Judging Panel
Finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of an esteemed panel of judges which includes top international casting directors, Thea McLeod (Neighbours, Better Man, Measure For Measure, Pawno), Anousha Zarkesh (The New Boy, Mystery Road, Total Control, Preppers), Nikki Barrett (Elvis, Mad Max: Fury Road, Talk to Me, The Power of the Dog, The Babadook), and Liz Mullane (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, King Kong, Mortal Engines), and AACTA Award winning actors Claudia Karvan and Mark Coles Smith.
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CLAUDIA KARVAN OAM Claudia Karvan is one of Australia’s most respected and acclaimed film and television actors. In 2023, Claudia Karvan was made a member of the Order of Australia for service to the film and television industry. Claudia was recently seen starring in the third series of BUMP, which she co-created and co-produced with Rough Diamond for Stan, and is now in production for the fourth series. She was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama and a Silver Logie Award Nomination for Most Outstanding Actress for her role in BUMP. She also recently appeared in the Disney+ series THE CLEARING and on stage in the Sydney Theatre Company and State Theatre Company of South Australia’s production of THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA?. Claudia also co-produced and co-created the first three series of the Nine Network’s DOCTOR DOCTOR and co-created, produced and starred in the Foxtel series SPIRITED and LOVE MY WAY. Claudia has also starred in numerous Australian television series and miniseries including hosting BOOKS THAT MADE US for the ABC, DANCING WITH THE STARS for the Ten Network, the second season of THE OTHER GUY for Stan, NEWTON’S LAW, JACK IRISH, and THE TIME OF OUR LIVES for the ABC, for which she was awarded the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama. Her other television credits include PUBERTY BLUES, BLACK COMEDY, HALIFAX: RETRIBUTION, ORANGE IS THE NEW BROWN, BETTER MAN, THE BROKEN SHORE, THE SECRET LIFE OF US, MY BROTHER JACK, SMALL CLAIMS, and SAVED, directed by Tony Ayres, which earned her the 2010 Silver Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actress. Her feature film credits include MOJA VESNA, JUNE AGAIN, for which she was nominated for a FCCA Award for Best Actress Supporting Role and an AACTA Award Nomination for Best Support Actress in Film, Justin Kurzel’s THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, INFIDEL opposite Jim Caviezel, Warwick Thornton’s THE DARKSIDE, 33 POSTCARDS, DAYBREAKERS opposite Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe, DATING THE ENEMY alongside Guy Pearce, THE LONG WEEKEND opposite Jim Caviezel, Gillian Armstrong’s HIGH TIDE with Judy Davis, Phillip Noyce’s ECHOES OF PARADISE, PAPERBACK HERO with Hugh Jackman and THE HEARTBREAK KID for which she was awarded Best Actress by the Film Critics Circle of Australia.
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MARK COLES SMITH Mark is a proud Nyikina man. With a gift for storytelling, he works across several performing arts' genres, as an actor, writer, producer and sound designer. Mark portratyed the iconic role of Detective Jay Swann in MYSTERY ROAD: ORIGIN for the ABC for which he was awarded an AACTA for Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama, and a nomination for the International AACTA in the same category. This role also saw him nominated for the Silver Logies for Most Popular Actor and Most Outstanding Actor, as well as the 2023 Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, making him the first Indigenous Actor to receive this nomination. His work in this role has also received stand out reviews both within Australia and abroad. He can currently be seen in THE CLEARING for Disney+, a fictionalised account of the cult known as The Family, Jub Clerc's debut feature SWEET AS and feature film KID SNOW from Director Paul Goldman. He also provides voice to two characters in the gorgeous animated film SCARYGIRL, which is playing at festivals and due for release in 2023, and voices the character of Reginald in feature film COMBAT WOMBAT: BACK 2 BACK. Additionally, 2022 saw Mark appear in SAVAGE RIVER from director Jocelyn Moorhouse for the ABC, as well as co-producing, co-writing and presenting a documentary focusing on Indigenous suicide entitled KEEPING HOPE which premiered at the 2023 Sydney Film Festival and is broadcast on NITV. Regularly recognised for his compelling talent, Mark won a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play for his work on Leah Purcell's acclaimed adaptation of THE DROVER'S WIFE. He previously received a Best Supporting Actor AACTA nomination and a Best Supporting Actor win at the Film Critics' Circle of Australia awards for his work in the feature film LAST CAB TO DARWIN. For PAWNO, he received an AACTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Mark was the recipient of the Casting Guild of Australia's inaugural Sirius Award for New Talent of the Future. Stage work includes Puck in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Adelaide Festival, immersive theatre piece BLACK TIES with Ilbijerri Theatre Company and Te Rehia Theatre and BLISS for the Malthouse and Belvoir. Television credits include OLD SCHOOL, opposite Bryan Brown and Sam Neill, a lead guest in MODERN FAMILY, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, HALIFAX, LES NORTON, KGB, DOCTOR DOCTOR, HUNTERS, GODS OF WHEAT STREET, HARD ROCK MEDICAL, MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES and many more. Mark was also a regular contributor on SHAUN MICALLEF'S MAD AS HELL for the ABC.
