Andrea Solonge is the 12th recipient of Australians in Film’s (AiF) Heath Ledger Scholarship, beating out a record number of entries to be awarded the $60,000 prize package at a special event at Soho House in West Hollywood last night (US time).
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Solonge is an Australian actress with Nigerian and Congolese heritage who received strong reviews for her work in the role of Juno Adebayo in the Stan/Roku megachurch drama series Prosper and also plays Madame Queenie in Taika Waititi’s Apple TV+ series Time Bandits. She will next be seen in Queensland-filmed Stan Original Good Cop/Bad Cop and has voiced a character in the animated series Tales From Outer Suburbia.
As part of the prize, Solonge will receive US$10,000 towards a living allowance, rent, and transport assistance in Los Angeles, along with educational and career preparation, ranging from private acting coaching to immigration assistance. There is also a year-long mentorship from 2010 recipient Bella Heathcote.
Having been named as a finalist of the 2021 initiative, which took place against the background of the pandemic, she told IF getting to travel to LA this time around had given her a true taste of life as a working actor, adding that she was aiming to secure a US agent for her next steps.
“For a very long time since I started my journey as an actor, I would look at all the recipients of the Heath Ledger Scholarship and the trajectories of their careers, along with their humility and kindness, and just hope and dream to do it one day,” she said.
“When I was selected as a finalist during the pandemic, it was online, so getting to be here in LA in the flesh has been the most surreal experience – it’s truly been a dream.”
Solonge was chosen by a judging panel comprising Sarah Snook, Melanie Lynskey, Gabrielle Union, Charlie Hunnam, Simone Kessell, Cleopatra Coleman, and award-winning casting director Terri Taylor.
Snook said she loved getting to watch fresh faces showcase their talents and passion for acting.
“It was a tough decision, as all the finalists were brilliant, but one stood out with a captivating depth and strength,” she said.
” I’m very excited for Andrea to be this year’s 2024 Heath Ledger Scholarship recipient”.
This year’s finalists included Charles Wu, Taj Aldeeb, Kartanya Maynard, Will McDonald, and Ezekiel Simat.
The cohort was joined at this year’s announcement by Lynskey, Kessell, Rose Byrne, Max Greenfield, Charmaine Bingwa, Mojean Aria, Sean Keenan, Danielle Macdonald, Jonathan LaPaglia, Natasha Bassett, Phillip Noyce, Jeremy Podeswa, Joanna Calo and Unjoon Moon.
Kim Ledger, Gregor Jordan, Susie Dobson, and Ann Fay are patrons of the Heath Ledger Scholarship.