Really Interesting Women

The podcast

Ep. 156 Chika Ikogwe

In the evolving landscape of Australian entertainment, few actors embody the multicultural spirit and artistic versatility of contemporary Australia like Chika Ikogwe. Chika stands out as a trailblazer in Australia's entertainment industry.

She’s celebrated for her dynamic acting talent, writing prowess, and unwavering advocacy for diversity and representation.

Born in Nigeria, Chika moved to Australia at a young age and had to navigate, at times, very challenging circumstances. After graduating high school, she enrolled at Victorian College of the Arts before transitioning to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) program at NIDA, Australia’s premier performing arts institution.

What followed was a string of successful theatre shows and numerous awards and accolades including the winner of 'Best Newcomer' at the Sydney Theatre Awards in 2019 and the recipient of the 2020 ATYP Rose Byrne Emerging Female Leader in the Arts scholarship. She went on to play a starring role in the Emmy award winning tv series Heartbreak High and, more recently, has worked with Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth in a major film.

Chika’s journey from a four-year-old immigrant to an award-winning actor and writer embodies the successful integration of diverse cultural perspectives into mainstream Australian arts. But there’s still a long way to go.

To listen to our conversation, head to the link in my bio, or wherever you find your podcasts.

Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history.

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https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

Really Interesting Women

The podcast

Ep. 155 Tara Morice

Tara Morice has built a remarkable acting career over 3 decades that spans film, television, and stage.

She graduated from the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1987. And in 1988 was able to find work in a play that had some success and 4 years later that play was adapted into a film and everyone, and I literally mean everyone, will know her from her iconic role as Fran in Baz Luhrmann's "Strictly Ballroom".

The story of how Tara got the role is fascinating and a lesson in perseverance. Once she got the role (the day before shooting started) she was phenomenal. As was the movie. Strictly Ballroom premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to a seven-minute standing ovation and was sold to over eighty countries. She became (and I hate the expression) ‘an overnight sensation’ nominated for, amongst many other things, a British Academy Award.

But that whirlwind of celebrity can come at the cost of typecasting and my guest’s strength and resilience ensured that despite those significant challenges, she is an actor who continues to evolve and take on diverse projects that showcase her range and enduring appeal in the Australian entertainment landscape.

She is currently performing in the enormously succesful musical Menopause the Musical which has been seen by over 17 million people worldwide and is an outrageous success. Do yourself a favour! You can get tickets from:

https://menopausethemusical.com.au/tickets/sydney/

It's touring Australian so head to the website and you'll find what you need.

We had a fabulous chat. And that's what it felt like. More a chat than an interview. I heard Strictly Ballroom stories I never knew and found out a lot about the fabulous work she's been doing recently.

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to this episode.

Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history.

Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friends
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849

Really Interesting Women

The podcast

Ep. 154 Claire Mactaggart

Claire Mactaggart has been living and working on cattle properties her whole life. Her ‘to do’ list would be overwhelming to most, well me anyway.

And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Claire is based in central Queensland and is deeply committed to sharing and celebrating rural Australian life and agricultural practices through her writing and through her managing several cattle properties.

Her career encompasses a unique blend of agricultural expertise, media contributions, and leadership roles and she has a profound connection to the Australian bush. She grew up as one of five children at a property north of Yaamba. This formative experience on a working cattle station provided her with an intimate understanding of rural life that would later become the cornerstone of her writing career.

With her husband, Claire manages and oversees 3 beef cattle properties, raises 4 daughters and writes for a range of publications including Country Style, Good Weekend, Graziher and Home Beautiful. In her spare time (!)... she is Secretary/director of Beef Australia, has an executive role with the local rural fire brigade and P&C, shifted and restored a former church, operates an AirBNB and a seaside property.

It was a great discussion and to find out more head to the link in my bio to find the podcast or look for Really Interesting Women wherever you find your podcasts.

www.clairemactaggart.com

Visit instagram @reallyinterestingwomen for further interviews and posts of interesting women in history.

Follow the link to leave a review....and tell your friends
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/really-interesting-women/id1526764849