Greg Kriek & Brandon Auret bring touch of Mzansi to Netflix film 'Rebel Moon'

South African actors Greg Kriek and Brandon Auret are featured in the Netflix film Rebel Moon — Part 1: A Child of Fire, where they bring a distinct South African flair to the big screen.

The movie, directed by Zack Snyder, is on a limited theatrical release in the US and will be available for streaming in South Africa and worldwide on Friday.

The space adventure is set in a fictional galaxy ruled by the Motherworld, in which its military, the Imperium, threatens a farming colony on the moon Veldt. Kora, played by Algerian actress Sofia Boutella, goes on a quest to recruit warriors from across the galaxy to make a stand against the Imperium and bring peace.

Kriek flew from filming in Australia to attend the Rebel Moon Los Angeles premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre. A star-studded cast flew from all over the world to support the film’s release, including Djimon Hounsou, Charlie Hunnam, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Stella Grace Fitzgerald and Ed Skrein.

“I play Marcus in the movie so I’m part of the ‘Motherworld’ and I’m a cruel and ambitious soldier that reports to Admiral Atticus Noble (played by Ed Skrein),” the 35-year-old actor told TimesLIVE.

“I play a lot of villains in films, and while the movie, the scale and the detail is epic, there is also a lot of emotion. I also speak Afrikaans in the movie, so that’s a surprise. At the heart of this movie is something that’s unique and it was amazing to be part of that.”

Johannesburg-born Brandon Auret, who plays Faunus in Rebel Moon, almost missed the film’s preliminary audition. Well-known for his starring roles in Isidingo, District 9, Chappie and Elysium, the 50-year-old veteran actor said his Rebel Moon audition was one of his worst.

“My American agent called me and said there was an enquiry into a project but didn’t give me details. And it was in America, so I thought, ‘you know, the chances of me getting this are not going to happen’, because we always think the American actors are going to get the part.

“I did the audition because my agent basically forced me to, and for that I will always be grateful, because he literally said to me, ‘trust me’, and I got the part.”

“We filmed Rebel Moon in a quarry, in full body suits, and it was hot in those outfits working on scorching days,” said Auret.

“But you were surrounded by so many beautiful people — the cast, the crew, everyone on that movie was amazing.”

On working with director Zack Snyder: “Every director you work with is different. So it’s like starting a new relationship — you’ve got to tread carefully in the beginning and then you become comfortable with each other and then the relationship starts.”

Auret is now in Cape Town filming London Calling.

“I’ve been grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had to work with some of the big directors and realise they’re human with visionary ideas. Greg and I got to drop in a bit of Afrikaans and a bit of slang — and being able to bring some of our culture over to the rest of the world is part of our duty as South African actors.”

TimesLIVE