Soap’s casting directors have unearthed top New Zealand stars
For a quarter-of-a-century, Andrea Kelland and Marianne Willison have been responsible for helping discover some of what are now New Zealand acting’s biggest names.
The two casting directors have cast every Shortland Street character, from Martin Henderson’s Stuart Neilson to KJ Apa’s Kane Jenkins.
As the show hits its 25th anniversary, the pair reflect back on their work throughout the show.
How did you come to be in the job?
Marianne Willison (M): I’d been casting and doing the full production for many years for TVNZ and then South Pacific Pictures (SPP). The producer at the time offered me the job of casting, or continuity. I said, ‘‘I will do the casting please’’, because I had always wanted to do it. My wish had come true.
Andrea Kelland (A): I had been a casting director for about eight years, mostly doing television commercials. I’d done a couple of feature films also. Then I did Jackson’s Wharf ,which I suppose put me in the viewing for South Pacific Pictures. Then Marianne needed to go on three months holiday, so I went in and covered for her two years in a row.
M: By the time I was back the second time, I thought I quite liked Andrea being around so I decided I would share the job.
What is it like to work on Shortland Street?
M: Busy! Sometimes it is very stressful, but more when you have done a whole range of auditions and you show them to the producer and the director and they don’t like any of them.
A: Our job is a little bit wrangled already because the writers give you a character brief and they write a whole psychological profile of what they want the character to be like so you have a bit more of a big picture.
Best moment of your career?
A: I suppose when you get somebody who is so right for the role, like Jayden Daniels who was so right for the role of Curtis. He had that sort of vulnerability, as well as being streetwise and gruff.
M: What about that young boy that is quite a big name now? KJ (Apa)?
A: Well we just found him at a modelling agency… the hardest ones are the teenagers because they haven’t been through any drama school so they have to have that raw talent.
Is it a risk to take on people like that?
A: It has never not worked out because we train people on the job and we are there supporting people.
M: We have always had a chaperone and they still have to have schooling.
Tell me about some of the big names you have cast?
M: I’ll tell you who I thought was super and that was Michaela Rooney who played this incredibly ditzy nurse. She was so funny! People like Stuart Devinie who came in and played relatively small parts for us also.
A: I love them all! It is remarkable that we don’t seem to have that ego or a pecking order. Michael Galvin is the most generous, fantastic, lovely actor. He doesn’t get angry that he doesn’t have his own dressing room. He just mucks in with the rest of us and it is an even playing field.
What do you think has given Shortland Street its staying power?
A: It is quite brave socially, it tackles some really good social issues and holds the mirror up to New Zealand.
M: Especially for the younger people, although a lot of older people watch it and have done from day one.
Who did you think was going to go on to do bigger and better things?
A: Frankie Adams. She just soaked up the atmosphere, as did KJ Apa and Jayden Daniels. The thing is to be young enough to take that big step out into the big LA world which is really hard because there are so many other people trying to do the same thing Not that there aren’t so many other people trying to do it here, but the pond is smaller, so the ones that do make it, like Martin Henderson, who has made it onto Grey’s Anatomy, are absolutely fantastic.
Who do you see as the biggest success from the show?
A: Both Martin Henderson and Marton Csokas. Angela Bloomfield and Elizabeth McRae. Shortland Street still looks really good on people’s CV’s. If you can be there and get 11 scenes into your brain and onto film a day, you’ve got to be okay.
M: What about William Wallace, he auditioned how many times?
A: Oh yeah! We finally got him a role and then we killed him [laughs].
Finally, do you think Shortland Street has another 25 years in it?
M: Absolutely! And Andrea will still be there!
A: I’m not sure about that, but I don’t see any writing on the wall that it is due to finish in the next five years. If it is not broke, don’t try fix it. – Fleur Mealing