Hanlé Barnard is a versatile performer who has graced stages in South Africa, Canada, and Australia. As an actress, she has been part of several productions, and in film, she has acted in award-winning movies like Meerkat Maantuig and Modder en Bloed.
Hanlé has appeared in both local and international TV series, worked with Both Worlds (where she was nominated for a SAFTA) was nominated a FIESTA for Land van Skedels directed by Nicola Hanekom, and won a Fleur de Cap.
Most recently she won Best Music Show (community) at the Telkom SA Radio Awards. She is also one of the few women in South Africa to host a rock radio show on HelderbergFM. Her Old School with Hanlé Barnard show has a loyal following, and her Music Pod with Hanlé Barnard on YouTube has created a platform to promote emerging musicians.
In addition to her acting, Hanlé is a talented violinist and singer, collaborating with composers such as dvCompTools in Electric Corvette.
As a writer, her play, House of O, has been staged in South Africa. She also works as an artist and a writer.
There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about her, but today my aim today is to change that…
Here are 10 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know About Hanlé Barnard
1. Hanlé once performed a one-woman show that took her around the world with an enormous box. After her flight was delayed in Toronto, she sat on the pavement with her box. A Frenchman, an American, and a German offered to help, treating her to dinner and covering her night at a backpacker’s hostel.
The American had a ferret. Hanlé eventually managed to transport the box with all her props on a flight to Perth, where she performed to a sold-out audience. The play was directed by the well-known Canadian personality Nina Arsenault.
2. Hanlé Barnard played Meg Ryan’s photo double in The Deal. A picture of her appeared in You Magazine, with the journalists mistakenly identifying her as Ryan, which caused some tension on set, especially when the article stated that Ryan’s plastic surgery must have helped her look younger.
3. In addition to her film career, Hanlé has performed with symphonic orchestras in Pretoria. She’s been playing the violin since the age of five, and while classically trained, she’s passionate about Hard Rock music.
4. Hanlé was invited to study at York University but was hijacked in Johannesburg, where her passport was stolen after visiting her family. After spending the day at a police station in Hillbrow (she missed the turn) there was a crow flying around the station, which the police officers failed to give much attention to.
5. She was also one of the women who warned Brittany Murphy about dating Simon Monjack, also known as Conjack. Hanlé briefly dated Simon Monjack, and after a difficult ordeal, she managed to leave London. Hanlé believes that Conjack had an unhealthy obsession with Edie Sedgwick, and her upcoming book, The Artist and The Wolf, is based on his story.
6. Hanlé was invited to play Hamlet in Geoffrey Hyland’s Hamlet at the University of Cape Town after she had hoped to take on the role of Ophelia.
7. She was also invited to be a judge in Mr. South Africa.
8. Hanlé was head girl in both primary and high school.
9. She was in New York during 9/11, and due to airline issues, she had to take a bus from California back to New York, which took approximately 72 hours.
10. At the Synergy Festival, Hanlé once played for seven hours with another DJ, after the DJ scheduled to follow her didn’t show up.
11. Hanlé was booked for a photoshoot with Abri Kruger. When the promised dress didn’t arrive, (she performed for free at a charity event of a well-known dress designer who promised her a dress) she bought a cloth for R50.00 and cut a hole in it to make a statement about musicians not being paid for their work.
12. She once sought out Gert Vlok Nel, hoping to meet him at Jan Blohm’s studio. After viewing some of his paintings and assuming he wouldn’t show up, a waiter appeared and told her that he had been waiting for an hour in the courtyard.
Well, there you have it, 12 Interesting Facts you might not have known about Hanlé Barnard. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below.
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