Petru Wessels

Petru Wessels (1942-) is a South African stage, film and TV actress.

Biography

Born in Johannesburg, raised in Cape Town, before they moved to Bloemfontein, where she finished high school at Oranje Girls High School. She started her drama studies at University of Stellenbosch, then moved to University of Natal, Department of Speech and Drama. She met the actor Carel Trichardt there and married him in 1966. They had three chidren, and lived in Pretoria for about forty-seven years , moving to Somerset West in 2013.

Career

Became an actress for PACT in 1965.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Her major roles include Die Terroriste (1969), Die Drie Van Der Walts (PACT 1969), Oom Wanja (CAPAB 1972), Die Burgemeester (PACOFS 1973), Die Dagboek van Anne Frank (TRUK 1977), "Anna" in Ek, Anna van Wyk (Pieter Fourie, PACT, 1984). Title role in Christine opposite Ernst Eloff. Acted in Hond se Gedagte. Female lead in Die Groot Wit Roos (Bloemfontein, 1991). She also performed in Raka in 1999. .

She and her husband, the actor Carel Trichardt, founded an independent Afrikaans theatre in Pretoria called Die Teaterhuisie in 1995, and ran it till they left Pretoria to settle in Somerset West in 2013.