PLEASE MEET ANOTHER RISING ACTOR FROM MY OWN CHILDHOOD HOME TOWN OF ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA -

COURTNEY FURNELL

1                    Please tell us a little bit about your background;

                          A:        I was born and grew up in Adelaide. I have a pretty complex family background, but the simple version - I’m the eldest, with two younger brothers. Beau is twenty seven and D’Arcy is twenty two and I have two beautiful parents; Mignon and Darcy. We moved around a little when I was younger, so I went to two different primary schools and two different high schools. I failed Year twelve the first year around by just one point, so I went back to get my High School Equivalency.

2                    You are an actor.  Have you always wanted to be an entertainer or did you aspire to be something else when you were younger?

         A:          Ever since I can remember I’ve loved “playing pretend”, but then again, what kid hasn’t? I started taking drama classes when I was about nine or ten. My mum would look into local theatre groups which offered classes and then that’s what I chose to do as my extra curricular. I was involved in probably two or three different drama centres until I was thirteen. During high school I continued with some acting classes and took part in all drama productions. After high school I showed an interest in the behind-the-scenes side of TV & Film; ultimately falling back into acting though.

The simple answer is - yes, I have always wanted to be an entertainer of some description.

3                    Is anyone else in your family and/or relations in entertainment?

          A:         No.

4                    Have you been professionally trained in acting?

          A:        I have just been accepted into an acting school opening its doors in Adelaide. Up until now, I have taken part in professional acting classes.

5                    Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?

         A:        I have an agent. But I am yet to be “professionally” managed.

6                    What have you appeared in?

           A:          I haven’t appeared in anything yet. I’m a real “newbie”, but I’m excited about that.

7                    Have you worked alongside any well-known names?

          A:            No. Well, unless you count performing with them in several high school drama productions.

8                    What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare’ time?

         A:           Watching my favourite TV Shows, catching a new movie, keeping myself fit & catching up with friends and family.

9                    Have you ever been bullied?

    A:              I feel like most people have been bullied in some way. I certainly wasn’t the worst case in any school I attended and I never felt as though I couldn’t go to school because of it. If I wasn’t in drama class, I feel like it could have been worse, but through drama I made a lot of friends from different “cliques”. I was what I would describe as a “drifter”. I didn’t have a group of certain friends - I just floated from group to group. There were a fair amount of people throughout school that thought I was weird and would make fun of me behind my back for it. I just marched to the beat of my own drum and upon reflection I didn’t care what anyone thought. Though, I can admit I was a “people pleaser” - all I wanted is for everyone to like me. It took me too long to realise that was never going to be possible.

I do realise that bullying doesn’t just take place in school. It can take place anywhere at any time in life.

10                Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem?

        A:          I don’t think there is ever anything anyone can do that would be ENOUGH. There is certainly always more than can be done. I feel that by what we see on the news there is a lot more that can be done in some schools in the United States, but the same can be said of Australian schools. The fact there is a zero tolerance for bullying now is great! But kids will always find a way around it. I don’t know if bullying will ever be completely eradicated.

11                What further do you feel the above could and should do to either try to combat this problem hugely – or eliminate it altogether?

       A:            As mentioned, I don’t think it will ever be eliminated completely. Though, I do believe that anyone working in the education system should be completely neutral when it comes to their beliefs on fluid sexuality and depression. I feel as though it plays a big part in bullying and not just by the students. I suffered from the “Black Dog” in high school badly and there wasn’t enough support back then. I feel that on a whole though, all parts of the world are doing what they can to combat bullying.

12                On a personal level, what would you like to do to help in the fight against bullying?

        A:          I would love to be someone that people can talk to. Share my stories and be a sounding board. Prove to them that things get better. For one, that life is not what it is in high school. Secondly, that you can get through any sort of bullying, whether it be in school or the workplace.

13                What advice would you give to someone who is experiencing this nightmare at the moment?

         A:           That life gets better. It sounds trivial and something only an “old person would say”. But it’s SO true. Life is not what it’s like in high school, some people grow up and some don’t, but you will be the one that comes out on top. Don’t let the bullying ruin your life, because you WILL get through it and you’ll show your bullies that in one way or another you survived.

Again, this is the same for bullying in the workplace. You have to take the power away from you bully.

14                What is on your professional agenda for the rest of 2014?

       A:               I am starting at Film & TV Studio International in Adelaide in October. So, that is my main priority for the rest of this year. However, I have also written a short film that I am trying to get funding for; that will be an additional priority for the remainder of the year.

15                Do you have a special message you would like to share with the world?

         A:                  DARE TO DREAM.

