Three ensemble television casts have been selected from an impressive field to take out the 2014 Equity Ensemble Awards.
It was the performances in the second series of ABC drama Redfern Now, miniseries Top of the Lake and comedy Upper Middle Bogan that most impressed Australian actors.
Established by the Equity Foundation in 2011, the peer-voted awards honour outstanding performances by television ensembles in Australian drama, comedy and miniseries programs.
“To be voted the best of the best by your peers in an incredible honour, but even more so when you are nominated in such good company,” said Equity president Simon Burke.
The winners of the Equity Awards are selected by Australian actors. In 2014 there were 27 Australian ensemble casts eligible across three categories.
Upper Middle Bogan’s Patrick Brammall is among the winners of the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Comedy Series Award.
“As gratifying as individual awards can be, they're the great lie of the entertainment business. Ensemble is everything, and that is what these awards recognise,” says Brammall.
“Also, there's really nothing more satisfying than being told by your peers that you've done a better job than your other peers.”
Past recipients of the Equity Ensemble Awards include the cast members of; Rake, The Librarians, East West 101 (series 3), The Slap, At Home with Julia, A Moody Christmas, Redfern Now and Devil's Dust.
“The local productions in the last 12 months have been of an incredibly high standard. Equity is thrilled to be able to honour some of the performers who contributed to these quality productions,” said Equity director Sue McCreadie.
Winners will be honoured with Dinosaur Design trophies at an awards ceremony in Sydney in May.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES AWARD
WINNER:
REDFERN NOW (SERIES TWO)
Producers: Blackfella Films
Cast: Wayne Blair, Tammy Clarkson Jones, Ernie Dingo, Lisa Flanagan, Noni Hazlehurst , Miah Madden, Kirk Page, Caren Pistorius, Saskia Williscroft, Meyne Wyatt, Ursula Yovich.
NOMINEES:
A Place to Call Home – Series 1
The Doctor Blake Mysteries – Series 1
Home and Away – Series 26
House Husbands – Series 2
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries – Series 2
Mr and Mrs Murder
Neighbours – Series 28
Offspring – Series 4
Packed to the Rafters – Series 6
Redfern Now – Series 2
Reef Doctors
Serangoon Road
The Time of our Lives – Series 1
Wentworth – Series 1
Winners and Losers – Series 3
Wonderland
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A TELEMOVE OR MINI-SERIES
WINNER:
TOP OF THE LAKE
Producers: Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Jane Campion and Philippa Campbell
Cast: Luke Buchanan, Holly Hunter, Jacqueline Joe, Genevieve Lemon, Robyn Malcolm, Elisabeth Moss, Peter Mullan, Robyn Nevin, Jay Ryan, David Wenham, Tom Wright.
NOMINEES:
An Accidental Soldier
Cliffy
Paper Giant 2: Magazine Wars
Power Games: The Packer Murdoch Story
The Outlaw Michael Howe
Top of the Lake
Underbelly: Squizzy
A Better Man
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES AWARD
WINNER:
UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN – SERIES 1
Producers: Gristmill
Cast: Dougie Baldwin, Michala Banas, Patrick Brammall, Harrison Feldman, Madeleine Jevic, Robyn Malcolm, Annie Maynard, Rhys Mitchell, Robyn Nevin, Glenn Robbins, Lara Robinson.
NOMINEES:
Please Like Me
twentysomething – Series 2
Upper Middle Bogan