Young New Zealander Cast in Sex And the City Prequel

Media release

Young New Zealander Cast in Sex And the City Prequel

March 1, 2011

Two of the protégées of Miranda Harcourt, international acting coach and Film New Zealand Board member, have won plum roles playing sisters in the prequel of the iconic television series “Sex in the City”, about to be filmed in New York.

Miranda Harcourt says she is delighted that New Zealander Stefania Owen (The Lovely Bones, Running Wilde) has been cast as Dorrit and American AnnaSophia Robb (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bridge to Terabithia, Soul Surfer) has been cast in the lead role of young Carrie in the pilot of The Carrie Diaries. The casting has just been announced by CW Television Network.

Stefania Owen lives in Pauatahanui with her family and has recently starred in the TV series Running Wilde alongside comedian Will Arnett and Keri Russell. She also featured in The Lovely Bones. Ms Harcourt has been coaching her for five years.

Ms Harcourt has also been coaching US-based Robb for five years since the filming of Bridge to Terabithia, using Skype to connect with her in Colorado. She coached Robb and the other young cast members, including American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, on the Hawaiian set of the break-out hit movie Soul Surfer.

“AnnaSophia and I worked together closely last week to prepare for The Carrie Diaries audition and her recall. She was really on fire and focussed and this outcome is so well-deserved. I am over the moon for AnnaSophia and for Stefania, an exciting new talent really making her mark at only 14 years old!”

“Something else these two talented young actresses have in common is brains, spirit and generosity. I think those qualities have played a part in winning these roles,” Ms Harcourt says.

Film New Zealand Chief Executive, Gisella Carr, says this latest success highlights how much New Zealanders are in front of and behind the scenes of international filmmaking.

“Film New Zealand recently appointed Miranda Harcourt to its board in recognition of the fact that acting and creative talent is a key asset to the country and its screen industry.

“To some extent the quality of our New Zealand actors is a story that has not been fully told – with Marton Csokas, Cliff Curtis, Anna Paquin, Karl Urban, Melanie Lynskey all having major careers in international screen, not to mention the wonderful success of the multi-talented Bret McKenzie just this week at the Oscars.

“New Zealand actors are having equal success in productions which are made here. For example more than half of the 13 dwarves in The Hobbit; William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Dean O'Gorman, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Jed Brophy and Mark Hadlow are New Zealanders.

“In fact the screen skills of our actors, both as individuals and crucially, as an ensemble, have been honed through almost two decades of international production and the extraordinary acting work which underpins productions such as Xena and Hercules, Spartacus, Lord of the Rings, and Tintin to name but a few.

Film New Zealand, along with the New Zealand Film Commission is currently partnering with Miranda Harcourt to run seminars in Auckland and Wellington with casting director Tina Cleary and accent coach Jacque Drew, focussed on preparing actors to work on international production.

“This is a perfect partnership for the two agencies, as an industry we are committed to seeing our local talent flourish by helping equip our actors with the tools to make the most of these opportunities”.

Ms Carr says the response has been overwhelming with the current workshops already oversubscribed.

ENDS

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