16                Is there anything further you would like to add?

         A:                Adding to the above:

It sounds SO obvious, but literally DO IT. Don’t worry about the trivial day-to-day of life, just pick what you would love to do for the rest of your life and if that’s what you REALLY want to do; MAKE IT HAPPEN. Life is too short to live it for other people.

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FROM MY OWN HOME TOWN OF ADELAIDE (SOUTH AUSTRALIA) WE WELCOME ACTOR

BLAKE SCHIPHORST

1                   Please tell us a little bit about your background;

                  A:        I am currently nineteen years old and was born here in Adelaide. I am currently in my second year of Uni studying a bachelor of journalism and write for my blog ‘Laddies and Gentlewomen’ in my spare time. I’m also working on a series of books which, at the rate I’m going, will probably never see the light of day, but are a great creative outlet.

2                   You are an actor.  Have you always wanted to be an entertainer or did you aspire to be something else when you were growing up?

                 A:          Acting has always been a major interest of mine. Working on films, despite the repetitiveness, has always seemed like so much fun to me. I suppose the allure of fame has played its part too. But, I’ve always tried to keep my own reality in check and remind myself that even professional actors struggle to find work. Hence, more recently anyway, acting has been put on a bit of a back-burner and is something I pursue in my spare time.

3                   Is anyone else in your family and/or friends in entertainment?

                   A:             I don’t really know anyone professional in the industry, which is a pity because it would really give me a leg up. Naturally, I have friends that I’ve met through attending different acting schools, but they have yet to make it big.

4                   Are you professionally trained in acting?

                  A:          I’ve attended different acting schools and studied drama throughout high school. I haven’t attended any famous institutions in New York or anything like that though.

5                   Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?

                A:        I recently joined up with ‘Extra Edge’ which finds work for people as ‘extras’, but given I only just joined with them a month or so ago, nothing has come out of that. So, I just represent myself mostly.

6                   Do you have a stage name?

                     A:         No - and I don’t think the need for one has ever really arisen. I guess I’d prefer to use my own name though, almost as a sign of respect for my family I guess. Plus, there’d be less confusion.

7                   What have you appeared in?

                      A:              I appeared in multiple school plays, including ‘Two Weeks with the Queen’ in year eleven when I played the lead, Colin Mudford, and ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ in year twelve where I played Jonathan Harker (I probably could have played Dracula, but Harker’s personality went so well with my own). I also played Edna Turnblad in the Australia Company of Performing Art's take on 'Hairspray'; I got to wear a wig and fat suit which was a lot of fun! Plus, I’ve also appeared in a number of other short films that I’ve made for school projects and one other which I helped some friends out with. They’re all on my YouTube channel if you want to have a look: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheLastStopByMe

8                   Have you worked alongside any well-known names?

         A:            No, unfortunately.

9                   Have you done many media interviews?

         A:           Again, I haven’t unfortunately.

10              What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

                  A:           I like hanging out with my friends, listening to music and playing video games - but I’d have to say writing. Ever since I was little, I’ve been writing fiction. I find writing to be a wonderful form of escapism.

11              Have you ever been bullied?

               A:          Although I’ve never been physically bullied, I have been emotionally bullied. At the start of high school, all of my classes were unisex. I’d had male friends growing up, but I never really had an interest in traditionally male things, like football or cars, so I found it difficult to connect with most of them. I’d had to deal with having paper thrown at me (and even grapes at one point) and I was even tormented for being ‘Romanian’, -which I’m not. I’d tried ignoring them, but that never worked. In the end, I just spent my recess and lunch breaks tucked away in the school library, reading. Eventually, I turned to writing. 

         Things got better eventually - and I can’t think of why specifically. I just got new friends I suppose and the classes eventually become co-ed.

         That’s not to say I don’t still get bullied. Even now, I have supposed ‘friends’ from high school lie to me and exclude me from things. I even get prank phone calls every now and then and I can only imagine they’re somehow involved. Fortunately I have other friends now and the bullying doesn’t bother me too much, because I just look at the people bullying me and realise they must be pretty pathetic if they’ve got nothing better to do. I have self-worth and good friends, they’ve got nothing.

12              Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem?

               A:     Mental illness, which is often perpetuated by bullying, isn’t being dealt with adequately, as can be seen with A-list celebrities tragically ending their lives. The current Australian Government, at least, doesn’t take mental illness nearly as seriously as it should. I suppose schools could provide more information on mental illness too. In regards specifically to bullying, it’s often a manifestation of someone’s own lack of self-worth and can stem from issues such as low socio-economic status, poor relationships within their family and poor education. So I suppose the Government could indirectly decrease bullying by addressing issues which could lead people to have low self-worth.

