s will for my life and my family are the most important things. Every decision I make is for my family, whereas Lukas makes decisions for himself.”
During filming, Clint didn’t only act, he also worked as a dialogue coach and trainee director.
“To be honest, it was very difficult and draining in terms of energy,” he says. “Because I had to be on set every day as a dialogue coach and trainee director, I didn’t have much time to prepare properly. So, in between work hours, I would quickly learn my lines. I also started learning them far in advance because I knew it wouldn’t be easy, and that really helped me. Sometimes I had to be the dialogue coach and act at the same time – that was the biggest challenge, switching my mindset from coaching to performing. But it taught me a lot about myself – that I’m capable of doing it if I just believe in myself and always give my best.”
He’s very positive about his time on set:
“The set is a safe space, and the directors and crew are all wonderful. I was incredibly nervous because I wanted to impress not only the directors but also the production company and show that I can do good work. Roxanne Blaise and Heleni Handt are truly excellent directors who guided me beautifully, and we worked together to build the character. I really had fun – acting is something I enjoy the most.”
Is Lukas finally Patty’s knight in shining armour?
Skemergrond airs every Monday to Thursday at 19:30 on kykNET&kie (DStv channel 145) and is also available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
