Aussies in Hollywood

Jenny Cooney is an Australian journalist who has lived in Hollywood for 30 years. She is a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and votes for the Golden Globes. Jenny has watched the waves of new Australian talent arrive in Hollywood and make their marks, both on and off-screen. From Paul Hogan to the Hemsworths, from Nicole Kidman to Margot Robbie - Jenny knows them all and their stories intimately. Join Jenny as she takes you through stories of Aussies In Hollywood; from landing in LA to landing the first gig and then building a successful career.

Toni Collette

Actor Toni Collette is synonymous with 2 movie lines “You’re terrible Muriel!” from Muriel’s Wedding and “I see dead people,” from The Sixth Sense, which is funny seeing as she didn’t deliver either of those lines. Recorded in the hotel room where they first met during the press tour for Muriel’s Wedding,Toni chats to Jenny Cooney about her unique career and why she wasn’t always convinced that the roles she became known for, would even be a hit in the first place.

Date:: 1 August 2018

Toni Collette

Episodes

Dion Beebe

Cinematographer Dion Beebe grew up watching subtitled films at a small foreign cinema in South Africa before moving to Sydney and studying at the Australian Film, Television & Radio School (AFTRS). Since then, Dion has made a name for himself working on Chicago, Green Lantern and Memoirs of a Geisha. Host Jenny Cooney chats with Dion about the pivotal people in his career and what it was like working with his wife, Unjoo Moon, on their upcoming film I Am Woman.

Duration:: 2820
Date:: 28 November 2019

Ben Lawson

Actor Ben Lawson is known for his roles in Modern Family, Designated Survivor, 13 Reasons Why and The Good Place, but when he first arrived in Hollywood, he struggled to land his big break. Host Jenny Cooney speaks with Ben about persisting in Hollywood in spite of setbacks and meeting his childhood hero, Michael J Fox.

Duration:: 2901
Date:: 28 November 2019

Damon Herriman

Actor Damon Herriman certainly has a type. He simultaneously played Charles Manson in both Quentin Tarantino's "Once upon a time in Hollywood" and the hit series "Mindhunter Season 2". Host Jenny Cooney chats with Damon about what it was like to work with the famous director and how he managed to play the same character in two different projects.

Duration:: 3297
Date:: 15 August 2019

Dacre Montgomery

Actor Dacre Montgomery landed the dream role of anyone growing up in the 90’s. He played the Red Power Ranger and now stars in the unmissable 80’s sci-fi horror TV series – Stranger Things. Host Jenny Cooney talks with Dacre about his upbringing in the industry, whether fame shapes who you are and his process on creating an emotionally layered villain.

Duration:: 3128
Date:: 11 July 2019

Jacki Weaver

Actress Jacki Weaver, is a national treasure in Australia, known for her decades of theatre, TV and Aussie movies. At the age of 72 she became known worldwide after she played the matriarch of a crime family in the Aussie film Animal Kingdom and this earned Jacki her first Oscar nomination. Host Jenny Cooney caught up with Jacki, in West Hollywood, to talk about her favourite types of roles to act in, what it was like to find worldwide fame later in life and her upcoming work.

Duration:: 3373
Date:: 6 June 2019

Elizabeth Debicki

Actor Elizabeth Debicki shot to fame after her role in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. Elizabeth shares with Jenny Cooney the unconventional audition that got her that role, how difficult it was hiding the details of her Guardians of The Galaxy character from superfans and what it was like having Cate Blanchett as a mentor.