australian television information archive

Simone cops a tough job

The Blue Heelers crew continues to put the spotlight on high-class talent

Watch this face.

Simone McAullay (right) is set to follow in the footsteps of Lisa McCune and Caroline Craig as the latest little-known actor to be given an almighty career kick start on top-rating drama Blue Heelers.

McAullay, 27, from Perth, has been plucked from acting obscurity to fill the gap left by the departure of Craig, who played Sgt Tess Gallagher in the long-running country cop series.

She will play constable Susie Raynor, a young city cop who arrives in Mt Thomas seeking to start a new life with her husband, a former policeman left a paraplegic after a horrendous work accident.

The casting on McAullay continues the Blue Heelers tradition of unearthing bright, if relatively unknown, young talent.

Craig and McCune both had little or no profile before being thrust into the spotlight on the channel 7 drama.

McCune, thanks to her portrayal of Maggie Doyle, went on to become a household name, while Craig never seemed completely comfortable with the demands of the commercial TV series.

Prior to her Blue Heelers coup, McAullay's most significant role was playing man-eating Scottish temptress Angie McIntyre on the Foxtel soap Crash Palace.

She has performed in a telemovie entitled Invincible, alongside Billy Zane and Barry Otto, and also appeared in several Sydney theatre productions.

The Blue Heelers role was one of television's most hotly contested and coveted castings.

The short-listed actors were put through four auditions before producers settled on McAullay.

McAullay filmed her first scenes last week and will be seen on-air in September.

July 05, 2003
The Herald Sun