13              What further do you feel that the above could do to either decrease this problem hugely or eliminate it altogether?

               A:       I don’t believe bullying will ever cease, which is unfortunate. However, I believe that, by providing awareness of issues such as this and showing that anyone can be bullied, it may empower victims and encourage them to stay strong or seek help.

14              On a personal level, what would you like to do to help in the fight against bullying?

                A:       I want to show that you shouldn’t be bullied just because you don’t fit into society’s perfect mould. My blog, ‘Laddies and Gentlewomen’ talks about gender stereotypes and, in particular my article ‘Men + Emotions = GAY’ has a strong anti-bullying message.

15              What advice would you give to someone who is experiencing this nightmare at the moment?

                 A:         Bullying, like any hardship, will make you stronger. If your friends aren’t there for you, it means they probably don’t deserve you and you should try to find friends elsewhere. It’s a good idea to have different groups of friends, so that if something goes wrong with one group, you’ll always have another (just don’t mix groups!) Also, never retaliate to bullies, it’ll only make things worse. If you only do good, people may even begin to turn on the bully, as most people mature as they get older and stop tolerating such negative behaviour. And finally, USE the bullying to your advantage. If you’re an actor, remember how the bullying made you feel to make your performance more believable. If you’re an author, write a book out of your experiences.

16              What is on your professional agenda for the rest of 2014?

       A:           Complete my second year of Uni and audition for any other acting jobs that come up I suppose.

17              Do you have a special message you would like to share with the world?

       A:           Being a victim doesn’t make you weak, being a bully does.

18              Is there anything further you would like to add to this?

       A:           I think I’ve covered everything…



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PLEASE MEET IRISH ACTOR, MODEL AND MUSICIAN

STEVEN FORDE

1                   Please tell us a little bit about your background;

         A:      I’m currently twenty one years of age. I’m from a small town called Fermoy in North Cork in the Republic of Ireland. I grew up in Tralee, County Kerry until the age of nine, where I and my family made the move to Fermoy. I loved Kerry and always will, most of my family are from Killarney and I would consider there to be my home away from home. I am currently a student in the University College of Cork where I am in my last year of my Bachelors of Commerce Degree. Music is my passion, my everything and it’s what I want to do in life and graduating with this degree - it’s not that I necessarily want to pursue a career in business but I believe it is the responsible thing to do and all knowledge ascertained can only enhance the success of my future endeavours be it my music, acting, writing etc.

2                   You are a musician and an actor.  Have you always wanted to be an entertainer or did you aspire to do something else when you were younger?

         A:        I can’t think of any time where I ever wanted to be anything truly other than a performer. Okay, maybe at times you would watch like a cop movie or ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and you’d be like those guys are awesome but that was just a phase.  I also wanted to be a part of the 'X-Men' and 'The Fellowship of the Ring' ha. Throughout my life I’ve played sports competitively with a love of Gaelic Football and soccer but my heart always firmly rested in the arts. I have for as long as I can remember had the ability to just turn on the stereo, close my eyes and really just get lost in my own world for endless hours - without moving. It’s hard to explain the effect music can have on someone. That feeling of transcendence it gifts you, allowing you to be something bigger than yourself. I would listen to these artists like Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Luke Kelly (to name a few) and I would be in awe.  These weren’t just fantastic musicians but incredible and fascinating individuals. They meant something to people, to the world.  I suppose that’s the ultimate aspiration for anyone, well for me anyway, that when your time comes the world will look back on you as someone who generated change and was better off for having you in it. James Taylor once said:   ‘I believe musicians have a duty, a responsibility to reach out, to share your love or pain with others’. I hope to just stay as honest as possible giving and showing all aspects of myself whether it be the good or the bad, the deep emotional side, or that wild side which I also possess. I don’t really know how I found myself doing it through the form of rap but it just seems to work. It allows me to show the real me and connect with people through storytelling and imagery. I wouldn’t dare say there is any real reason why people should listen to my music or watch my performance, I’m not any more amazing than any other musician or performer, but I believe everyone has different thought processes, experiences and genes which makes for a complete unique perspective in performance, sound and story.

