There is great hope in store for one particular actress in this year’s ’57th TV Week Logie Awards’, whose name not only holds a Greek-goddess-like aura, but also stands as a signification of test and triumph. If voted through successfully by the Australian public, Olympia Valance will be nominated for ‘Best New Talent’, amongst some of Australia’s most prominent Greek Australian media icons. Her nomination is one which shines a bright light on the future of Greek Australians in the media industry.
Olympia’s nomination stems from her talent in the world-renowned and Australian-loved TV series Neighbours. At the age of just twenty-one, Olympia attained a prominent role on the TV series as Paige Novak; a twenty-year-old adopted daughter who is edgy, wild at heart and a lover of all things adrenalin based.
This was an important milestone for the young actress as her first TV role and one that was attained after a long desire to pursue acting and years spent at drama school since her teens. Valance currently attends the Melbourne Actor’s Lab and has always had a strong desire to pursue acting, following closely behind the footsteps of sister Holly. Valance has used the opportunity to learn from experienced actors and to sharpen her skills; her nomination is a great reflection of her ability to do so in a short space of time.
With a name that pays a beautiful homage to her Greek heritage, Olympia Valance is indeed one of Australia’s youngest Greek Australian actresses, and the impact that she has made on Neighbours in just a year sparks great hope for the continuation of Greek presence in the future of Australian TV. Neighbours series producer Jason Herbison states that Valance “is a firebrand in the best sense of the word” because her role as Paige bought an “explosive secret” to Ramsay street, making her impact very important in bringing the show’s two major families together. Herbison further describes Valance as a “natural and instinctive performer”, whose best talent lies in her ability to “run a gamut of emotions”, with a role that sometimes requires her to go from “vulnerable to volatile in the space of a scene”, while still remaining sympathetic and likeable in the eyes of the audience. Ultimately he claims that she is the ‘it’ girl. Herbison further holds great hope for the future career prospects for Valance, claiming that she has “huge star potential” and that the Neighbours team are lucky to have her!
Greeks have always held an important presence in Australian TV and it is reassuring to know that such a presence can continue due to the talent and hard work of actresses like Olympia.
Other Greek Australian nominees in this year’s Logie Awards include Ada Nicodemou and Rebekah Emaloglou for ‘Best Actress’ and Alex Perry, Costa Geogiadis and George Colombaris for ‘Most Popular Presenter’. Neos Kosmos would like to wish all the nominees good luck in the upcoming awards and eagerly await the unfolding of the future of Valance’s prosperous career.
To vote for Olympia, head to http://www.tvweeklogieawards.com.au/vote/