Another two females leads chosen
Ashleigh Cummings, 16 (left), and Phoebe Tonkin, 19
to play lead roles in Tomorrow, When the War Began
Another two female leads have been chosen for the Tomorrow, When the War Began production. Theirs roles have not yet been revealed.
Ashleigh Cummings and Phoebe Tonkin are set to take up arms and get dirty . . . in the name of art.
The teenagers from exclusive private schools will learn how to ride dirt bikes and operate AK-47 automatic assault rifles as part of the rigorous physical build-up to filming an Australian movie.
The teenagers have scored major roles in the $20 million-plus film Tomorrow: When the War Began, which is based on the John Marsden novel of the same name.
Cummings, 16, who attends Wenona School in North Sydney, is yet to tell her friends of her casting because of the secrecy surrounding the film. But she sat some of her year 11 exams early and will miss the first part of year 12 to take part in filming the role.
“I didn’t think twice about it,” she said.
The film will mark the directorial debut for Stuart Beattie, an Australian who is already a major name in Hollywood for his scriptwriting, for films including Collateral and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
“I read the script and was really impressed by how well-written it was and how different it is to anything else in Australia at the moment,” said Tonkin, 19. “We’re going to be doing weapons training — it’s all very physical; it’s action-packed.”
Tonkin attended Queenwood School for Girls in Mosman before pursuing acting and has already gained acclaim in television as the mermaid star of H2O: Just Add Water.
In Tomorrow: When the War Began, a group of teenagers returns home from a camping trip to discover their homes have been overtaken and all other humans have been captured or killed.
Neighbours actor Caitlin Stasey will star in the key role of Ellie.
Filming begins in the Hunter Valley later this month and the movie is scheduled for release late next year.
I’m guessing Ashleigh Cummings is playing Corrie and Phoebe Tonkins is playing Robyn?
Good to see the film people aren’t hiring all the actors from soaps like neighbours or h & a.
tahts what everyone is saying but actually pheobe is playing fi and ashleigh is playing robyn.
So how do you know this? Well whoever is playing what doesn’t matter i just can’t wait until the movie is released! Oh and congratulations to Ashleigh and Phoebe!!
Ashleigh is playing robyn – shes my friends sister. I cant wait for it to come out…..so good that i know the person acting in it!
I agree with you Chloe. I can’t wait to see who the other actors will be…
so are they city girls learning how to be rural chicks or do they have a rural back ground lol
Phoebe is amazing!Can somebody please tell me more about her character Fiona?
Hmm… is anyone else concerned about Caitlin Stasey playing Ellie?
YES! No Offense to anyone but she is not that good an actor and Shes off NEIGHBOURS!! i think that explains it all.
I go to school with ash, and she is liek the sweetest, kindest, innocent girl ever. so she will like live the role. she’s such an amazing actor, she’s like a completely different person when she acts. so it should be good…
i second this!
ashleigh is a really nice girl and an amazing actor- but sorry to burst your bubble but she is on H and A. last week and this week–> but that doesn’t mean anything i know her personally i go to school with her and she will really make sure that she plays her role amazingly!!