AACTA has announced the return of the Brian Walsh Award for Emerging Talent, which provides $50,000 toward the career development of an up-and-coming actor, along with exposure and recognition opportunities.
Supported by AACTA vice president Nicole Kidman, the award was set up 12 months ago to honour the long-time Foxtel executive, who died in March last year aged 67.
To be eligible, actors must have less than five years of professional, credited experience, be over 18, and cannot have previously been nominated for an AACTA Award. Culture editor-at-large of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Michael Idato, will lead this year’s judging panel.
Kidman, who virtually presented the inaugural award to The Twelve‘s Ngali Shaw earlier this year, was proud to again pay homage to Walsh, given the “important and influential role” he played in her career.
“Brian Walsh contributed so much to the Australian film and television landscape over his storied career but one of his best skills was spotting talent and providing opportunities for them,” she said.
“In creating an award to honour Brian Walsh, my hope is that it will help emerging Australian actors to hone their craft and take their talents to the world.”
Entries for the AACTA Brian Walsh Award for Emerging Talent close at 5pm on Thursday, December 12. Jurors will conduct interviews with the top three finalists in January. Find out more information here.