Bio
Geon Nel is a South African actor, magician and voice artist best known for his starring role as Willem in the kykNET drama series Vallei van Sluiers.
Born and raised in the coastal village of Gansbaai in the Western Cape, he matriculated from Hoërskool Overberg in Caledon before relocating to London for two years where he worked primarily as a self-taught magician.
He returned home to study drama at the University of Stellenbosch, graduating with Honours in 2006.
In 2008 he took a year off from fulltime acting and joined an overlanding company to travel through Africa as a driver and tour guide. He also made his screen acting debut in the short film Die Stilte.
When he got back he joined the satirical puppet show Puppet Nation ZA (formerly known as Za News) as a puppet maker. The show was commissioned by new satellite channel Top One on TopTV (which later became StarSat) and ran for four seasons, from 2011-2014.
During this time Geon also worked for Gravitron, a special effects company, on adverts and movies.
After this he began a sustained career in theatre, appearing in productions including Kringe in 'n Bos, directed by Marinda Engelbrecht; the role of Medvedenko in Die Seemeeu, directed by Christiaan Olwagen; and Frans Adendorff in the multi-award-winning play Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, written by Nico Scheepers.
Other theatre productions include Bloeiende Lente, Romeo and Julia, Kruispad, Balbesit, Oorsee, Moeder Moed en Haar Kinders, Vlooi & Die Musiekfabriek and Katvoet, as well as playing himself in three self-directed one-man plays: Taragô, Lies of the Mind and Liegbek.
He has also acted in numerous feature films including Safe House, Hoener met die Rooi Skoene, Krotoa, The Seagull, Kanarie and Poppie Nongena.
He has also appeared in numerous made for TV movies including Die Onderspit, Vir Altyd, Grys, Genoeg and Meisies wat Fluit.
Geon made his television acting debut in 2012: first as a policeman in an episode of the SABC2 sitcom Stokvel, then in the role of Kobus in the second season of the SABC1 drama series Montana.
He next landed the recurring role of Willem in the kykNET drama series Vallei van Sluiers (Valley of Veils), first appearing in Season 3, Episode 4, which aired on 6 May, 2014.
He was promoted to starring cast - his first starring role in television - for the fourth and final season, which aired on kyKNET later that year.
He next played another recurring role, this time as Ferryman Charon in the kykNET drama series Die Boekklub (The Book Club), appearing in all seasons of the show, from 2016-2021.
In 2017, Geon had a guest role as Hannes in an episode of the kykNET crime anthology series Die Boland Moorde (The Boland Murders) which aired on 4 April that year (Season 2, Episode 8).
In the same year he had another recurring role, this time as Armando in another kykNET drama series, Sara se Geheim (Sarah's Secret). His first appearance in the role was in Season 1, Episode 3 (which aired on 25 April, 2017).
The following year he had a guest role in an episode of the SABC2 period drama series Onder die Suidekruis (Under the Southern Cross) which aired on 19 June, 2018 (Season 1, Episode 2).
Geon followed this up with a guest role in the series premiere of the kykNET legal drama series Fynskrif (Fine Print) which aired on 10 July, 2018.
More guest starring roles followed in kykNET shows, including the supernatural crime procedural Die Spreeus (The Starlings), the generational drama Alles Malan (Everything Malan) and the crime drama Die Byl, in 2020.
Also in 2020, he had a recurring role as Dr Freeman in the sixth season of the kykNET & kie soapie Suidooster (Southeaster), first appearing in Season 6, Episode 50, which aired on 5 June, 2020.
The following year Geon landed another starring role in television when kykNET decided to turn Nico Scheepers' play Nêrens, Noord-Kaap into a drama series.
He reprised his role as Frans Adendorff, the oldest of three estranged brothers who find their way back to the family farm where secrets, heartbreak and the truth surrounding their mother's death threaten the path to redemption.
The series premiered on kykNET on 31 August, 2021.