AiF Announces the Seventh Annual Heath Ledger Scholarship Winner
AUSTRALIANS IN FILM ANNOUNCES THE RECIPIENT OF THE 7th ANNUAL HEATH LEDGER SCHOLARSHIP
At the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles, Matt Levett was announced the winner of the prestigious 2015 HEATH LEDGER SCHOLARSHIP and Emilie Cocquerel and Lily Sullivan were named the runners up.
For the high calibre judging panel, the choice was not an easy one to make. Emmy award winning casting director,Laray Mayfield (Fight Club, Gone Girl, House of Cards, The Social Network), who joined the panel for the first time this year said, ‘It was inspiring to be on a judging panel where every person was passionate and invested in the result. The decision was not easy as each of the applicants are talented and unique and we are sure they will have long and lovely careers.”
‘Ultimately our decision was to award the scholarship to Matt Levett. We are all excited about watching his talent and career continue to grow and we are also looking forward to seeing the work the runners up Emilie Cocquerel and Lily Sullivan will do,’ she continued.
Each year Heath’s father, Kim Ledger, Patron of the Scholarship, contacts the winner to advise them that they have won.
He said, “It is always such an exciting phone call to make because we know that the scholarship makes such an impact on a young performer’s career.
“For the seventh year, the scholarship has gone to a deserving recipient in Matt Levett. This is a wonderful initiative run by Australians in Film and we wish Matt every success.”
Heath’s mother, Sally Bell, and sister, Kate Ledger, attended the dinner to announce Matt as the winner. Kate said, “Matt, a big congratulations on behalf of the Ledger family, for winning the Heath Ledger scholarship. Take it as an absolute honor that you have been selected by such a highly acclaimed group of judges. We are delighted that this scholarship has become so well respected and acknowledged in the film industry over here. With people often commenting on how they now regard the Heath Ledger scholarship winner as Australia’s best. It will open doors, create networks and provide support and guidance for you.”
ABOUT MATT LEVETT:
Matt Levett graduated from the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2009. Whilst at WAAPA he was awarded both the Sally Burton prize for Most Outstanding Performance in a Classical Text, and the Lesley Anderson award. Matt’s screen credits include the AACTA and Logie award winning Matchbox Pictures mini-series Devil’s Playground, lead in the critically acclaimed Australian feature Drown, Channel 7’s hugely popular A Place to Call Home, Home & Away, Two Twisted and All Saints. Matt directed the Tropfest Film Festival short Unwanted Friend and is a member of ScreenInkMedia, a collective of young filmmakers who have just completed their latest short Kid which Matt wrote and directed.