Emma Cam, 26, long-time Lawson resident and Jamison High School graduate, is testing her skills in Los Angeles for a series of pilot television shoots this year.
“When the America networks shoot pilots for new television shows they recruit from round the world,’’ Cam said.
“My agent, Eaton Management, arranged for me to head over to Los Angeles last July.’’
She said she felt proud to be selected from hundreds of applicants from other countries.
She hopes to spend at least three months in American pilot shows.
“The thing I’d like most would be to land in one of their situation comedies,’’ Cam said. ‘’I love comedy; I like the way Americans write their comedy.’ They can always have a laugh and fit in a message at the same time.’’
She said she had always liked performing, even as a child.
“I started dancing when I was four-years-old and when I was at Jamison High I was in drama,’’ Cam said.
Her first big break came with the Australian series of Beauty and the Geek in 2009. She has since acted in two Australian series, Rescue Special Ops and Home and Away and been cast in the American NBC series Camp.
Cam has also played opposite the South African-born Hollywood star, Charlize Theron, while playing Marilyn Monroe in an advertisement for Dior perfume.
“It was awesome playing Marilyn Monroe,’’ she said. “Marilyn is an idol of mine; she was a talented actor and incredibly smart, but they wanted to pigeonhole her as a blonde bimbo.’’
She said being blonde herself, people often assumed that she knew nothing.
“It’s only a hair colour, but blondes get labelled as stupid,’’ Cam said. ‘’It’s unfair to judge people by how they look.’’
Given the acting profession’s chronic insecurity, she also makes her living by walking other people’s dogs.
“I like doing that too because I love animals,’’ Cam said. ‘’So far as my acting goes, I’m going to see what the new year brings; it could be exciting.’’
