Following our awesome interview with Suzy Wrong who plays “Roxy” on upcoming SBS Australia drama mini-series “HUNGRY GHOSTS” and earlier on with Gabrielle Chan who plays “Lien Nguyen” – we will be writing a series of features which include interviews with the cast and crew, as well as reviews and opinion pieces on the series pre, during and post “Hungry Ghosts” airing.
What makes this drama series significant is that it features a predominantly Vietnamese Australian and Asian Australian cast, with authentic storytelling about traumatic memories of war and love coming back in spirit form and haunting those affected within the Melbourne Vietnamese community.
The series is from Matchbox Pictures, and will premiere on 4 consecutive nights of Monday 24th August at 9:30pm (AEST) and ending on Thursday 27th August.
The cast is lead by Vietnamese Australian actress Catherine Van-Davies, who plays “May Le”, who talked about her experiences playing her character (via TV Blackbox) as:
“Playing May Le was an extremely significant experience as a second-generation Vietnamese actor. When you’re second generation, you tend to exist between two worlds – particularly being mixed race. Expressing that uncertainty and the feelings of being an imposter and an outsider is not often conveyed in conventional dramas. So, to play someone coming into their power through a mystical journey was a real revelation to me. Not to mention with great jackets and an excellent best friend. I’ve loved being a part of Hungry Ghosts alongside other brilliant actors we don’t often see on our screens. Hungry Ghosts is a very human and universal story of trauma, grief, guilt and survival that spans a number of generations; it’s about connecting to our past, in the hope for our future.”
We have done a piece last year naming every Vietnamese and Asian Australian who is part of the cast and crew of this series, and we will do it again now right here, just to remind you of the talent we have within our Asian/Asian Australian community:
CAST
1. CATHERINE VAN- DAVIES
2. FERDINAND HOANG
3. GARETH YUEN
4. GABBY CHAN
5. SUZY WRONG
6. JILIAN NGUYEN
7. HOA XUANDE
8. HAIHA LE
9. SUSAN LING YOUNG
10. LAP PHAN
11. TRACKIE TRAN
12. CRYSTAL WANG
13. MAX BROWN
14. VICO THAI
15. OAKLEY OK KWON
16. CHRISTOPHER JOHN QUYEN DINH
17. ROBERT PHAM
18. LINDA HSAI
19. ANN TRUONG
20. LAWRENCE MAH
21. KOA NUEN
22. WARREN LEE
23. YUCHEN WANG
24. CHLOE CHUNG
25. TONY AYRES ( MATCHBOX PICTURES)
26. CYRUS LEE
27. TIMOTHY NGUYEN
28. KYNAN MU
29. BAILEY MU
30. VENERABLE THICH NGUYEN TANG
31. JOANNE NGUYEN
32. THU FAMPIDI
Doesn’t it bring a smile to your face seeing all these 32 names? All of whom are Asian Australian names. The old excuse of Australian media, TV and film stating that there is not enough pool of Asian Australian talent – is no longer valid.
Don’t forget to watch SBS on Monday 24th August at 9:30pm (AEST) for the premiere, and for those living overseas itching to check it out, all you need is a VPN.
Cover image credit: ZHQ Creative.