Skip to content
MovieCove
Ian Roberts

Ian Roberts

Actor · Born November 30, 1951 (74) · Fort Beaufort, South Africa

Ian Roberts is a South African actor, playwright and singer best known to television viewers for his roles in the drama series Arende and Snitch, and as the character Boet in a series of long-running advertisements for Castrol motor oil. Roberts was born in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape and raised on a citrus farm near the town. He attended St. Andrew's Preparatory School and St. Andrew's College in Grahamstown. After completing high school he performed his compulsory national service in the South African Army, which he completed in 1971. After a variety of different jobs and a course in photography at the Port Elizabeth Technical College from 1973 to 1975, Roberts enrolled at Rhodes University in 1976 for a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Speech, Drama and Social Anthropology. Ian Roberts has built up an extensive acting career in theatre, television and film. Roberts was married to South African actress Michele Botes, but the couple divorced in 1999. They have two children.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 30, 1951 (74)
From
Fort Beaufort, South Africa
Works as
Actor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 14% in 30 days

What are Ian Roberts' films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
37%
Survival
19%
Bonds
14%
Power
11%
Society
10%
Self
5%
Ideas
4%
Justice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 3 · Dark 5

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 8 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 5

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 4 of 4 analyzed roles.

Shadow
4 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
10
Thrilling
4
Melancholic
5
Hopeful
5
Contemplative
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Hopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ian Roberts' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ian Roberts' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Appels en Tee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 10 episodes · as Jakkals Boshoff

  • A Kind of Madness(2025)

    as Dan Hart

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Reyka(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · as John Tyrone

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows

  • Pusha Pressa Phanda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Mia and the White Lion(2018)

    as John's Father

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Van der Merwe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Oupa Van der Merwe

  • Cape Town(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Gerbrand Vos

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • Tremors 5: Bloodlines(2015)

    as Den Bravers

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Die Windpomp(2014)

    as Doctor Rossouw

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Stuur Groete Aan Mannetjies Roux (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Frans

  • Musiek Vir Die Agtergrond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Chris

  • Bakgat 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Basjan

  • Babalas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Boet

  • The Wild(2011)

    Show 415 episodes · as Karel van Reenen

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Eternity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Professor Tevis Shapiro

  • Bakgat 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Basjan du Preez

  • The Race-Ist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Noel Oosthuizen

  • Bakgat! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Basjan du Preez

  • Erfsondes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 26 episodes · as Pote du Toit

  • Number 10 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Marius Kramer

  • Tsotsi(2005)

    as Captain Smit

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • 3 Needles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Hallyday, the Plantation Owner

  • King Solomon's Mines(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sir Henry

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Red Dust(2004)

    as Piet Müller

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Arsenaal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 10 episodes · as Jack Degenaar

  • Askari(2001)

    as Ripshaw

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • I Dreamed of Africa(2000)

    as Mike Donovan

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • A Reasonable Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Chris Van Rooyen

  • Sweepers(1998)

    as Yager

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Tarzan and the Lost City(1998)

    as Captain Dooley

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Paljas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Frans

  • Onder Draai Die Duiwel Rond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 20 episodes · as Thys Tredoux

  • Mandela and de Klerk(1997)

    as Kobie Coetsee

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Inside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Guard Moolman

  • Cry, the Beloved Country(1995)

    as Evans

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Cyborg Cop III(1995)

    as Sheen

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Kalahari Harry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Screenplay · as Kalahari Harry Morgan

  • In a Time of Violence: The Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Lt. Danie Visser

  • Daisy de Melker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 4 episodes · as Sid de Melker

  • The Power of One(1992)

    as Hoppie Gruenewald

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Fourth Reich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Johannes van der Walt

  • Arende (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 33 episodes · as Sloet Steenkamp

  • Cape Rebel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Sloet Steenkamp

  • The Crossing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • The Play on One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Joseph

  • Dancing in the Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Thor

  • Jane and the Lost City(1987)

    as Carl

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • You Must Be Joking! Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Various

  • Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Hendrik 'Hennie' du Preez

  • Night of Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Steve Vosloo

  • Wild Maneuvres (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Corp. White

  • Anna Meintjies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Wasted Spring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Hermaans Cronjé

  • The Horse Smuggler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 54 titles from 1982 to 2025; peak year 2004.

Biggest box office

The Power of One (1992)

$2.8M worldwide

Highest rated

The Power of One (1992)

Midcredits 80th

Most popular right now

King Solomon's Mines (2004)

Film career

19822025

Peak 2004 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting54 of 54: 53 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score30thWriting1 of 54: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s13 · acting1990s14 · 14 acting · 1 crew2000s10 · acting2010s13 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Ian Roberts' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 19 titles are Mixed.

  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Askari (2001)

86th percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Tsotsi (2005)

Midcredits 86th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 34. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Ian Roberts work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ian Roberts' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Marius Weyers shares the most, 2.

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers