Arendsvlei influencer takes shots

Arendsvlei’s Tiffany Smith is the new girl at Arendsvlei High School. Her role portrays a sassy social media influencer and people seem to relate to her character in different ways.

Tiffany is taking shots left, right and centre, Actress Hayley Kannemeyer says the moment she saw the casting brief for the role of Tiffany, she knew that she would fight to get the role.

“I have always wanted to play a popular and sassy girl. I feel like they make the best characters, and they often have amazing character development story arcs.

You know, you love to hate them at first and in the end you actually do end up loving them.”

As much as Kannemeyer loves her character, social media comments prove that many viewers want Tiffany to leave Arendsvlei. Still other people love her energy and vastness, which is an indication they want her to stay.

Meet the new girl

Kannemeyer says she doesn’t think the audience knows how to feel about Tiffany at this stage. “The comments on social media are very mixed. She just shows up there with her colourful and sassy personality (and outfits) and I don’t think that they were expecting that. Especially from a student; especially at a humble and proud school like Arendsvlei High School.”

She says on the one hand, viewers love the fact that Tiffany brings a breath of fresh air, but on the other hand they have also been taken aback by her audacity to say and do the things she does.

Tiffany is that girl who adds colourful accessories to her school uniform without worrying about what the other kids (or teachers) might think. She shamelessly gives fashion advice to people who didn’t even ask. To top it all off, she is also brilliant academically! Kannemeyer says Tiffany is “a handfull” and encourages many mixed reactions.

Kannemeyer says many people connect the word “influencer” with “pretty people taking pretty pictures” getting rich and famous from it. “Honestly, that was my initial thought as well,” she says, “but I soon realised there are several types of social media influencers.

“You do get the pretty people and you get the soccer players. And then you get the reality TV stars, but there are also the activists, the journalists, the photographers, the chefs or the home cooks.”

She says there are most likely influencers for every kind of interest and she believes they have a lot of power because many people know of them. What they say and do influences their followers; it leaves an impression.

Be kind

“There are a lot of layers to Tiffany and it is not fair to judge her by her online persona alone. She has proven that she really cares for other people and her intentions are always coming from a good place,” even though the way Tiffany presents things often comes off the wrong way.

Judging without knowing the facts can be very dangerous. Tiffany has experienced a family tragedy and has to navigate through high school with that on her shoulders.

“She’s not the bad guy that people wish she was,” says Kannemeyer. “She’s still learning, just like everyone else. Tiffany is going through an identity crisis and combined with the anniversary of her sister’s death, it is draining her emotionally.”

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Kannemeyer says Arendsvlei is a first of its kind and it’s an honour to be part of it. It’s set in the Cape Flats, a predominantly coloured community, and focuses on a semi-private school, its teachers and its pupils. “It feels like I’m part of making history, actually” says Kannemeyer. “I’ve seen first-hand how a lot of people take comfort in watching Arendsvlei.”

What else is Kannemeyer up to?

Catch Kannemeyer in season of Die Byl as Adri Kotze. This talented actress is still busy completing her final year in performing arts and is rehearsing for two theatre productions to be staged at the Baxter Theatre.