News

Netflix’s series adaptation of Australian novel Boy Swallows Universe has unveiled its cast, and first images from the shoot have been released.

Travis Fimmel, Simon Baker and Phoebe Tonkin topline an ensemble cast for the eight-part limited series, which is based on Trent Dalton’s book and is now in production in Brisbane, Australia.

Deadline first revealed news of the project in May 2019, and Netflix boarded it earlier this year.

2022 Netflix Pilot & Series Orders

The book, set in the violent working-class suburban fringe of Brisbane in 1983, follows Eli Bell, an articulate 12-year-old boy, and his mute brother Gus. A synopsis for the novel reads: “Eli Bell’s life is complicated. His father is lost, his mother is in jail and his stepdad is a heroin dealer. The most steadfast adult in Eli’s life is Slim — a...

Six-part series Back to the Rafters, set to debut globally on Amazon Prime Video September 17, picks up six years on from when we last saw the Rafter family. Dave (Erik Thomson) and Julie (Rebecca Gibney) have created a new life in the country with youngest daughter Ruby (Willow Speers).

As everyone comes together in Sydney to celebrate Dave and Julie’s 35th Anniversary, history repeats and circumstances force them all to cram into Ben’s two-bedroom home – once again packed to the-you-know-what. During the visit it becomes apparent that the older Rafter children are facing new challenges with Ben (Hugh Sheridan) recently married to Cassie (HaiHa Le) and hoping to start a family, Nathan (Angus McLaren) trying to do it all as a single dad to Edward (Kaspar Frost) and Rachel (Georgina Haig) living a secret life in New York. Granddad Ted (Michael Caton) struggles to find his place, Julie...

(L-r) Hugh Sheridan, Georgina Haig and Angus McLaren.

Georgina Haig has replaced Jessica Marais in Seven Studios’ Back to the Rafters, and HaiHa Le, Libby Tanner, Rose Riley, Aaron McGrath and Bruce Spence are among new additions to the cast.

Among the other fresh faces in the Packed to the Rafters reboot are Willow Speers as Ruby Rafter and Kaspar Frost.

Willow had a supporting role in Cjz’s Rocky and Me commissioned by ABC Me and Screen Australia as part of the DisRupted program, .

Haig, whose credits include Secret Bridesmaids Business and the Us ABC network’s sci-fi series The Crossing, is playing Rachel Rafter after Marais withdrew.

The first Australian drama commissioned by Amazon, the Bevan Lee-created series is shooting in Sydney, produced by Chris-Martin Jones and directed by Jeremy Sims, Lynn Hegarty and Catherine Millar.

Amazon Prime also acquired the streaming rights to the original Seven Network...

Director Gary Doust doesn.t believe in overnight success.

That is, until one cropped up in his latest documentary series, Next Stop Hollywood.

Debuting.on the ABC tomorrow night, Next Stop Hollywood follows the plight of six Australian actors who head to Hollywood during the infamous pilot season.

Doust observes the trials and tribulations of Alycia Debnam-Carey, 18 (Sydney); HaiHa Le, 29 (Melbourne); Penelope Mitchell, 22 (Melbourne); Michael Clarke-Tokely, 22 (Melbourne); Craig Anderson, 35 (Sydney); and Luke Pegler, 30 (Sydney) as they each attempt to find fame.in La.

.I guess we set out to blow the lid off the overnight success story,. Doust says. .There.s a lot of (rumours about) overnight success with actors and how they just go over to Hollywood and get this big movie and suddenly they.re famous.

.Actors like Naomi Watts were there a long time before they get their big break. It takes a long time. The irony...

Neighbours producers have announced that actress HaiHa Le has joined the cast of the soap for a two-month guest role, taking on the part of newcomer Michelle Tran. Michelle is introduced to the Ramsay Street show later this year when she moves in with regular characters Jade Mitchell and Kyle Canning, before quickly developing a reputation as the "housemate from hell". The new arrival has also been tipped to become infatuated with one of the local boys in Erinsborough, though show bosses are currently keeping tight-lipped over the identity of the male in question.

Pictured: HaiHa Le as Michelle (more)...

Dark Horse is a dramatic short which will show at Seattle's True Independent Film Festival beginning June 4th. This twenty-eight minute film has already won Best Short at the Byron Bay Film Fest and was nominated for Best Short at Method Fest in 2010. In the film a "lonely taxi driver" befriends a traumatized prostitute and through friendship each shares the other's pain (Dark). This is director Marc Furmie's second production and those with an interest in the offbeat can check out Dark Horse and many other indie' films at the Stiff website below.

The synopsis for Dark Horse here:

"Minh Tran is a lonely taxi driver whse relationship with his wife has disintegrated following a miscarriage. One night, his path crosses taht of Isabella Fortino, a girl forced into prostitution by her boyfriend. Minh's show of kindness to Isabella leads to an unlikely connection as they lose themselves in...