The Casting Guild of Australia has crowned Australia’s top emerging talent of 2024, revealing its 10th annual list of CGA Rising Stars.
The CGA has this year named 10 extraordinary Australian actors with the potential to break out on the world stage. The 2024 CGA Rising Stars are Alyla Browne, Courtney Monsma, Danny Ball, Felix Cameron, Grace Chow, Janet Anderson, Lee Tiger Halley, Megan Wilding, Michael Logo and Michael Theo.
The annual awards have a strong track-record of picking Australian talent who are truly on the cusp of greatness with previous recipients including Milly Alcock (House of Dragon), Eliza Scanlan (Little Women), Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why), Yerin Ha (Bridgerton), Ayesha Madden (Heartbreak High), Zoe Terakes (Talk To Me), Olivia De-Jonge (Elvis), James Majoos (Heartbreak High) and Alexander England (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), just to name a few.
CGA President Thea McLeod said: “The Casting Guild of Australia is proud to present the Rising Stars of 2024. Thank you to all CGA members for your nominations and collaboration in selecting this year’s top 10 exceptional performers on the rise. Australia has so many incredible rising stars, and we truly felt amazed by the talent on display across Australia! Congratulations to the talented recipients of the Rising Stars of 2024 — we can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make on the entertainment industry, both here in Australia and internationally, as you continue to flourish. We are thrilled for you and will continue to nurture and support your careers as you soar to new heights.”
ALYLA BROWNE is an award-winning actress whose career spans both film and television in Australia and abroad. Her television credits include playing Nicole Kidman’s daughter in NINE PERFECT STRANGERS, as well as roles in EDEN, MR INBETWEEN and ‘Young Alice’ in the critically acclaimed THE LOST FLOWERS OF ALICE HART. Alyla is best known for sharing the titular role in George Miller’s FURIOSA and has starred in feature films including CHILDREN OF THE CORN, THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING, TRUE SPIRIT, STING and has recently wrapped SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3.
Currently appearing as Glinda in the Australian production of WICKED, COURTNEY MONSMA is well-known for starring as Princess Anna in the Australian tour of FROZEN THE MUSICAL and as Lillian Milton in drama series PAPER DOLLS, for which the soundtrack has been nominated for a 2024 Aria Award. Courtney’s other theatre highlights include roles in SIX THE MUSICAL, ALADDIN, MAMMA MIA! and KISS ME, KATE. While studying at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffin University, Courtney appeared in SWEET CHARITY, THE LIFE, WEST SIDE STORY and toured with the production of I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE before graduating with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre. Courtney released her debut album IN THE LIGHT in 2022, featuring some of her favourite and career moment songs as well as her original track ‘The Light That You Are’.
Actor and writer DANNY BALL graduated from NIDA in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting). His screen credits include HOME & AWAY, TOTALLY COMPLETELY FINE and A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GRIEF. His theatre credits include HOLDING THE MAN, LOADED, CLEANSED and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. He was the recipient of the Award for Outstanding Performer at the 2023 Greenroom Awards for his critically acclaimed performance in LOADED. Danny’s own plays include THE ITALIANS and SCAB and he is currently writing his third, GROVE, which is being developed as part of Australian Plays Transform’s Rise Together, Write Together program.
FELIX CAMERON played the lead role of ‘Eli Bell’ in Netflix’s BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE, cast by Nikki Barrett, for which he won two Logie Awards for Best Actor in a Drama Series and the Graham Kennedy Award for Best Newcomer. Felix has since played a guest role in the highly anticipated CW, Roku and Stan series GOOD COP, BAD COP after making his acting debut in Village Roadshow’s PENGUIN BLOOM alongside Naomi Watts and Andrew Lincoln.
Award-winning Asian Australian playwright and actor GRACE CHOW is most well known for playing Constable Cindy Chung in critically acclaimed series MYSTERY ROAD: ORIGINS and in Season 2 of THE TWELVE and will soon be starring in her debut US series opposite Leighton Meester in GOOD COP/BAD COP for The CW and Stan. Her expansive career boasts an impressive array of performances across theatre, opera and musical theatre including PANAWATHI GIRL, THE CHERRY ORCHARD and THE SNOW. Grace was awarded the Griffin Award in 2022, one of the most nationally coveted and prestigious writing awards for Australian playwrights, for her play THE PROMISE LAND and was also the recipient of the National Studio Residency (AYPT) where her work DANCE OURSELVES TO DEATH was published by Currency Press. Grace looks forward to several upcoming writing commissions including THE COMPREHENSIVE A-Z OF MISSING PERSONS AUSTRALIA.
