ACTING ESSENTIALS is a Six-Part Course (held on Sunday afternoons in Brighton, Victoria)
that looks at all aspects of Working as an Actor in Melbourne
– with particular emphasis on film, television & television commercials, and agents.
– Understanding Scripts and Making Choices
– Auditioning Techniques and Character Development
– Understanding how the business “works” and On-Set Etiquette
– Screen Test Preparation for Television Commercials
– Screen Test Preparation for Film and Television Series
– Understanding Agents, Casting Directors, Call Sheets, Contracts & Deal Memos
Having made his living by working in the entertainment industry full-time for the last 40 years, Kewley has gained invaluable knowledge in almost every area of the industry, not just as a performer but also as a writer, producer, designer, and so on.
Although not trained as a teacher (or as an actor for that matter!) Kewley has been in demand for many years as an audition and screentest coach, preparing young (and old) Melbourne actors with scene and character work.
A ‘Showreel Scene’ performed by two ACTING ESSENTIALS students – Addam Bramich and Mitchell Hope:
Kewley is also regularly employed as a Script Editor and Consultant on scripts and development of Student Films at VCA, Rusden and Swinburne, and has lectured film students about the process of working with actors. He has also been the MC and/or Guest Speaker at a number of functions and seminars run by Equity (MEAA), including Make Your Own Fun and the annual Equity Graduates Days, held at the Malthouse Theatre, for the graduating students of WAAPA, the National, the VCA as well as Ballarat, Flinders and Tasmanian Universities.
Since 2004 Kewley has run a number of his short courses for actors as an “introduction to the industry” known as ACTING ESSENTIALS, covering everything from scene work and auditions, to on-set etiquette and understanding the complex Agent / Casting Consultant / Actor triangle.
ACTING ESSENTIALS STUDENTS HAVE INCLUDED:
MITCHELL HOPE
After taking the Acting Essentials course in 2011, MITCHELL HOPE worked opposite Kewley in the short films WHEEL, THE KEY TO CASTING and CLYDE’S TRACK, and was cast by Kewley in YES MUM, the 2 minute cinema commercial for the TAC.
He played the younger version of Tim Farris in the INXS: NEVER TEAR US APART mini-series for the Seven Network.
At the end of 2013 he signed with Disney in the US to play the lead role of Prince Ben in their DESCENDANTS trilogy. He began shooting the first film in Vancouver in May 2014 opposite Dove Cameron, Kristin Chenoweth, Kathy Najimy and “Twilight” star Booboo Stewart.
DESCENDANTS 2 (2017) and DESCENDANTS 3 (2019) followed.
The American Netflix Christmas movie LET IT SNOW (2019) followed, before a return to Australia to play the lead role in the feature film LOVE YOU LIKE THAT (2020) opposite John Jarratt and Chris Haywood. He is represented by United Talent Agency in the US, who also represent Johnny Depp, Harrison Ford and many others.
ANDREW MORLEY
ANDREW MORLEY played one of the lead roles in the 2012 Network Ten/Nickelodeon television series LIGHTNING POINT (aka ALIEN SURF GIRLS) which he shot at the Warner Studios in Queensland (above) followed by three years (and 231 episodes) as Spencer Harrington in one of Australia’s most popular television series – HOME AND AWAY.
After completing his contract on HOME AND AWAY Morley returned to Melbourne to join the cast of NEIGHBOURS (above) where he played the role of Jack Callaghan over 364 episodes from 2016 to 2018.
Morley also starred in the short films ICE (above), CLEAN, and SHEPHERD’S HILL – all opposite Jeremy Kewley.
In the US he is represented by leading Hollywood Talent Management Consultants ‘Management 360‘.
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AARON JAKUBENKO
NED NAPIER
Just 3 months after completing the November-December 2012 Acting Essentials course, student NED NAPIER scored the lead role of Alex King in the BBC/ABC-TV co-production THE WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE, AGAIN for the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. Kewley also has a role in the series.
The 13 part television series commenced filming in Melbourne in April 2013. Kewley worked closely with 17 year old Ned in his preparation for the grueling auditions for the series.
Kewley also worked closely with Ned on his screen test for the US feature film THE MAZE RUNNER in March 2013. At the end of 2013 he was cast in the pilot of Channel Seven’s HARTMAN’S SOLUTION, and in 2014 he scored the lead guest role in the first episode of the Season 3 of THE DOCTOR BLAKE MYSTERIES on ABC-TV.
In October 2014 Ned performed the monologue “Awkward” at the highly regarded MILAWA MONOLOGUES. In 2016 he moved to Sydney to begin three years of full-time study at NIDA (the National Institute of Dramatic Art).
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JOSH GEARY
JOSH GEARY gained representation with Catherine Poulton Management after appearing opposite Lincoln Younes (‘Home & Away’, ‘Tangle’, ‘Grand Hotel’) and Jeremy Kewley in the film LOCKER.
Josh went on to win a Best Actor Award for his performance in the short film IN DARK TREES and appeared in the Network Ten series RUSH and the ABC-TV series DEAD GORGEOUS.
He appeared opposite Kewley again in the short films THE KEY TO CASTING and PENELOPE STRING NOODLE.
He played in the lead role of Alex (below) in the science fiction film QUEEN OF THE BEES (2014) and reprised his role of Noel Naylor in REDEMPTION: SINS OF THE FATHER (2014), the sequel to his 2009 Tropfest Finalist ONE IN A MILLION. Next up Josh appears as Troy in Catherine Hill’s feature film SOME HAPPY DAY (2020).
