Ido Drent
Encyclopedia
Ido Drent is a South African actor currently working and living in Auckland
, New Zealand
. He is best known to television audiences as Daniel Potts
in the long running soap opera
Shortland Street
.
, South Africa
. In 1995 Drent and his family moved to New Zealand
and he remembers watching Shortland Street
for the first time and being bewildered by the accents. After finishing school Drent studied business at university and worked in the property development industry. After doing part time work in television commercials, Drent "caught the acting bug."
Shortland Street
. The role was a recasting of past character Daniel Potts
who was the badboy illegitimate son of major character, Sarah Potts. Drent was called back after a first audition and after performing alongside the actress of Sarah, Amanda Billing
, Drent was awarded the role. He made his debut on the show in March 2009 and quickly picked up a heart throb status. For his role on Shortland Street, Drent was nominated and awarded with numerous awards including in 2010 the New Zealand TV Guide
Best on the Box award for "Rising Star". He also run runner up for "Hottest Male Actor" in the Throng Shortland Street Fan Awards 2010, losing out to onscreen step father Benjamin Mitchell. In 2011 Drent was nominated for a Girlfriend Faves Forever award for "Celeb Male 2011" for his role in Shortland Street and "Favourite TV star" in the What Now
awards.
. The couple are set to marry in December 2011.
. Drent was involved in a run which involved running 20 km a day for a week to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities
. But Drent was forced to drop out following feeling very ill and fearing he may have meningitis
. Drent is also an advocate for anti smoking New Zealand.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He is best known to television audiences as Daniel Potts
Daniel Potts
Daniel Potts is a fictional character in the soap opera Shortland Street. The role was originated by actor Jarred Blakiston from 2004–2005 and again briefly in 2007 before Ido Drent took over in 2009...
in the long running soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
.
Early life
Drent was born and raised until the age of 8 in PretoriaPretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In 1995 Drent and his family moved to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and he remembers watching Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
for the first time and being bewildered by the accents. After finishing school Drent studied business at university and worked in the property development industry. After doing part time work in television commercials, Drent "caught the acting bug."
Beginnings and Shortland Street
Becoming a model, Drent was signed to 11 Modeling Agency and quickly became a regular on the catwalk. He started to attend a Meisner Acting course and in 2008 auditioned for an upcoming role on the long running soap operaSoap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
. The role was a recasting of past character Daniel Potts
Daniel Potts
Daniel Potts is a fictional character in the soap opera Shortland Street. The role was originated by actor Jarred Blakiston from 2004–2005 and again briefly in 2007 before Ido Drent took over in 2009...
who was the badboy illegitimate son of major character, Sarah Potts. Drent was called back after a first audition and after performing alongside the actress of Sarah, Amanda Billing
Amanda Billing
Amanda Billing is best known for her role as Doctor Sarah Potts on New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.-Biography:...
, Drent was awarded the role. He made his debut on the show in March 2009 and quickly picked up a heart throb status. For his role on Shortland Street, Drent was nominated and awarded with numerous awards including in 2010 the New Zealand TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
Best on the Box award for "Rising Star". He also run runner up for "Hottest Male Actor" in the Throng Shortland Street Fan Awards 2010, losing out to onscreen step father Benjamin Mitchell. In 2011 Drent was nominated for a Girlfriend Faves Forever award for "Celeb Male 2011" for his role in Shortland Street and "Favourite TV star" in the What Now
What Now
What Now is a long running New Zealand children's television program that premiered in 1981. It is filmed before a live studio audience at Whitebait Productions in Christchurch....
awards.
Personal life
Drent is heavily involved in exercise and loves coffee. He is heavily religious and vowed to stay celibate till marriage. In April 2011 Drent announced he was engaged to makeup artist Mandy Hodges via his FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. The couple are set to marry in December 2011.
Activism
Drent has been an ambassador for the 40 Hour Famine in both 2010 and 2011 in which he helped children in need in East TimorEast Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
. Drent was involved in a run which involved running 20 km a day for a week to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities is an independent 501c3 organization whose mission is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children across the world...
. But Drent was forced to drop out following feeling very ill and fearing he may have meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
. Drent is also an advocate for anti smoking New Zealand.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009- | Shortland Street Shortland Street Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in... |
Daniel Potts Daniel Potts Daniel Potts is a fictional character in the soap opera Shortland Street. The role was originated by actor Jarred Blakiston from 2004–2005 and again briefly in 2007 before Ido Drent took over in 2009... |
Core Cast Won - "Rising Star", New Zealand TV Guide TV Guide TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles... Best on the Box awards 2010 Nominated - "Celeb Male 2011", Girlfriend Faves Forever 2011 Nominated - "Favourite TV star", The Nowies What Now What Now is a long running New Zealand children's television program that premiered in 1981. It is filmed before a live studio audience at Whitebait Productions in Christchurch.... 2011 |