The Ivanhoe Girls’ community is proud to celebrate the incredible achievements of 2024 alumna Allegra Di Lallo and current Year 10 student Hannah Stirling, who were both named Top 50 Finalists in the prestigious AACTA Young Stars Initiative.

The AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts), part of the Australian Film Institute, hosts this national youth casting call each year, searching for emerging talent in film and television. In November 2024, both Allegra and Hannah submitted audition videos, showcasing their acting skills for a chance to be recognised on a national stage. Their talent and dedication saw them announced as Top 50 Finalists in late December, an extraordinary achievement in a competitive field of thousands.

As part of the next stage of the initiative, students were invited to fly to Surfers Paradise from 5-7 February, to participate in an intensive workshop and in-person audition. Throughout the program, the finalists had the opportunity to perform a pre-prepared scene for the final judging panel, meet leading Australian casting directors, and immerse themselves in the industry at the AACTA Festival.

During this exciting week, which also coincided with the AACTA TV and Film Awards, Hannah had the incredible opportunity to meet Michael Gracey, the acclaimed director of The Greatest Showman, at a special event for his new film Better Man. She also attended the Screen Careers Expo, where she connected with universities and companies in Australia’s film and theatre industries.

We congratulate both Hannah and Allegra on their outstanding achievements and look forward to seeing their continued success in the Performing Arts world.

Ms Catherine Ohlsen
Senior School Drama Coordinator