Robyn Rossouw Opens Up About Her Emotional New Role on Skemergrond

Viewers have only recently met Cheryl on Skemergrond, but actress Robyn Rossouw has been living with the emotionally complex character for months.

Joining the popular kykNET & kie drama marked one of the most challenging roles of Rossouw’s career, pushing her both emotionally and creatively.

A Role That Demanded Everything

Landing the part brought a mixture of excitement and nerves.

“For me, it was equal parts exciting and terrifying,” Robyn says.

“I remember saying to my mom, ‘Oh no. Now I actually have to go and do this properly, in front of everyone on set!’ I was instantly exhausted.”

She describes Cheryl as one of the most layered characters she has portrayed.

“Cheryl has so many layers. She’s a mother, she’s quiet, she’s lived through a great deal of trauma, and she’s easily triggered whenever people bring up her past. Then she becomes defensive, and it happens in an instant.”

Cheryl Brings Ruan’s Past to Light

Robyn says Cheryl’s arrival introduces an entirely new dimension to the story by revealing parts of Ruan’s past that viewers have never seen before.

“We’ve never really heard about Ruan’s history, and suddenly Cheryl and her daughter arrive three seasons later. It immediately raises so many questions.”

At the centre of Cheryl’s story is her love for her daughter, Josie.

“She lives for her daughter. She does everything she can to give her a good life. But she also runs away. She doesn’t deal with difficult things – she runs every single time.”

Her return also places strain on Ruan and Lily’s relationship.

“Lily doesn’t know the history between Cheryl and Ruan, so it’s easy for her to become suspicious. Cheryl’s presence really tests whether Ruan and Lily truly trust each other. The things they’ve avoided in their relationship can no longer stay hidden.”

A Mother-Daughter Bond

For Robyn, the emotional heart of the role lies in Cheryl’s relationship with her daughter.

“I’ve played mothers before, but this felt different. Maybe it’s because I’m older now. I feel like I have so much more of myself to give. Working with Lamiyah Barnard, who plays Josie, brought out such a nurturing side of me. She made the whole experience incredibly special.”

Finding Cheryl

Creating Cheryl’s look became an important part of building the character.

“Waldi van Rensburg, our head of hair and makeup, asked me on my first day how I wanted Cheryl to look. I was genuinely surprised because almost nobody ever asks that. I told him I didn’t want makeup and wanted my hair to stay completely natural. Wardrobe was kept very simple too. Feeling that ‘bare’ on camera really helped me access Cheryl’s vulnerability.”

The Emotional Challenge

Some of the hardest moments came between scenes.

“I spent so much time in my own head. We filmed scenes where Cheryl desperately wanted to run away, and I worried I wouldn’t be able to portray the intensity of those emotions properly. Hildegardt Whites would simply hold me between takes. Then, every time they called ‘Action!’, I could step back into the scene stronger. I’m incredibly grateful to her.”

Working with director Bobby Stuurman also pushed her creatively.

“We always do the scene as it’s written first, and then Bobby gives you a completely different note that changes everything. It keeps you on your toes and helps you discover new things about your character – and about yourself.”

Coming Full Circle

Rossouw says joining Skemergrond was also a personal milestone.

“It felt like everything had come full circle. We were filming at Atlantic Studios again, where I started Arendsvlei almost seven years ago. I could picture 21-year-old Robyn walking through those same studio doors, and now here I am at 28, with so much more experience and so much more depth. It really made me realise how far I’ve come. I needed that.”

Although she remains tight-lipped about Cheryl’s future, Rossouw hopes viewers will see beyond the character’s flaws.

“I hope people see that she’s a good mother. She’s genuinely trying to break old patterns. She may be stubborn and afraid, but she keeps coming back and trying again.”

Skemergrond airs Mondays to Thursdays at 19:30 on kykNET & kie (DStv channel 145) and is also available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.

Read Inbound SA online