Ozziewood

MAY 2002

 

Hey guys, wassup?

After a while I finally managed to get some new interview for you!

This time to amazing girls who played in Thunderstone: Mereoni Vuki (Arushka) and Anna-Grace Hopkins (Geneva)

I hope you enjoy them!
Interview with Mereoni Vuki

Thanks to: Catherine Hamlen, CLPR

1. You started about 3 years ago with the role of Arushka in Thunderstone. Did you enjoy playing the role of Arushka? Which scene you adored most?

The role of Arushka was fun and challenging at times. I had to learn how to ride a horse and handle a lot of different types of animals, from puppies to lions. The scene I enjoyed the most was when Noah and Arushka go back in time to a circus. While we were shooting, one of the lions escaped. This sent the entire crew into a frenzy. It was ironic – because that was what was supposed to happen in the script. 

2. You have played the role of Arushka for the 3 seasons it took to complete Thunderstone. What did you think of Arushka and are there some similarities between her and yourself?

Arushka is very strong headed and determined. I consider myself to be the same. She’s also very quick when it comes to decision making, like me. She has come from a tribal background, as have I. My father is Fijian and I have been there a few times now. Life over there is very simple and traditional.

3. Do you still keep in touch with the other actors you have acted with in Thunderstone?

I still see Jeffrey (Noah) quite a bit. We went and completed high school together after Thunderstone wrapped. I speak to the girl who played Geneva often. I bump into some of the others now and then.

4. Recently, we have seen you in Head Start, with your role as Jade. Can you point out any differences between Head Start and Thunderstone, except that Thunderstone was a SF series?

Thunderstone revolved heavily around stunts and performance. Working on ‘Headstart’ allowed me to explore other areas within the craft of acting, that I hadn’t been exposed to on Thunderstone. We had a dramaturg on ‘Headstart’ who took us for rehersals on a regular basis – and this alone, was a great benefit. On Thunderstone, I had to do a lot of ‘on the job’ training.

5. At the moment you are well known in Australia, but also abroad. How has that influenced your life? Can you still walk on the streets without being recognised?

I get asked often if I’m on television and people sometimes look at me funny, but that’s part of my job, and I’m more than happy to give any fans the time of day.

6. Your roles in Thunderstone and Head Start gave you not only fame, but also a lot of knowlegde. What can we expect from you in the future?

I really have a burning desire to do a film. It was always a dream to act and perform for others, but I think ideally, that’s the next step I’d like to take. Either that, or a great role on a drama, that will get keep me working hard.

 Interview with Anna Grace Hopkins
Thanks to: Natasha Henry, CLPR

1. How did you start acting?
I became interested in performance because I did ballet dancing for years. I trained as a dancer and singer, and after a while I ended up acting, too.

2. How did you get the role of Geneva?
My agent sent me to an audition.

3. What did you think of the role of Geneva?
I enjoyed playing the role. The best bits were the scenes where we got to muck around and have fun. I remember one where all the kids were supposed to be splashing in the river. It turned into a huge waterfight and we were all completely hysterical. I got water in my eyes and Nathan (Wentworth, Kwan) pushed me over and got I totally saturated. Another day we spent hours herding cows around a paddock. We were supposed to be really serious about it, but the cows kept 'mooing' and crashing into each other and it was so hard to keep a straight face. The worst scenes were the snow scenes. The fake snow was disgusting and everyone was breathing it in and choking.

4. Are there any similarities between yourself and Geneva?
I am much more talkative than Geneva, and I'm not shy. But like Geneva, I really love animals.

5. Did you keep in touch with the others from "Thunderstone"?
Actually, I just spoke to Mereoni Vuki on the phone today. And Nathan has always been like my naughty little brother, we keep in touch. I babysit for Nikki Coghill who plays Liz, she has the most adorable children. Stuart 
Halusz (Tao) and his wife Rebecca have been in England working on Shakespearan theatre and we've been keeping in touch through email (he's back now). I got en email from Mark Defriest, one of the directors, the other day. The industry is pretty small here, so you do tend to bump into people all the time, and my brother, who is an actor, often ends up working with them which is nice.

6. Do you have any hobbies, and if so, what are they?
I like reading, travelling, singing, movies and tv, I really love tap dancing and horse riding but at the moment I don't have time to practice, so I am not very good at either of them. I love working with children. I am a terrible cook, a terrible driver and I love ice skating, which I am also terrible at and usually just end up falling over.

7. What can we expect from you in the future?
Although I have always enjoyed acting, my dream is to work as a teacher (I'm still a student at the moment). A colleague and I run a charity program here in Melbourne which is an education and recreation program for African refugees. It's often challenging and very tiring work, but I love it and I can't imagine spending my future in any other field. My ultimate goal is to work in refugee education in Africa. I'd like to keep acting but I think it will always take second priority to my work with the kids.

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