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76 | Coast Lifestyle

Coast TV

Coast Lifestyle | 77

Lightning Point Hits Home!New children’s TV show begins filming locally

If your kids loved H20: Just Add Water and Elephant Princess, we have good news and bad news.

The good news is that the production company behind these incredibly successful

TV series, Jonathon M. Shiff Productions, has just begun seven months of filming episodes of their new TV show, Lightning Point, here on the Coast.

The bad news is that you won’t be able to watch it until 2012! In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about Lightning Point and their gorgeous cast.

“Two Aliens Splash into Surfer Girl’s Life!”A brilliant flash of light sears the sky above the sleepy surf town of Lightning Point... a space craft! Inside are teen aliens Zoey and Kiki, on a forbidden trip to Earth. When their spaceship explodes they become castaways, and they quickly befriend local surf girl Amber, who helps

them fit in and keep their alien identity

secret. When Zoey and Kiki accidentally

uncover evidence from Lightning Point’s

mysterious past, they discover they are not

the first aliens to visit the town. The girls

soon realize they are part of a bigger plot

to uncover something hidden in Lightning

Point. Can Zoey and Kiki solve the mystery

and find a way home before it is too late?

While acting is nothing new for young Lucy Fry, who just starred in the new Thirsty Merc music video, she admits to doing several joyful laps in the garden of a public library when her agent rang to tell her she had gotten the part of the beautiful alien, Zoey. “My dad is an engineer and told me I must have a back-up plan to acting, but I figure if I have a Plan B I’ll actually use it. So I’m planning on just being successful as acting is definitely my passion! I hope one day to show my friend and mentor Frankie Savage that all of her time and attention on me has resulted in something very special.”

Philippa Coulthard is an absolute Brittney Murphy look-alike with her dark eyes and caramel hair. Of the three main actors, Philippa has the most TV experience having been the lead in Network Ten’s K9. As Amber, she plays the role of the girl who has discovered Kiki and Zoey and does her very best not to reveal them to the outside world. Philippa was just putting the finishing touches on Year 12 school assignment, when her mum came in to tell her, with a very shaky voice, that she had gotten the part of Amber. “I told Mum to give me a moment by myself and I ended up jumping up and down on my bed screaming and dancing. I’m so thrilled I’ve been chosen for this awesome new show!”

Kenji has trained at Australia’s famous actor’s school, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. After auditioning for the role of ‘Luca’ in Lightning Point, he headed off to Los Angeles, which translates from Spanish to mean City of Angels, but really means City of Actors! Kenji was delighted to come back to Australia in a heart beat. “Jonathon Shiff productions always have such a huge audience, which is great exposure for my career.” All the better for girls around the world to fall in love with you, Kenji.

‘Zoey’ Lucy Fry, 18

‘Amber’ Philippa Coulthard, 17

‘Luca’ Kenji Fitzgerald, 23

‘Kiki’ Jessica Green, 17

‘Brandon’Andrew Morley, 21

‘Maddison’Paige Houden, 21

ALIEN CASE FILE #25

Local Gold Coast girl Jessica Green, was just on the verge of a massive modeling career when she won the part of Kiki, Zoey’s traveling companion to Earth. Her stunning blue eyes, ridiculously long lashes and beautiful long brown hair will surely make her light up every scene that she’s in. We predict she’ll have fan boys around the world. “My Mum has always been my inspiration. She makes me feel like anything is possible. I am so thrilled about this part, and I don’t mind leaving modelling behind, at all!”

Brandon is Luca’s serious-minded brother in Lightning Point, and sure enough the actor behind the character, Andrew Morley, is a level-headed guy too.

Before winning the role and moving up to the Gold Coast for six months of filming, he had almost completed a degree in civil engineering, and was about to start with an engineering firm. He and Kenji share an apartment here on the Coast and though they couldn’t be more different in background, training and interests, they have become great mates.

Paige’s previous day job wasn’t exactly slinging burgers as a Billabong pro surfer who travelled Australia and the world on behalf of the massive brand. Not surprisingly, Paige plays a surfer chick who teaches the girls how to surf.

She is also the oldest of the actresses with a very poised, calm and look-you-in-the-eye manner. No doubt Paige will also end up playing the informal role of Mummy Hen on set!