DaDiva Feature: Hendrik Lombard

My work as a radio personality has brought me into contact with different kinds of people...via phone, online and in person. Being on radio helped me understand that there is a lot going on in different peoples lives and these things play a large role in forming them. 

But nothing in my years of experience had prepared me for the Actor, Hendrik. My friend, Vina, told me South Africa changed me and I agree...my perspective on a lot of things changed. Hendrik was the 1st trigger of that change. He turned up my empathy knob.

He spoke slowly, had an immediately obvious askew sense of humor and a thin smile that seemed to always be there. There was always something slightly off about Hendrik but he carried on, being himself, oblivious to whatever looks, eye rolls or snide comments that were thrown his way. Hedrick shared a bit of his story with us all on international TV and his pain would break the strongest Goliath heart.

Hendrik Lombard was born in Ermelo, South Africa and raised by parents who depended on the government to survive. He was taken from his parent at 3 and raised in foster care and after 2 years of being moved from one home to another, he finally settled in with one family at the age of 5. He got through school and remembers being the butt of jokes and victim of bullies and then at 14, he's world shifted again.

He was sent out of his foster home and moved in with this biological grand mother. He felt like he didn't fit in. 

"Life was tough on me. I was beaten and mentally broken down by the family that was supposed to support me"

He moved in with his mum and took up work to support himself, his mum and step-father. A series of bad events after, which I choose not to share here for the sensitive nature of some of them, Hendrik found himself done with high school school, out of work, homeless and dissatisfied with life. "After failed attempts to find a career that fit my mental needs, I ended up back in my grandmothers house, giving up hope. I logged onto Facebook and saw a part time job opportunity as a extra in a tv series. I instantly fell in love with the industry and decided that it's what I wanted to do. I didn't even care about the pay"

He has gone on to have a few background acting jobs and a feature role. A few months ago, he found out about the Top Actor Africa Auditions and gave it a shot. He got through to be one of the 12 actors from across Africa to be casted on the show. 

I asked him if he would ever do a film about his life and, quite unlike I expected, he said no. 

"I don't wish to produce, write or act in a film about my life.I do not wish to experience my past agin and on top of it all, I do not wish to be a motivational success story. I don't want the label "he made it despite his crappy childhood"

He is currently creating a trilogy of a civil war, based on South Africa.

On a final note, he said

"It doesn't matter how much you try to change your life, it won't turn out the way you plan it. Live life with no regrets, don't hesitate on decision the involve a big part of your life...you might miss the opportunity while taking your time. Don't stop trying until you get it right but bear in mind that there are a lot of other stuff you can succeed in. Gamble with life and your career...you have nothing to loose, only life experiences to gain"

Hendrik was an experience for me. I had never met a person so sad but yet so strong and ready to move. Connect with him via Facebook on www.facebook.com/hendriklombard and twitter @1hendriklombard