Romance is important in soaps. That also goes for Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden. The newest love duo are Anita Dendermonde and Rik de Jong (played by Sabine Koning and 'newbie' Ferri Somogyi). How do they really feel about each other? What's it like to kiss in front of a camera? Read what happens off screen...

The producers of GTST probably thought it time for Anita Dendermonde to have a new man in her life, for a couple of months ago Rik de Jong appeared in her life. Rik is played by Ferri Somogyi (22), who, until recently, worked at Harry Klooster Casting Agency. There he selected extras for GTST, until someone told him he himself could play a part in the series. The producer liked Ferri so much, that he had the part of Rik written especially for him. "That is fine with me, so I can start off playing Rik by playing myself as much as possible," Ferri smiles. "In the beginning I was quite nervous, though. The group you're entering is very close, and you have to be accepted. They want to feel you out, and I was quite uncomfortable. That was a period of insecurity. I wondered if I was playing the part right, because I did not get any feedback in the first few weeks, and that drove me up the wall. But now I have been accepted completely. Everything's hunky-dory."

- Sabine, what did you think of Ferri when you saw him for the first time?

Sabine (22) starts laughing mysteriously: "To be honest, ah... I liked him very much. I think he is a beautiful, attractive guy. I knew he was to be Anita's new boyfriend, and the first thing I thought was: ha, finally someone who isn't that big. All my other colleagues are giants, which requires me to stand on blocks. Especially next to someone like Reinout (Arnie, ed.). I am always hesitant about new people at first. I like to test them a bit, but I'm past that with Ferri. n the past I had a fellow actor who did not learn his lines, and that annoyed me. I want someone serious, and Ferri fits that description. That's when something connects and you see that in the results. I can only say that he's a hard worker, who can act and knows what he wants.

- Ferri, do you think Rik and Anita are a good match?

"I think Rik is very good to Anita," says Ferri, "Her last boyfriend Remco never took her anywhere, while Rik learns her to ride a motorbike and the do all these things together." Sabine agrees completely. "I expect this to be lasting love. You never know in soaps, but I think it would be a waste not to explore this relationship. Anita has been emotionally damaged by Remco, but Rik is totally different. He's more honest, and more involved in the people he loves, while Remco is businesslike and has no scruples."

- What was it like to kiss each other on-camera for the first time?

"Fun," Sabine glows, while pinching Ferri in the shoulder. "But that's all part of the job. You know that beforehand, so I wasn't nervous or anything. A while ago I had to kiss a man who could have been my father. Horrible. He smoked and smelled of alcohol, even in the mornings. He was extremely unattractive, to the extent that I refused to kiss him anymore. That period was a nightmare. Some of my colleagues talk it through beforehand: will we 'French kiss' or 'film kiss'? Especially if one of them has a relationship with someone who doesn't like it, they tend to back off a little. I myself think my boyfriend has nothing to do with that, because this is what I do, it's a job."

- So which of the two did you do?

Sabine: "We were told 'no tongues', so we didn't kiss for real. Ferri and I are both very cuddly, so playing intimacy is not very hard for us. This also comes across more naturally, because we don't think like 'we have to'." "But it's not really romantic, having all these people around on the set," Ferri adds. "All those people made me feel uncomfortable, so we had to do a lot of takes."

That really was not that terrible, because Rik was not used to being around people, so it was all new to him, while Anita had experienced her 'first time' already. "Yes, but never on-camera," Anita defends herself "so for me it was the first time too. But you really mustn't think much about it. We lie in bed with our clothes on." "It's mostly suggestion," Ferri explains "because you don't get to see all that much. We start undressing and kissing and the camera pans away. Everyone knows what is about to happen, but you don't get to see it." "I prefer to do love scenes outdoors, because then we only have one camera and much less people around," Sabine continues "It's easier to get into the mood. To play being in love, I look at my counterpart and look for something I like very much about him. In Ferri's case that wasn't very hard, because he's very attractive. I only get distracted when I look into his eyes." Ferri laughs: "Yes, I do have this strange look in my eyes from time to time."

- What about your real love lives?

Ferri: "I'm still single, but I'm not looking for anything, because that doesn't work, they say. I almost never take the first step. Girls seduce me. That is something from my youth. I used to be too proud to get the cold shoulder. I'm kind of shy. Since my appearance in GTST I get a lot of fan mail, but hardly ever any love letters. Mostly young girls who want to know what my favorite color is or something." "I never get letters like that." Sabine says "Even though I have had a boyfriend for three years..." "So NOW you tell me?" Ferri breaks in. "I'm not that interested in other boys," Sabine continues, "but when you have been in a relationship for a while, no-one else is going to look at you, because they know you have a boyfriend. While flirting a but can be fun. I want to be flattered. It is great when someone else confirms that you are beautiful or fun."