WHAT BERTHA DID NEXT

Life on the Laan may be firmly behind her but the popular soapie star hasn’t been idle

- ELRI BOUCHER

IT’S been nine years since she said goodbye to her much-loved character, Emma, but she seems to have barely changed. She has the same sparkling green eyes and glossy red hair, looking as if she’s just stepped off the set.

But the days of playing Emma in 7de Laan are very firmly behind Bertha le Roux-Wahl and she has no plans to go back any time soon.

She’s happier than she’s ever been, the actress says. Her focus isn’t split as it was when she was working long hours on set. She’s no longer a slave to brutal shooting schedules that meant hours away from her family for weeks on end. And she doesn’t have to worry about what fans have to say about her character – or her weight.

Now she can shape her days into being whatever she wants. “I have more time for my family, which makes me very happy,” Bertha says with a smile.

The atmosphere is relaxed as Bertha and a stylist exchange anecdotes about their kids. The teenage years can be challenging, the stylist remarks. “Some teens go through a phase where they don’t like their parents at all.”

But that’s not the case for Bertha (48) and her two teenage daughters. “I’m lucky to be in a good place with my girls,” she says.

We’re at the Alice Art Gallery in Roodepoort, Gauteng, where Bertha’s husband of 21 years, Karel Johannes Wahl, is an art dealer.

He pops in to get Bertha’s car keys so he can go pick up their youngest and they’re clearly still smitten with each other.