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THEA MCLEOD President of the Casting Guild of Australia (CGA), Thea McLeod is one of Australia’s most prominent casting directors. With a wide breadth of work, ranging from international films to television, Thea has a passion for discovering and nurturing the next generation of A list actors in Australia and beyond. Thea worked as a casting director in the UK for eleven years, earning her international experience in film, television, and commercials. After returning to Australia in 2008, Thea opened her casting company McLeod Casting. Thea enjoys her thirteenth year as the resident casting director of the iconic Australian TV show NEIGHBOURS, which recommenced shooting in April 2023 after a short hiatus. Recently, Thea cast RIPTIDE and LIE WITH ME for Fremantle and Channel 5 in the UK. Thea's other television credits include the acclaimed BETTER MAN for the SBS network; the controversial telemovie SCHAPELLE for Channel Nine, and UNDERBELLY FILES: THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY for Screentime, which was a part of the highly successful crime series; CITY HOMICIDE for The Seven Network; and WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT GUY for Foxtel. Thea has also cast many successful Australian Feature films including PAWNO, SPIN OUT, EMO THE MUSICAL, SUMMER CODA, BLINDER, WHAT IF IT WORKS, THE MENKOFF METHOD. Plus the Netflix Original Film MEAURE FOR MEASURE, starring Hugo weaving which she also produced. She also recently cast HEAT - another UK/Australian four-part series for Fremantle and Channel 5, which will air October 2023.
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ANOUSHA ZARKESH Established for over 25 years, Anousha Zarkesh Casting specialises in top end Australian TV and film. Based in Sydney, Anousha's casting agency has gained a reputation for championing cultural diversity and producing quality work. Anousha takes pride in casting for a wide range of genres including political satire, drama, comedy, telemovies, documentary series and film. An example of some of Anousha's recent productions include: THE NEW BOY, THE STRANGER (Netflix), ONE NIGHT (Motice, Fifth Season, Paramount +), SHAYDA, FIREBITE (AMC), CLASS OF 07 (Amazon) TOTAL CONTROL 1,2, 3, MYSTERY ROAD Series 1, 2 and 3, (TV) RAKE (TV), REDFERN NOW (TV), CLEVERMAN (TV), THE PRINCIPAL (TV), INXS NEVER TEAR US APART (TV), CATCHING MILAT (TV), PETER BROCK STORY (TV), 800 WORDS (TV), BLACK COMEDY (TV), JASPER JONES (FF), HOUNDS OF LOVE (FF), MANNY LEWIS (FF), ALEX AND EVE (FF). Anousha has been nominated and won numerous AACTA Casting Awards and Casting Guild Awards over the years for THE STRANGER, WE ARE STILL HERE, HIGH GROUND, BLACK COMEDY, MYSTERY ROAD, TOTAL CONTROL, SWEET COUNTRY and more. She is Vice President of the Australian Casting Guild and Vice President of Screen Illawarra.
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NIKKI BARRETT Nikki Barrett has been casting Australian and international film and television for over 20 years. Her work includes acclaimed features such as FURIOSA, TALK TO ME, ELVIS, THIRTEEN LIVES, THE POWER OF THE DOG, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, THE BABADOOK, NITRAM, HACKSAW RIDGE, THE GREAT GATSBY, I AM MOTHER, PETER RABBIT, THE NIGHTINGALE, THE PROPOSITION, THE SAPPHIRES, SOMERSAULT, THE RAILWAY MAN and CANDY. Television work includes BAY OF FIRES and BLACK SNOW as well as the upcoming BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE. She is currently working with Justin Kurzel on an adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH. Nikki has been awarded for casting by BAFTA, AACTA & the CGA and is currently on the Casting Directors Committee of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
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LIZ MULLANE Like many Casting directors Liz started her career as an actor, training at the NZ National Drama school in 1984. She fell into casting after working as an actor in Peter Jacksons zombie horror film BRAIN DEAD when he asked her to cast his film HEAVENLY CREATURES which launched Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey’s careers. Since then she has worked with Peter on all his projects from THE FRIGHTENERS starring Michael J Fox, to THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy and onto KING KONG, THE LOVELY BONES, THE HOBBIT and MORTAL ENGINES. Liz has worked on many films and television productions both small and big budgets including THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, BRIDGE TO TEREBITHIA, PETES DRAGON, THE WATERHORSE, AVATAR, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, THE MEG, YOGI BEAR and many more. Liz believes it is her background as an actor that makes her a good casting director because she understands nerves and the pressure of auditions. She runs numerous screen acting workshops throughout the year giving actors honest insight into the industry and shares many tips to help hopefully make the process of auditioning less daunting and more enjoyable. Liz was recently invited into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - The Oscars.
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