She’s tipped to be the next big thing who’ll soon star in a reboot of the Australian classic Romper Stomper.
But it all started with a ‘dodgy modelling contract,’ for 23-year-old rising star Lily Sullivan, when she turned up to an open audition near her Brisbane home three years ago.
Having been successful at the audition, the brunette sat down to read the fine print only to find there was nothing ‘dodgy,’ about it, instead she had landed her first break.
‘A dodgy modelling contract’: Actress Lily Sullivan describes how she thought her break was a bust
‘All of a sudden, I’m up the road on a film set with Toni Collette, Liev Schreiber, Anthony LaPaglia and Rebecca Gibney,’ the actress said of her 2012 film Mental.
‘It was ridiculous.’
The breakout part would see her nominated for an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for best young actor, and would also lead to television roles in Rake, and her upcoming roles in a reboot of Picnic at Hanging Rock and Romper Stomper.
First film: The actress was cast in Mental in 2012 alongside acclaimed actress Toni Collette
Earlier this month, the talented actress hit out at critics of the re-make of the 1992 cult classic who said the film glorifies racism and violence.
‘People saying you don’t want to glorify neo-Nazis on screen just have to go out to the surrounding suburbs, which they never do, and see these people congregate,’ she said of the series, which will centre on anti-Muslim radicals.
Star turn: The actress will soon appear in a remake of the film Romper Stomper produced by streaming service Stan
The actress added she hoped the confronting nature of the film would cause audiences to take a closer look at themselves and ideally ‘get better.’
In the 90s, Romper Stomper shone a light on Melbourne’s neo-Nazi subculture, thrusting Russell Crowe into fame in the process.
While Russell didn’t return as ultra right wing skinhead Hando for the remake, several of his former co-stars reprised their roles.
Rising Star: Lily Sullivan’s career is tipped to explode next year, with the actress starring in reboots of Romper Stomper and Picnic at Hanging Rock
Jacqueline McKenzie, who played Hando’s naive love interest Gabe and Dan Wylie, who took the role of one of Hando’s underlings, Cackles, came back for the series.
The young actress took a more philosophical attitude towards the timing and importance of the reboots.
‘Work started imitating life…But we weren’t making another piece of art to escape into, the show wants to make us look extremism in the face,’ she said in a Newscorp interview.
‘Everyone keeps asking why we are revisiting these iconic Australian films, but we need to see how little progression we have made. The issue in the original Romper Stomper has just been manifested and sold to us differently in 2017; Picnic At Hanging Rock is all about women being silenced and forced to be something they’re not.’
Reboot: The star recently defended a remake of Romper Stomper, saying it’s important for audiences to take a closer look at themselves