3                   Is anyone else in your family and/or friends in entertainment?

         A:          All my family are very musical. In typical Irish fashion a family get together wouldn’t be complete without a sing-song. My family has always been heavily involved in musicals - Killarney musical society would account for the majority of them. My grandparents, aunts and cousins all took part in various musicals on multiple occasions. I suppose that’s where my love of the stage came in. From an early age I was doing pantomimes and plays which allowed me to perform numerous times in productions in Killarney, Siamsa Tire in Tralee and Fermoy. My family and friends have repeatedly shown me incredible support even at times where I feel they do not understand what it is I’m trying to do or achieve. I couldn’t fault them for misunderstanding, however, as that which I am trying to achieve is completely alien and unprecedented to them. There were periods where I feel like I was just trying to find myself and often over indulged in alcohol or misbehaved, during these moments my friends showed exceptional patience and stood by me. People may stray apart for whatever reason but  I read a beautiful quote before that said: ‘We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere’. I honestly believe I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for them and whatever success I may achieve in life they can derive some responsibility for it.

4                   Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?

    A:        Currently I’m representing myself. I would be open to the idea of management in the future but it would have to be the right fit. I think it’s important that he/she would have a similar vision of what I want to achieve and where I want to take this. 

5                   What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

        A:         Seeing as I’m in college at the moment, any spare time is really just dedicated to my music. I try and devote whatever is left in the day to writing, producing and recording new songs. I enjoy working out and try to do so as much as possible - I feel it’s important to keep my energy levels up and clear the head. Other than that I might catch a movie every now and again and hang out with friends.

6                   Do you have a stage name?

        A:        I never felt the need to. I think when I set out on this I did so with the premise of being completely honest and truthful to the audience, revealing all of me and not hide behind a mask. I would look to the greats such as Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, John Lennon etc.  none of whom needed a stage name. I really don’t have anything against people who use stage names, with a lot of them being favourite artists of mine, but I don’t know just as an Irish man I’m proud of who I am and if I make it I want to make it for being myself.

7                   Have you ever been bullied?

        A:           I can thankfully say no. Where I grew up I was very lucky - in school we had such a close-knit class all the way through, everyone helped each other out. Okay we would still have that mocking banter going on like in any school but people knew when it was too far and if someone was going to get hurt. I think sometimes it might be different for guys or maybe it was just my class but if there was any ill-feeling between two students, a little bit of punching and jostling and it would be all over. Two female students the same age however could be radically hurtful and mean spirited to each other.  I may not have experienced it myself but through observation and the age of social media you can see the horrible effects it has on others. It’s a very real and potent epidemic which exists in our society.

8                   Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem?

      A:       Unfortunately I don’t think they are. There are many cases where children are too afraid to go to school and their education is affected. Trauma a child could endure from bullying can very well haunt him/her right into adulthood where their quality of life is reduced and they aren’t enjoying all that life has to offer. You have to be careful too at the same time, as on the other side of the scale you don’t want to shelter a child so much where they aren’t prepared for sometimes hard and difficult experiences that arrive as they get older. The key is to find the right balance where ultimately each child can grow up in an environment which encourages learning and harmonious living. I wish I had the one golden solution as to how we would go about this but I feel every school and community has different pupils and children and a different method must be applied to each accordingly.

9                   What more do you feel that the above could do to try to either decrease this problem hugely – or eliminate it altogether?

       A:        With relation to the previous question I’m honestly unaware of any fool-proof method to decrease bullying. I am of the belief no child is born to hate it is installed in us from those before us, so I would really just encourage all parents and parents-to-be now to preach and teach patience and kindness for others. Show what it is to be a kind person and set a good example. Other than that maybe more group exercises where the children are forced to work as teams, hence form a bond etc.

10              On a personal level, what would you like to do to help in the fight against bullying?

      A:          I suppose all I can do is spread awareness continuously and try to lead by example. I can only promise to never knock someone else and show compassion for those who have been wronged by others. If there are those who are suffering if they contact me through my facebook page, twitter or email I’d be more than willing to talk to them and let them know they have a friend. I’d love nothing more than to get to know the person and show support on a more personal level.

11              What advice would you give to someone who is suffering through this nightmare at the moment?

     A:        It’ll get better. The greatest thing you can do to combat a bully is raise your head and keep smiling. Show them no fear - they can only hurt you as much as you let them.  Know that somewhere there is someone who is suffering the exact same thing - you are not alone.

12              What is on your professional agenda for the rest of 2014?

     A:         I’m finishing my last year of college and I’m going to just write, record and release as much music as I possibly can. This year is really all about raising my profile and putting myself on the radar of as many people as possible. There’ll be a few side ventures as well - hopefully with a couple acting projects on the cards and I’m currently planning on writing a screenplay, so who knows. Next year I hope to graduate and begin production of my first studio album.

