Keenan Arrison


Keenan Angelo Arrison is a South African actor, director, voice artist and singer. He is best known for his lead role in the feature film The Heart is a Muscle, South Africa's entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, and prominent roles in South African television series such as The Wild, After 9 and ''Shooting Stars.''

Personal life

Arrison was born on 23 February 1981 in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a BA degree graduate in Live Performance and Motion Picture from AFDA, The School for the Creative Economy.

Career

In 2006, he wrote and directed two short films: Ongeriewe and Freedom Days, where the former was a Cannes-nominated piece. In 2007, he played the role "Roland" in the SABC1 drama series Divers Down. In the same year, he joined with the e.tv soccer drama Shooting Stars and played the role of "Clinton Arendse", a popular popular with viewers and that he play through the third season in 2010. In 2009, he made film debut with Shirley Adams and played the role "Donovan Adams". Between 2011 and 2012 he appeared in the M-Net soap opera The Wild in the lead role of "Ashwin Fernandez".
In 2013, Keenan had a minor role as "Doctor" in the second season of the SABC1 drama series Skeem Saam. In the same year, he joined with the SABC1 drama series After 9 in its second season in the lead role of "Zane Matthews". The following year, he appeared in three television series: the SABC2 mystery thriller Swartwater as "Vincent," the SABC1 anthology miniseries When We Were Black as "Shaheed Aziz," and the M-Net Edge drama fantasy Dominion as "Brother Paul.
In 2016, he took on the supporting role of "James" in the kykNET police procedural Die Byl. Then in 2017, he joined the network's drama serial Sara se Geheim as "Danny" for its first and second seasons. In 2018, he acted in the Hollywood adventure film Tomb Raider. In 2019, he appeared in the M-Net miniseries Trackers as "Ibrahim November". In 2020, he acted in the serials: Siende Blind with role "Ricky" and The Riviera with role "Naz Isaacs". In 2021, he joined with the cast of seventeenth season of popular kykNET soap opera Binnelanders.
In 2025 took on the lead role of Adam in the Cape Town based drama The Heart is a Muscle. The film premiered and received critical acclaim at the Berlinale in 2025.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleGenreRef.
2006OngerieweCharlieShort film
2006Freedom DaysKeenanShort film
2007BarrenKeenan BarrendseShort film
2007Divers DownRolandTV series
2007Interrogation RoomDavieTV series
2009Shooting StarsClinton ArendseTV series
2009Shirley AdamsDonovan AdamsFilm
2011SkeemClaude JnrFilm
2011The WildAshwin FernandezTV series
2013SAF3Ario RiveraTV series
2013Skeem SaamDoctorTV series
2013After 9Zane MatthewsTV series
2013To the PasserbyBlind manShort film
2014SwartwaterVincent / AshwinTV series
2014When We Were BlackShaheed AzizTV series
2014DominionBrother PaulTV series
2016Die BylJamesTV series
2016Twee Grade van MoordRa'ed ShadFilm
2017AccidentThomasFilm
2017Sara se GeheimDannyTV series
2018Tomb RaiderMercenaryFilm
2019TrackersIbrahim NovemberTV series
2020Siende BlindRickyTV series
2020The RivieraNaz IsaacsTV series
2021BinnelandersMartinTV series
2021AtlantisNazeemFilm
2025The Heart Is a MuscleRyanCrime thriller film