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WillaO'Neill

  • Actor
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Actor Willa O'Neill won awards for her work in two 90s movie hits: Dunedin student thriller Scarfies, and ensemble piece Topless Women Talk about their Lives. 

Screenography

Silence
2021 Actor Short film
The December Shipment
2015 As: Karen Short film
Step Dave
2014 - 2015 As: Anne-Marie Series
The Price of Milk
2000 As: Drosophila Film

Biography

Willa O'Neill began appearing in musicals around the age of eight. She still vividly remembers the day she came home from school in Hamilton, turned on the TV, and suddenly realised there were people who worked in television for a job. "It was a wonder to me that this was someone's life, they did this for several hours a day." Thinking that there would always be "room for entertainment", she decided to become an entertainer."

Awards

1995 New Zealand Film and Television Awards
Best Female Performance in a Dramatic Role - Television: for True Life Stories

“We have an artistic community and it's damned good -- writing, cinematography, acting, painting, fine art. I'd like for us to acknowledge that within ourselves.”

— Willa O'Neil on the arts community within New Zealand, Woosh website, January 2000

Related images

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The Scarfies cast pose outside the legendary student flat where much of the film is set. From left: Taika Waititi as Alex, Charlie Bleakley (Graham), Willa O'Neill (Emma), Ashleigh Seagar (Nicole) and (standing) Neill Rea as Scott.
Kindly supplied by Rob Sarkies
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The core cast of Scarfies. Back row, standing left to right: Neill Rea as Scott and Taika Waititi as Alex. Seated, left to right: Willa O'Neill as Emma, Charlie Bleakley as Graham and Ashleigh Seagar as Nicole.
Kindly provided by Rob Sarkies
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The cast of the 1990 sitcom version of The Billy T James Show. From left, Billy T James, Willa O'Neill, Tania Wehi, Ilona Rodgers and (back, middle) Mark Hadlow.
Photo courtesy of TV3
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Neill Rea and Willa O'Neill in a scene from movie Scarfies (1999).