Werribee actor Shaun Goss starred in his debut feature film in an award winning performance for his lead role. 89550 Picture: CONTRIBUTED
By NICOLE VALICEK
THE BRIGHT lights of Hollywood might be calling but actor Shaun Goss has his feet firmly planted on Australian ground.
The former Werribee resident has been cast in a string of award-winning short films.
He has performed on stage and his television credits include a recurring role on Neighbours, but his first feature-film debut is one not to miss.
The 32-year-old won the best actor award at this year’s Indie Gems International Film Festival for his debut performance as co-lead in the independent feature film ‘Bathing Franky’.
Shaun graduated from the respected National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2006 following in the footstep of Australia greats Cate Blanchett and Toni Collette.
“It was a great place to go. It was challenging but I learnt so much and I had amazing acting teachers, directors and fellow students,” Shaun said.
Since then Shaun has performed for the Sydney Theatre Company, The Bell Shakespeare Company and The Griffin Theatre Company.
His most recent role was playing alongside Australian identities Noni Hazlehurst and Andrew McFarlane in Melbourne Theatre Company’s play the ‘Heretic’.
Shaun said acting is one of the few jobs where a person has the opportunity to explore complex characters away from their personal experience.
“That part of the industry is very exciting, it’s also challenging as well, working on complex scripts and getting a great product our there for an audience.”
He said working on neighbours is considered a “rite of passage” for Australian actors, and while not ruling out working in America he’s “satisfied” telling stories in his own backyard.
“I would love to work in the three mediums of film, TV and theatre. Each has its own requirements, challenges and rewards.
“I tend to not look too far in the future with my career, but I definitely have plans to continue acting and performing and see where that takes me,” he added.
Shaun can’t pinpoint the exact moment when he decided to pursue a career in acting but he said his school days at MacKillop Catholic Regional College in Werribee gave him his first taste for performing.
