Official Site of South African Actor

Biography

There is no doubt that being a cop in South Africa is one of the most hazardous jobs in the world. Vivian Bieldt has cut his teeth in this environment, doing his training as an elite SWAT policeman and becoming an expert in forensic detection.

Vivian was born in Pretoria, South Africa on 4 February 1967. His mother spent four days in labour with him. On the fifth day, he finally was ready for the real world. Growing up in the 'wild west' of Pretoria, he started learning the skills that would stand him in good stead later in life. His father also served in the police force.

He started his career as a crime-scene investigator in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal. Whilst dealing with daily crime scenes he used his free time to advance his wrestling/grappling sporting abilities with the SAPS wrestling team.

Marathon Man Vivian made his movie debut in "Red Dust" (2004), where he was approached by his head commander to help on a movie set with the search and excavation of a corpse - this being one of his specialties and they wanted the "real McCoy". He flew down to the Cape province with his equipment. Being his first experience on a movie set, he was really thrown into the deep end. While shooting, he met Phillip Henn and his sister Jeanne Henn, who inspired him to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

He was called upon a few months later to advise on a forensic scene in an Afrikaans drama series, where he also ended up in front of the cameras.

An actor and close friend, Jacques Gombault, actually predicted that he would become active in front of the cameras, even though Vivian took it very lightly. With Jacques as his mentor and tutor, various acting roles started to come his way.

Still not taking a career in the entertainment industry as a given fact, Vivian then got nominated for the "Mr. South Africa" - competition, where he made the final eight, even with the female presenter's flippant remark that his achievements in the SAPS "is irrelevant for the pageant". Her glib statement that evening motivated him, however, to further his career in acting.

Since then Vivian's acting career has taken off and he has transformed what he has been doing in the real world, onto the silver screen.