DC: The Informant was my first line of work straight out of NIDA; I was cast in the role during my very last week before our showcase - our final performance to agents. As Tony Knight, Head of Acting, always told us, "...you audition to get into NIDA, and you audition to get out!" This is such an extremely cutthroat business and no-one can prepare you for the 'real world' and the struggles you face in the acting profession. I was always aware at NIDA of how hard it would be to make a career as a working actor. This film was an amazing start to my career, and perhaps a lucky one.
The film's story centres on a suburban dad who works as a police informant for a federal investigative agency. The character's background is shrouded in mystery, with intelligence officers seeking to uncover the truth about his past by working with him. A strong cast, an AFI award nomination and interest from the Fox network all make this an exciting opportunity for NIDA graduate Don, who plays Jim Sivilich, an Australian Crime Commission agent. The cast includes fellow graduates Colin Friels and Anita Hegh and the film's director is Peter Andrikidis.
DC: I was extremely flattered that I had made such a good first impression on director Peter Andrikidis (East West 101, Underbelly, Water Rats). I have admired Peter's work for a long time and I believe his recent work on East West 101 has set a new benchmark for Australian drama. He is a remarkable director, and I believe he will have a valuable influence on shaping the future of Australian television. I also consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity, particularly at such an early stage in my career, to work with fellow actors Colin Friels and William McInnes. I can honestly tell you, to be cast among such amazing actors was both surreal and daunting, particularly as both of them have inspired me since I was a boy.
Since making The Informant, Don has been working in various areas and we could soon be seeing him in another new Australian small-screen blockbuster.
DC: Since The Informant, I was cast in the short film Blind Date, directed by Chris Ramos, Packed to the Rafters (TV Ten) with fellow graduates Jessica Marais and Hugh Sheridan, and All Saints (Seven Network) as Chris Kelloway. I recently starred in the musical comedy Risky Lunar Love at the CarriageWorks theatre in Redfern, directed by John Sheedy (Who's Afraid of the Working Class?, Blasted), choreographed by John O'Connell (Moulin Rouge, Enchanted, Romeo and Juliet) and musically directed by Ross Johnston (of Machine Gun Fellatio).
DC: I was extremely flattered that I had made such a good first impression on director Peter Andrikidis (East West 101, Underbelly, Water Rats). I have admired Peter's work for a long time and I believe his recent work on East West 101 has set a new benchmark for Australian drama. He is a remarkable director, and I believe he will have a valuable influence on shaping the future of Australian television. I also consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity, particularly at such an early stage in my career, to work with fellow actors Colin Friels and William McInnes. I can honestly tell you, to be cast among such amazing actors was both surreal and daunting, particularly as both of them have inspired me since I was a boy.
Since making The Informant, Don has been working in various areas and we could soon be seeing him in another new Australian small-screen blockbuster.
DC: Since The Informant, I was cast in the short film Blind Date, directed by Chris Ramos, Packed to the Rafters (TV Ten) with fellow graduates Jessica Marais and Hugh Sheridan, and All Saints (Seven Network) as Chris Kelloway. I recently starred in the musical comedy Risky Lunar Love at the CarriageWorks theatre in Redfern, directed by John Sheedy (Who's Afraid of the Working Class?, Blasted), choreographed by John O'Connell (Moulin Rouge, Enchanted, Romeo and Juliet) and musically directed by Ross Johnston (of Machine Gun Fellatio).
Don is one of a new wave of NIDA graduates making a splash on the national and international film and television scene. These graduates include:
- Bojana Novakovic (Edge of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell, Seven Pounds, Skinning)
- Jonathan Oldham (The Dossier, A Darker Reality, Bled, Ashley's Ashes)
- Trilby Glover (Righteous Kill, Book Ends, The Starter Wife, Crash)
- Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Avatar, The Debt)
- Claire van der Boom (Rush, The Square, East West 101, Katoomba).
Nida News, Graduate News. Jan 2009.