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BLESSING MOKGOHLOA
2010 student BLESSING MOKGOHLOA spent 2012 in New Zealand starring as Castus in series 3 of the hit US cable network series SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED (below).
Although he is based in Melbourne (and has a Melbourne-based agent), Blessing is also represented in New Zealand by Auckland & Wellington agent Sharon Power Management.
Since completing the Acting Essentials course, Blessing has performed on stage at the Loft Theatre at Chapel off Chapel in ALL THAT I WILL EVER BE for Fly-On-The-Wall Theatre, and BAD BLOOD BLUES for Manilla Street Productions – for which he was nominated for the 2012 Green Room Award for Best Male Performer in Theatre (Independent). He played Dale Kovak in NEIGHBOURS and also appeared opposite Kewley in two short films – the award-winning DIT IS EK, set in South Africa, and THE KEY TO CASTING.
Following guest roles in ABC-TV drama series THE TIME OF OUR LIVES and NEWTON’S LAW, Blessing appeared in the hit 2017 Australian feature film ALI’S WEDDING and was cast as one of the leads in the ABC-TV medical drama series PULSE (2017). He has guest-starred in episodes of Network Ten’s sit-com MR BLACK (2019), crime series MY LIFE IS MURDER (2019) and the recurring role of Matthius Lund in series 3 of ABC-TVs HARROW (2021) and is now based in the USA where is appearing the the space western series COWBOY BEBOP (2021)
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JAKE RYAN
One of the very first ACTING ESSENTIALS students, JAKE RYAN moved to Sydney to further his studies at the Actors Centre, then went on to play Constable Ray ‘The Blizzard’ Blissett in Channel Nine’s UNDERBELY: RAZOR in 2011 (above).
He went on to play guest roles in the Nine Network’s HOUSE HUSBANDS and Network Ten’s MR & MRS MURDER.
Ryan was reunited with Kewley when they played Uncle and Nephew in the new Nine Network/Screentime series FAT TONY & CO. (2014) and went on to play Bea Smith’s husband Harry Smith in WENTWORTH (2013-2015) on Foxtel.
He appeared in the television series of WOLF CREEK in 2016 and the feature films THE SAPPHIRES, Buz Luhrmann’s THE GREAT GATSBY, OUT OF THE SHADOWS and BLUE WORLD ORDER before joining the cast of HOME AND AWAY in 2017, playing ‘Robbo’ Reid, a role which has brought him a large fan base. He continued playing ‘Robbo’ until 2020 (pictured).
Jake features in the feature films STREAMLINE opposite Jason Isaacs and Levi Miller and COLOURBLIND, and plays the lead in the New Zealand movie SAVAGE (2019).
Most recently he guest starred in the television series AMAZING GRACE (2021) and opposite Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in the mini-series NINE PERFECT STRANGERS (2021)
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CLAUDIA HRUSCHKA
After taking part in ACTING ESSENTIALS in 2009 CLAUDIA HRUSCHKA went on to shoot two motion pictures in 2011 – the Working Dog film
ANY QUESTIONS FOR BEN? opposite Josh Lawson and Rachael Taylor, and SCUMBUS (below).
Claudia’s theatre roles include Abigail Williams in THE CRUCIBLE and June Stanley in THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER at the National Theatre in St Kilda. On television she guest starred in Foxtel’s CONSPIRACY 365 and THE LIBRARIANS on ABC-TV and returned to feature films with START OPTIONS EXIT in 2014 and APERTURE in 2018. She stars in the Australian feature film APERTURE (2020) 2021 action crime drama HOODLUMZ (2021).
BELINDA JOMBWE
KHAN OXENHAM

Khan has played leads in the short films THE DEN, MY BOY and JOYRIDE and in December 2014 he signed with top LA Agency Silver Lining Entertainment whose clients include Emile Hirsch, Martin Lawrence and Evangeline Lilly.
ADDAM BRAMICH
After roles in Australian television series including WINNERS & LOSERS, THE SLAP and CONSPIRACY 365 and the Australian feature film BLINDER, 2011 Acting Essentials student ADDAM BRAMICH headed to America and is now based in Los Angeles where he is carving out a career both as an actor and a producer.
In the States, Addam appeared in the feature film A BOY CALLED SAILBOAT (2018) opposite Best Supporting Oscar winner J.K. Simmons.
He also features in the LA-based films A ROYAL CHRISTMAS ENGAGEMENT (2020) and U.Z.L.A. (2021), as well as producing and appearing in the short films JACK’S DAD (2017) and THE FIRST MONTH IS FREE (2018).
LUCAS LINEHAN


OLIVER EDWIN
As well as those mentioned above, a number of other ACTING ESSENTIALS students have gone on to appear opposite Jeremy Kewley in a range of short films including
MITCHELL HOPE in CLYDE TRACK
LUCAS LINEHAN in BEAT
ISAAC BROWN in SERVES FOUR
TOM CARMODY in ON TRACK
DANIEL HILL in HOMOSEXUALITY KILLS
STEVE SHEERAN in DEAD BEATS
DEAN KIRKRIGHT in CLYDE TRACK
WILL WEATHERITT in HAVE ANOTHER
GENYA MIK in THE KEY TO CASTING
… and the list goes on!
For a comprehensive list of ALL the actors who have taken part in ACTING ESSENTIALS, click on the “List Of Former Students” page