13              Is there anything else you would like to include in this interview?

      A:        This is for a great cause and I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to help in the fight and spread awareness.

14              Do you have a special message you would like to share with the world?

       A:           Live To Dream.

‘Do one thing every day that scares you’ - Eleanor Roosevelt

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ANOTHER YOUNG AMERICAN ACTOR/MUSICIAN ALSO RISING ABOVE HER TORMENTERS TO PROVE SHE CAN WIN!!!

PLEASE WELCOME

MANDI SILER

1        Please tell us a little bit about your background;

                A:       I am thirty six years young and I was raised in South Carolina, USA. I am one of what used to be two children. I had a brother who was a year older than me and he was killed in a car accident when he was sixteen years old. A drunk driver hit him head on only two miles from our house. Since then, I have been the only child of two very loving and supportive parents.

2           You are an actor and musician.  Have you always wanted to be an entertainer or did you aspire to be something else when you were younger?

             A:        I have been singing since I was five years old. It is my biggest passion. That's been in my heart as early as I can remember. The acting bug hit several years ago. I was a very shy person with extreme stage fright and I started acting to help me with that. I found that becoming someone else for a while really brought me out of my shell. I have never really wanted to be anything else except a missionary. I really have a soft spot for children and families who are hungry and living in bad conditions. I want to help them as much as I can and I am looking forward to a time when I am able to do more of that.

3             Is anyone else in your family and/or relations in entertainment?

              A:         My dad's cousin owns a school of performing arts and she was a dancer for many years and a comedian. She has helped a lot of people including myself .

4            Are you professionally trained in both skills?

                 A:        I have had vocal training and some acting and drama classes.

5             As an actor, what have you appeared in?

                 A:          I have done only stage work at this point. I really want to try my hand at screen work now . I have appeared in several off Broadway productions such as:  'Guys and Dolls', 'The Pyjama Game', 'Wanda's World'...and many others. I am currently working on 'Anne Of Green Gables - the Musical'.

6            As a musician, are you solo or do you play with others?

                A:        I am a mezzo-soprano lead singer as well as an alto. I sing in a Christian band with others. I also am the director of a local church youth band where I provide vocal training to youth ages thirteen to eighteen years and act as a mentor to our youth musicians.

7           How many instruments do you play?

                 A:            I am only a singer.

8               Do you sing as well?

                  A:          I think so and have been told that I do.

9          Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?

                  A:         I am represented by CD Models & Talent, Charleston, SC, USA.

10       What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

                A:          My spare time is mainly spent doing church activities where I am a youth ministry volunteer and mentor. I also like to karaoke with some friends.

11        Do you have a stage name?

                 A:          No.

12        Have you ever been bullied?

                 A:         Yes.

13          Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem?

                  A:        Not really.

14           What further do you feel the above could do to either decrease this problem hugely – or eliminate it altogether?

             A:           I believe that the true problem lies in the home. I know that's a bold statement to make, but I believe in the saying "hurting people, hurt people." I am not saying that all bullies have bad family lives, but I do believe that quite often bullies are bullies because they are either being bullied themselves or they are striving for attention. I believe that bullies don't really know what they are doing because they don't understand other people. They don't understand that being different isn't always a bad thing. I believe that training classes would help a lot.

15          On a personal level, what would you like to do to help in the fight against bullying?

                 A:       I am not sure yet. I would love to see counseling in schools on bullying issues. One on one sessions and group discussions.

16         What advice would you give to anyone who is currently suffering through this nightmare?

                  A:        My advice would be for them to look within themselves and find the goodness that lies there. What you think of yourself is what matters. Dig deep inside and discover your deepest hopes and dreams and live everyday taking steps closer and closer to those dreams, but realize it is a process and it takes time. Be patient. Don't allow what others are or have done to you keep you from your God-given potential. Learn to forgive because hate  can eat you alive if you let it and it can kill your dreams. Don't let that bully or bullies have your dreams. Also, go to someone and tell them. Someone you trust. No one can help you unless they know you have a problem.

17       Have you done many media interviews?

                 A:          No.

18          What is on your professional agenda for the rest of 2014?

             A:        'Anne of Green Gables - the Musical' where I am playing the role of Marilla Cuthbert. I am also a writer and I have written a comedy sitcom pilot that I am shopping out right now and I am working on several more episode scripts.

19                Do you have any special messages you would like to share with the world?

                 A:       Life is ultimately what you make it. There is a world of potential inside each person, but it's their job to discover it and cultivate it into something special. AND remember that it's NEVER too late to start doing what you know you were created to do.

20                Is there anything further you would like to add?

                     A:        No.