Four Home and Away stars nominated for AiF Heath Ledger Scholarship

Four past stars of Home and Away have been nominated for the 2013 Australians in Film (AiF) Heath Ledger Scholarship. Elizabeth Blackmore (Shandi Palmer), Andrew Hazzard (Kieran Monroe), Kate Jenkinson (Mackenzie Watson) and Bobby Morley (Drew Curtis) are some of the fifteen finalists announced for the prestigious award.

Bobby Morley and Elizabeth Blackmore are nominated for the AiF Heath Ledger Scholarship, alongside Andrew Hazzard.

Bobby Morley played Drew from 2006 to 2008, Elizabeth Blackmore starred as John Palmer’ss daughter Shandi for two episodes in 2011, and Kate Jenkinson starred as Mackenzie Watson for two episodes in 2012. Andrew Hazzard had a recurring role as Kieran Monroe, a lovesick teenager whose attempts to woo Indi went a little too far, for one month in 2011.

The winning recipients of the fifth annual scholarship will be announced at an invitation only event in Los Angeles on June 12th. The Heath Ledger Scholarship is named in honor of Academy Award® winner Heath Ledger, and has the support of the Ledger family and friends. Before making it big in Hollywood, Heath Ledger starred as Scott Irwin in 10 episodes of Home and Away in 1997. He went on to star in 10 Things I Hate About You, Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight, before his untimely death in January 2008.

Andrew Warne, AiF President, announced the full list of 2013 finalists as: Hannah Barlow, Elizabeth Blackmore (Home & Away), Laura Brent, David Coussins, Ashleigh Cummings (Puberty Blues), Georgia Flood (Wentworth & House Husbands), Geraldine Hakewill, Andrew Hazzard (Home & Away), Will Howarth, Reef Ireland (Puberty Blues), Kate Jenkinson (House Husbands and Home & Away), Andrew Lees (Rescue Special Ops), James Mackay (The Straights), Bob Morley (Neighbors and Home & Away), Alex Williams (Underground, the Julian Assange story).

The 2013 Scholarship judges include actor Wes Bentley (Heath Ledger’ss co-star in Four Feathers), casting agents Ann Fay (Maura Fay Casting), Nikki Barrett (Barrett Casting) and Leslee Feldman (Dreamworks), directors Gregor Jordan (Ned Kelly) and Kieran Darcy-Smith (Wish You Were Here), talent manager, Will Ward (ROAR) and agent Steve Alexander (Resolution).

The Scholarship is awarded to one winner and two runners up. The recipient of the primary scholarship will receive USD$10,000, a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles, a one-year Scholarship to Stella Adler Acting School in LA, a trip around California for two, a VIP casting package, and $5000 worth of visa and immigration services. Two runners up will receive a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles plus a Showcast VIP casting package.

Previous recipients of the Scholarship are Bella Heathcote (Dark Shadows), Ryan Corr (Not Suitable for Children), Oliver Ackland (The Slap, Cloudstreet) and most recently, Anna McGahan (House Husbands).

Benefactors of the Heath Ledger Scholarship include Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness, Michelle Williams, Phil Noyce, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin.