More celebrities arriving Down Under: Anna Paquin heading to Queensland after joining the cast of Netflix’s Jessica Watson biopic True Spirit
In the past year, Australia has become home to some high profile international celebrities.
And the latest star to head Down Under is New Zealand-Canadian actress Anna Paquin who has been cast in Netflix's Jessica Watson biopic, which will be filmed in Queensland.
Anna will play Julie, the mother of the teen sailor, in the film based on her 2010 solo sailing triumph.
Coming soon: In the past year, Australia has become home to some high profile international celebrities. And the latest star to head Down Under is New Zealand-Canadian actress Anna Paquin
Anna, 38, is best known for winning a Golden Globe Award for her starring role in HBO series True Blood.
Also joining the cast, is Aussie actor Josh Lawson as her dad Roger Watson.
The actor will be returning home after spending time abroad producing and acting in film Mortal Kombat.
Hero: Anna has been cast in Netflix's Jessica Watson biopic, which will be filmed in Queensland. Anna will play Julie, the mother of the teen sailor, in the film based on her 2010 solo sailing triumph. Jessica is pictured
New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis who will play Jessica's her coach, Ben Bryant.
They join Sydney teenager Teagan Croft, who was previously cast as Watson.
This comes after the likes of Natalie Portman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Zac Efron and Melissa McCarthy headed to Australia for work following a halt in productions in the US due to the COVID-19 crisis.
In town: Zac Efron lived in Australia for much of the pandemic and previously filmed a Stan Original movie in South Australia
In March, Thea McLeod, one of Australia's most sought after casting directors and vice president of the Casting Guild of Australia, explained this could be a turning point for Australia's arts industry.
'Hollywood is bringing these A-listers, sure. But we need to surround them with local talent. And that goes beyond just actors. We're talking costume designers, set dressers, so many other people are benefiting from this,' she said.
'This is a level of exposure and opportunity we've never seen all at once before... It's bringing a great deal of money and jobs to our industry after such a difficult time.'
Australia's reputation as the new 'go-to destination' for Hollywood producers could generate an estimated $3 billion for the local economy.
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