Melbourne trans girl to make acting debut in film about gender
Image: First Day actors Joanne Hunt and Evie Macdonald. Image: Nick Prokop.
AN eleven-year-old trans girl from Melbourne is set to make her acting debut in an Australian short film.
Evie made history earlier this year as the first Australian trans person to walk the runway in the International Kids Fashion Parade.
Now she will star in a short film called First Day, which is being produced by ABC ME and Screen Australia for their ‘Girls’ film season.
The film has been written and directed by Julie Kalceff and produced by Kirsty Stark.
“For Evie it’s her dreams coming true,” said her mother Meagan.
“It’s been a lifelong dream of hers to act. Something she wasn’t sure was going to continue after her transition, but like everything, Evie’s personality shines really bright and she is very good at making sure she achieves her goals.”
Evie will star as Hannah, a girl making the transition from primary school to high school, but also attending school for the first time as a girl.
“Having real representation was vital,” said Meagan.
“We are so glad that the director, producer and ABC thought so too. This visibility shows the wider community that trans kids actually do exist. They are around and they are in our schools, so when you are making so much judgement about them they’re actually real people with real feelings.
“When you have a cis actor play the role as a trans person you are giving the message to society that trans people are just dressing up.”
Meagan said Evie loved being involved in making the film, and her inclusion as a trans actor playing a trans character is vital.
“Evie absolutely adored being on set, the crew and other cast members we absolutely amazing to work with,” she said.
“Using real representation is awesome because our children do have the same dreams and goals as any cisgender kid. They want to be actors, models, doctors, lawyers, teachers, the same as any other child, so having trans actors play trans roles should be a given.”
First Day will premiere on October 11, the UN’s International Day of the Girl.
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