Andrea Solonge, Charles Wu, Taj Aldeep, Kartanya Maynard, Will McDonald, and Ezekiel Simat are the finalists for this year’s Heath Ledger Scholarship after being selected from a record number of entries.
The group will fly to Los Angeles for this year’s winner announcement, set to take place on Tuesday, October 22 at an exclusive red carpet cocktail party at Soho House West Hollywood.
The 2024 recipient will receive a $60,000 prize package – the biggest in the initiative’s history – including s 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.
Solonge and Simat are both former scholarship finalists, making it to the last round in 2021 and 2018, respectively. Maynard has also been recognised as one to watch, named among the CGA Rising Stars for 2023.
Another former scholarship finalist, Sarah Snook, will determine this year’s winner, alongside Simone Kessell, Melanie Lynskey, Cleopatra Coleman, Charlie Hunnam, Gabrielle Union, and casting director Terri Taylor.
If it is anywhere near as tough as picking the finalists, then they have their work cut out for them, according to Heath Ledger Scholarship Patron and Maura Fay Casting head of casting Ann Fay.
Fay, one of nine casting directors from Australia and the US tasked making the choices, said the final six reflected the high bar of talent coming out of Australia.
“Selecting the finalists is always a difficult job, but this year we had an exceptionally skilled pool of applicants to choose from,” she said.
“They each embody the talent necessary to work on an international scale and are all worthy of becoming the next HLS recipient.”
For Australians in Film chair Emma Cooper, the growth of the scholarship reflected its importance to the global screen industry.
“We aim to shine a light on the best acting talent coming out of Australia and to uphold Heath’s generous spirit of helping others,” she said.
“We’ve been so excited to see the breadth of talent represented in this year’s finalists and are delighted to help support them as they navigate what will undoubtedly be a successful career in Hollywood.”