All Saints: articles


All Saints role for Jo

EUROKA'S Jo Anderson will be lighting up television screens across Australia with a role on the popular medical drama All Saints.

The 25-year-old started working on the TV show late last year, and after a six-week break Jo is ready to be back in front of the camera.

Viewers will be able to watch Jo on the box from mid-April, when her character, enrolled nurse Erica Templeton, is introduced into the emergency department of All Saints.

And she assures us that not only her home town will fall in love with her character, but the whole nation.

"She is not a vixen, but a lovable character," Jo said.

The former Melville High School student's acting talents have taken her from Melbourne to Japan, and a stint on a cruise ship.

"I have what I call three of a kind," she said. "I can sing dance and act. But the industry calls it a triple threat."

However, Jo should have no worries about her acting ability: she beat more than 100 other actors to land the All Saints part ­ and it was the first major role she has auditioned for.

"I was still in acting school at the Actor Centre and I didn't want any lead roles but my agent called me and told me to audition for the part in All Saints," Jo said.

"I was given an A4 page outlining the background of the character, and I thought I did a really good job in understanding it.

"A week later I got a call back for a second interview. I was then given two contrasting scripts and acted them out with some of the cast. I wasn't starry eyed but kept my mind on the job at hand."

After an anxious 10-day wait, Jo received a phone call saying that she'd got the part.

The next day she deferred actors school.

"The majority of the actors on All Saints are NADA graduates and I thought I was out of my element," Jo said.

"There are not a lot of acting parts going, especially now with reality TV shows taking over the prime-time positions in the schedules.

"I was very overwhelmed when I learnt I had the part, I had a big grin on my face, but it is a bit nerve-racking on set, as the other actors are so brilliant."

Jo will be back at work in the Channel Seven studio next Tuesday and will have to get used to the early morning 6.30 starts after a peaceful holiday at home.

"My producer told me to make sure I rest up on my six-week break because I have a big year ahead of me," she said. "And to go home and relax while no one knows who I am."

Jo has been dubbed as the new girl on the set and with the Home and Away studio next door, she gets a thrill when she passes the likes of Alf Stuart in the corridor.

Make-up is first on Jo's list in the morning before she starts shooting scenes in her 12-hour working day. The routine is repeated four days a week, with one day for publicity of the show.

Remembering lines is not a problem, but the medical lingo is another story.

"The first week of shooting I was extremely nervous trying to learn the medical terminology," she said.

"But the show has four medical staff who help us out in that department.

"From the cast to the cameramen, make-up and everyone involved with the program, they are all gorgeous people. The whole set is quite a family."

Jo has a dream to one day be in movies, but right now she's concentrating on her latest challenge. So tune into the Logies this year because our girl from Euroka may be in the running for the best new talent award.

By Shellie Brennan
January 24, 2006
kempsey.yourguide