by Dov Kornits
With roles in the local flicks Beauty From Pain and Cooked, Adelaide-born actress Arielle Cartwright has relocated to Vancouver to further her career, and has just completed filming on the series Every Year After.
“I’ve always wanted to live overseas and explore the North American entertainment market,” Arielle Cartwright replies to FilmInk when quizzed about her shift to Vancouver. “After travelling to LA a couple of times, I realised it wasn’t quite the place I saw myself living long term just yet. Vancouver felt like the perfect fit. It’s in North America, close to LA, but it has its own booming film and television industry. My acting coach felt my look and sensibility would suit the market here. I made the move and within a month I’d booked work, which felt like a strong confirmation I was in the right place.”
Something else that looks to be in the right place, is Arielle Cartwright’s career. A busy hard grafter, the switched-on twentysomething has parlayed several short film roles and minor appearances in films and TV series into more substantial work, booking major roles on shows like Casino Beach, Awakening Rejected Mate and Falling for My Dad’s Best Friend, and films like White Blood and Cooked.
Cartwright’s most high-profile role to date, however, has likely been the supporting part of Addison Donovan in the romantic drama Beauty From Pain, produced by PassionFlix and Jaggi Entertainment. After that, Cartwright has three more projects in various starts of production, and the actress has just finished shooting on the Amazon MGM Studios series Every Year After, adapted from the popular book Every Summer After by Carley Fortune. Make no mistake, Arielle Cartwright is on the move…
When and how did the acting bug bite?
“It’s the classic story of loving to perform as soon as I could walk and talk. My mum used to say to a very dramatic young me, ‘Save it for the stage, Arielle.’ It began with singing and gradually evolved into acting in my early teens. I’ve always loved musical theatre, but unfortunately, I have two left feet, so that path was gently ruled out. Acting felt like the space where I could fully live inside story and character.”
You’ve appeared in a few romance movies. Is that your go-to genre to watch as well?
“I’m definitely a sucker for a romance or rom-com, especially a good period piece. That said, it really depends on my mood. Some nights, it’s light-hearted love stories, other nights, it’s fantasy or sci-fi, so I can completely escape reality. And occasionally, I’ll swing the other way and watch a psychological thriller that bends my brain. I’m drawn to stories that make you feel something, whatever the genre.”
What’s your origin story? Where did you grow up? Any family in the entertainment business?
“I credit my grandmother, Karlene Trowse, with planting the seed. She’s a phenomenal singer and performed in theatre throughout Adelaide, so storytelling was always around me. I was born in Adelaide and spent my early years in Victor Harbor before my family moved interstate due to my stepfather’s work. We lived in Darwin and eventually settled in Cairns for most of my teenage years. At school in Cairns I did whatever I could to stay involved in the arts, performing monologues from Hamlet or singing at arts nights, but there weren’t extensive pathways for young creatives. As soon as I turned eighteen, I moved to Brisbane to pursue acting seriously and began training consistently. That was the true beginning of my professional journey.”
What sort of acting training have you done?
“I took a slightly unconventional path. I didn’t attend a traditional conservatory because I was wary of becoming too similar to those around me. Instead, I wanted to be like a sponge and train with a range of different coaches, jumping into workshops, short courses and ongoing classes. I took what worked from some, and left what didn’t. I also wanted to get on set as early as possible, so I auditioned for short films, student projects and independent productions, and networked constantly. That mix of practical experience and varied coaching shaped my craft in a way that felt authentic to me. I have no regrets about that approach.”
Any particular heroes and/or mentors?
“My Australian agent, Rob Woodburn, has been a significant mentor. He believed in me at a time when I was questioning myself and has helped shape my long-term strategy. I’ve also trained with acting coach Kristy Sexton since 2019. She’s a force in the industry, Our Momma Hen, and an incredible advocate for actors and the craft. She’s supported me through auditions at all hours over Zoom with tight turnarounds, and her focus on emotional truth and specificity has deeply influenced my work. Since moving to Vancouver, I’ve felt incredibly supported by my team at Pacific Artists Management. Having people in your corner who understand both the creative and practical sides of this industry makes all the difference.”
What’s coming up?
“I’ll be appearing in the Amazon MGM Studios series Every Year After, adapted from Carley Fortune’s bestselling novel Every Summer After. It’s been a wonderful project to be part of. The sequel to Beauty From Pain, titled Beauty From Surrender, has also been green-lit and I’m looking forward to stepping back into the world of Addison Donovan very soon!”
Stay tuned for more on Arielle Cartwright.
