A FORMER Ballarat woman has taken out a major acting award in Hollywood in her first foray into major motion pictures.
Jacinta John, who was born and raised in Ballarat and attended Black Hill Primary School, last week won the best actress award at the LA Fear and Fantasy Film Festival.
She took out the award for her role in
Ms John also helped produce the psychological thriller, which was written and directed by Martyn Park.
<#start#>
options={AutoStart:false,DefaultQuality:"High",PlayerWidth:463,PlayerHeight:260}
iSolate
It was a flying visit to Los Angeles for the LA Fear and Fantasy Film Festival for Ms John, due to her rehearsal commitments for the Australian stage production of Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap, which is set to tour later this year.
Speaking to
“The response was great and very unexpected, because this wasn’t a big blockbuster movie,” Ms John said.
The theatrically-trained actress immediately fell in love with the
“I took on a producer’s role in the movie, which was shot at Lithgow in the New South Wales Blue Mountains.”
Ms John originally studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic arts, where she majored in the classics, including Chekov and Shakespeare. Last year she won a scholarship to train with the world renowned New York Theatre Company, Siti.
Although having a preference for stage performance, Ms John has regularly made guest appearances on television programs, including
Ms John, who still has many members of her extended family in Ballarat, has fond memories of her early life here, in particular panning for gold and attending school excursions at Sovereign Hill and the establishment of the city’s first Pizza Hut restaurant.
