Barclay a big presence

Auckland actress Emily Barclay, 25, “is in no danger of not being cast” and “right now is one of the hottest new talents in the business — on stage and on screen”, writes The Sydney Morning Herald’s Elissa Blake. Director Neil Armfield cast Barclay as 16-year-old Suzette (a politician’s daughter dabbling in sex and drugs) in Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre production of David Hare’s Gethsemane in 2009 after watching her performance in the film Suburban Mayhem. It was her first stage role. “There’s no doubt she’s an astounding film actor,” Armfield says. “When I saw her in Suburban Mayhem I really, really admired how apparently reckless [her performance] was with no apparent safety margin. I thought she was incredibly focused and pure, at the same time as being right out on a limb and really bold.” Barclay collected an AFI Award for Best Actress from Heath Ledger in 2006 for the role. Her next films include Lou, an Australian production directed by Belinda Chayko and starring John Hurt, and Guardians of Ga’Hoole, a 3D animated film based on the children’s book series, adapted by director Zack Snyder (others in the voice cast include Helen Mirren and Geoffrey Rush). Barclay returns to Belvoir St Theatre starring in British play That Face which runs through March 14.