YOUR FAVORITE HOME & AWAY STARS AT PAKOFESTA 2012
See your favourite stars at Pako Festa. Stay tuned, more stars announced soon!
Lynne McGranger was born in the Sydney suburb of Paddington on January 29.
Before concentrating on her acting career, Lynne was a primary school teacher. She graduated from the Riverina College of Advanced Education in 1975.
Lynne was always interested in performing. She grew up learning ballet and modern dance. Then in 1982 and 1983, she rekindled her interest by studying acting, voice, dance, mime and gymnastics with Penrith's Q Theatre.
She performed in several Q Theatre productions including Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT and AS YOU LIKE IT and Alan Aykbourne's HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES.
She also appeared in productions in Melbourne for the Anthill, Playbox and Theatreworks companies and worked in cabaret and stand-up comedy.
In Melbourne, Lynne began working on some short film projects and started getting television work with a guest role on THE FLYING DOCTORS. She has since appeared in the ABC telemovie UNIT 64 (STREET ANGELS), the GLUTTONY episode of the ABC SEVEN DEADLY SINS series and SKYTRACKERS for the Seven Network.
In 1992, she joined the cast of HOME AND AWAY as a guest but became a permanent cast member in August 1993.
Over the years, Lynne's character Irene Roberts has managed to control her alcoholism, made peace with her children Fin (Tina Thomson) and Damian, who were fostered out when she could not care for them, and become an integral part of the Summer Bay community.
She is still a bit of a rough diamond but her heart is definitely in the right place. She has taken in many kids over the years: Selina, Chloe, Joey, Hayley, Will, Nick, Tasha, Belle, Annie, Geoff and Ruby and has been re-united with her wayward son Nathan.
Lynne performs regularly in Pantomimes throughout the UK at Christmas. To date she has performed in Brighton, Torquay, York and Ashton- under Lyne and Southport.
Lynne’s character Irene is currently recovering from breast cancer and early 2012 will see a storyline development inspired by a real life friend of Lynne’s in the UK; Lynne says “I feel blessed and very privileged to be portraying this battle and I hope I’m doing it justice.”
Lynne lives in Sydney with her partner Paul and their daughter Clancy.
DAVID JONES –ROBERTS plays XAVIER AUSTINON HOME AND AWAY
It is no surprise David Jones-Roberts has ended up on screen, considering his father is an actor and his mother was a model.
Born in Bondi on April 9 1990, David moved to Bryon Bay where he lived for eight years whilst his parents started The Australian Theatre Company.
His Dad is Danny Roberts, an actor who starred in Sons and Daughters for four years.
“I was always around performers and actors whilst I was growing up, so something must have rubbed off” jokes David.
David moved back to Sydney in his early teens and in Year 7 got into Newtown High school of Performing Arts.
In 2007, David did a TV pilot and television commercial and starred in a short film with his father.
David’s character Xavier moved to Summer Bay after visiting for schoolies, David says “when we first met Xavier we think he is a bit of a ratbag, but when we get to know him and his family we discover his mucking about has been his release and escape from his family responsibilities;”
David completed his HSC in 2008 and in his spare time likes body boarding, soccer, snowboarding, hanging at the beach and supporting the Sydney Swans.
David has two sisters, aged 22 and eight.
Brisbane native Demi Harman loved drama from an early age and seeing her sister Brooke working in the industry (especially kissing Orlando Bloom on screen for Ned Kelly) only cemented the realisation that acting was the career path she wanted to pursue. Also, her mother Caroline Cassidy was a local Brisbane weather presenter at age 18.
Demi, who studied drama at school and took some Tom McSweeney acting classes, describes securing a role on Home and Away as a dream come true. On her character Sasha Demi says, “I just fell in love with her. Sasha is sassy, angry, stubborn and has a rebellious streak. I feel very honoured to have this opportunity.”
Demi plays fifteen year old Sasha, illegitimate daughter of Sid Walker. Sasha has come to the bay after her mother was killed in a car crash leaving her and her half-brother Felix orphans. With an arrangement made for Felix to live with his biological father, a devastated Sasha has no choice and is forced to relocate to the bay with her father and her half-sister Indi and half-brother Dex.
As a result Sasha is a rebellious and a furious teenager, with one thing on her mind – to raise enough money to be able to support herself and leave the bay quick smart.
Demi was born in Brisbane on March 11 1993, to an American father and Australian mother. Demi, who has three siblings, moved to Melbourne when she was nine whilst her elder sister Brooke was working on Pirate Island.
Relocating to Sydney for Home and Away, Demi has felt welcomed on set by cast and crew but admitted to nerves on the first day and the first meeting of iconic actor Ray Meagher.
After completing year 12 last year, Demi was accepted into the University of Queensland for an arts/Japanese course. Japanese culture is a big influence on Demi after spending the best 10 days of her life on holiday in Japan.
In her spare time Demi loves art and craft and makes her own handbags. Demi keeps fit with tennis and running.
LISA GORMELY STARS AS BIANCA SCOTT
ON HOME AND AWAY
NIDA graduate LISA GORMLEY joins HOME AND AWAY as language teacher Bianca Scott. Bianca moves to Summer Bay nursing a broken heart but through her wit and tough exterior she keeps a firm emotional guard up.
Lisa was born in North England on September 24 1984 and moved to Barossa Valley age three, then relocated to a farm in Tasmania at 12. A country girl at heart, Lisa was immediately at home spending her formative years on the 50- acre property.
Lisa started appearing in youth community theatre, with a vivid memory of her first play Oliver. Lisa explains the attraction:
“I am an only child, and was really excited to have people around me. Community theatre was how I fell in love with acting.”
After completing high school Lisa travelled and worked in the UK as a flight attendant for Qantas and realised in many ways it was the same as performing:
“I love people watching and psychology. I learnt a lot about people and their behavior as a flight attendant.”
On her return to Australia Lisa was accepted into NIDA, graduating at the end of 2009. She secured the role as Bianca in March 2010:
“When I first read the character, I immediately felt connected to her. Bianca has the confidence every woman wants but at the same time she is very broken, her strength is her front. She is a little bit out of place in the Bay and she fights every man she meets. Her sister April is the only one she can trust to tell her how it is in life.”
Outside of work Lisa loves going to the theatre, movies and socializing.
Pako Festa prides itself as being a free event; it is also “access friendly” allowing people of all abilities to share the enriching experience of multiculturalism. All you need to enjoy Pako Festa is a happy heart and an open mind.
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