Keenan Angelo Arrison (born 23 February 1981) 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 his 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
Year Film Role Genre Ref. 2006 Ongeriewe Charlie Short film 2006 Freedom Days Keenan Short film 2007 Barren Keenan Barrendse Short film 2007 Divers Down Roland TV series 2007 Interrogation Room Davie TV series 2009 Shooting Stars Clinton Arendse TV series 2009 Shirley Adams Donovan Adams Film 2011 Skeem Claude Jnr Film 2011 The Wild Ashwin Fernandez TV series 2013 SAF3 Ario Rivera TV series 2013 Skeem Saam Doctor TV series 2013 After 9 Zane Matthews TV series 2013 To the Passerby Blind man Short film 2014 Swartwater Vincent / Ashwin TV series 2014 When We Were Black Shaheed Aziz TV series 2014 Dominion Brother Paul TV series 2016 Die Byl James TV series 2016 Twee Grade van Moord Ra'ed Shad Film 2017 Accident Thomas Film 2017 Sara se Geheim Danny TV series 2018 Tomb Raider Mercenary Film 2019 Trackers Ibrahim November TV series 2020 Siende Blind Ricky TV series 2020 The Riviera Naz Isaacs TV series 2021 Binnelanders Martin TV series 2021 Atlantis Nazeem Film 2025 The Heart Is a Muscle Ryan Crime thriller film
References
External links IMDb