JANET ANDERSON graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2022 and was cast in the first series of THE LAST KING OF THE CROSS in the same year. Her other television credits include REEF BREAK, PLUM and the second series of THE LAST KING OF THE CROSS. Janet starred in the one-woman play COLLAPSIBLE to rave reviews and also performed in MERCURY FUR, the critically acclaimed OVERFLOW for which she won the 2024 Time Out Sydney Critics Choice and People’s Choice Awards, and most recently ALL THE FRAUDULENT HORSE GIRLS. Her upcoming theatre projects include SISTREN at the Old Fitz Theatre and ORLANDO for Belvoir. Janet is also a changemaker and vocal advocate for transgender rights.
Emerging actor LEE TIGER HALLEY is known for his role as ‘Gus Bell’ in Netflix’s mini-series BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE, for which he was nominated in 2024 for the Silver Logie for Best Supporting Male Actor and the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent. He can also be seen in CRAZY FUN PARK, THE HEIGHTS, for which he was cast by Annie Murtagh-Monks, and is set to star as the lead role in the 2025 feature film THE KID FROM HARVEST ROAD based on the early life of Bon Scott. Lee recently completed filming BEASTS OF WAR, a WWII feature film also due for release in 2025.
MEGAN WILDING, a proud Gamilaroi woman, has appeared in many productions for main stage theatre companies including STOLEN, THE SEAGULL, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, A FOOL IN LOVE, BLITHE SPIRIT, BANGING DENMARK and BLACKIE BLACKIE BROWN for Sydney Theatre Company and THE ROVER for Belvoir St Theatre. Megan wrote, directed and performed in A LITTLE PIECE OF ASH for KXT and has won both the Balnaves Foundation Indigenous Playwright’s Award from Belvior St Theatre and Griffin Theatre. Megan’s screen credits include television productions such as GOLD DIGGERS and MYSTERY ROAD: ORIGINS, cast by Anousha Zarkesh, and feature film WE ARE STILL HERE. Megan will next appear in the Stan Original Series SUNNY NIGHTS and BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY at Belvoir St Theatre in 2025.
MICHAEL LOGO plays a main cast role in the international hit series COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS, a role cast by Kirsty McGregor. Michael can be seen in feature films INSIDE and PAPER CHAMPIONS, television series SWIFT STREET, FISK, LOVE ME, BURIED and WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS? Michael performed in the acclaimed experimental theatre piece THIS as part of Melbourne Rising in 2023. He has worked on several short films including the award-winning ELI THE INVINCIBLE, HIDERS, BURNING OF THE MEKONG, IS THIS THE REAL WORLD? and AACTA-nominated A GOOD BOY. Michael also collaborates regularly with Western Edge Youth Arts and has translated sections of classical text into Samoan for productions.
Aspiring actor and voice over artist MICHAEL THEO most recently played the leading role in the 8-part comedy series AUSTIN and was cast by Amanda Mitchell. He was also the break-out star of documentary series LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM Series 1 and 2. Prior to AUSTIN, Michael made his professional acting debut in the Emmy award-winning kids drama HARDBALL and has recently recorded a character role for an upcoming Australian animation series. Michael uses his online platforms and successful podcast MR A+ to create a safe space and celebrate the differences in the world and invites fascinating guests from all walks of life to share their stories. Michael is also an ambassador for ‘Wable’, an app designed to help neurodivergent people facilitate connections for friendship and works as a consultant for Aspect Autism.
From November 4, audiences can meet this year’s Rising Stars as part of a 10 day series on CGA’s Instagram, with a new interview with Australia’s casting directors posted each day in the lead up to the official in-person presentation at the CGA Awards ceremony on Friday November 15 in Sydney at Establishment Hotel.
This year, the CGA Rising stars will be interviewed by Amanda Mitchell (Heartbreak High, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Annie Murtagh-Monks (The Heights, Runt), Anousha Zarkesh (The Office Australia, The New Boy), Faith Martin (Strictly Ballroom, Barrumbi Kids), Greg Apps (Mission Impossible II, The Way, My Way), Janine Snape (Dracula, Black Sails), Kirsty McGregor (Colin From Accounts, Lion), Nikki Barrett (The Power of the Dog, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Rhys Velasquez (Choir Boy, Fangirls) and Tom McSweeney (Nautilus, The Condemned).
The Rising Stars program is proudly supported by Casting Networks & Showcast, with both providing 24-month premium memberships for each of the actors.
For further information about CGA visit: www.castingguild.com.au
