Kim Krejus is an Australian stage, film, and television actress and acting coach. She is best known for her role in the 1978 film Mouth to Mouth, when she was just 19. She is the founder and artistic director of 16th Street Actors Studio in Melbourne, Australia.

Kim Krejus
Occupation(s)Actress, teacher
Years active1977–
Known for16th Street Actors Studio
Notable workMouth to Mouth

Early life and education

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Kim Krejus grew up in a Catholic household with an abusive alcoholic stepfather.[1]

She studied her craft under international acting teachers at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, HB Studio (training under Uta Hagen[2]) and the Atlantic Theatre School in New York City, and Drama Centre London[3] (where Colin Firth was a fellow student).[2]

Career

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In 1978, at the age of 19, Krejus was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the film Mouth to Mouth.[4] written and directed by John Duigan.[5]

She also featured on the small screen, including in the lead role in TV miniseries Joe Wilson.[6]

She has appeared on stage in productions such as The Heidi Chronicles at the Cremorne Theatre in South Brisbane[7] and the Northside Theatre Company's production of A Small Family Business.[8][9] She has also featured in Broadway productions in the United States, and in theatre across the UK.[3]

Teaching

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Krejus has taught acting various Australian tertiary institutions, including Victorian College of the Arts, NIDA, Bond University, Central Queensland University. She has also been a private coach for many successful Australian actors including Kestie Morassi and Luke Mitchell.[3]

16th Street Actors Studio

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Krejus is the founder and artistic director of 16th Street Actors Studio, a training school for actors, in Melbourne, Australia.[3] As of 2024, Iain Sinclair is head of acting at the school, and Deborra-Lee Furness is patron.[2]

In 2012, actress Zoe Naylor, who had graduated from drama school ten years earlier, attended a four-day workshop at 16th Street by visiting American acting coach and former stand-up comic Ivana Chubbuck (who had coached Charlize Theron and Halle Berry), and praised the mentors at the school.[10]

Personal life

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Krejus turned to Buddhism to helped her deal with losing her sister to cancer when she was in her fifties.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1978 Mouth to Mouth Carrie Feature film
1988 Alterations Eleanor TV movie
1988 Barracuda Bonnie TV movie
1991 Academy Doctor #2 TV movie
1993 The Flood: Who Will Save Our Children? Mrs Chapman TV movie
1993 Official Denial Dr Clark TV movie
2008 Push Up Pam (Mother) Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1977 Bluey Mary Fellows TV series, 1 episode
1978 The Young Doctors Sally Brown TV series, 3 episodes
1978–79 Cop Shop Sharon Hamilton / Lenice Moses / Shirley Morton TV series, 5 episodes
1983 Patrol Boat Judy TV series, 1 episode
1983 Kings Donna King TV series, 3 episodes
1986 Alice to Nowhere Eve Scott Miniseries, 2 episodes
1988 The Alien Years Martha Miniseries
1988 Joe Wilson Mary Brand Miniseries, 3 episodes
1989 The Flying Doctors Sandra Garvey TV series, 1 episode
1990 A Country Practice Kerrie McLeod TV series, 2 episodes
1991 Police Rescue Bernadette Kelly TV series, 1 episode
1996–98 Flipper Doctor TV series, 3 episodes
1997 The Wayne Manifesto Aunt Irene TV series, 2 episodes
1999 Blue Heelers Sonia Brookner TV series, 2 episodes
2001 The Saddle Club Mrs. Chambers TV series, season 1, episode 7: "School Horse"
2001 Stingers Rhonda Ellington TV series, 1 episode
1996–97 City Homicide Dr Margaret Manson TV series, 2 episodes

Theatre

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Year Title Role Venue / Co.
1973 Man Alive! Sales Girl Loreto Convent, Toorak[11]
1982 The Boy Friend Churchill Theatre, Bromley[12]
1982 Variations Alice Belvoir Street Theatre with Nimrod Theatre Company
1983 Three Sisters Irina Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC
1983 The Winter’s Tale Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC
1988 A Small Family Business Northside Theatre Company
1992 The Heidi Chronicles Susan Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
1992 Hotel Sorrento Pippa Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
1995 She of the Electrolux (Or a Vacuum in a Room of One's Own) La Boite Theatre, Brisbane
1995 The Last Yankee Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
1996 Sex Diary of an Infidel Jean La Boite Theatre, Brisbane[13]


Awards and nominations

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Year Title Awards Category Result
1978 Mouth to Mouth AACTA Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b "F*ck Your Comfort Zone with Margie Haber" (audio + text). Buzzsprout. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Who We Are". 16th Street. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Kim Krejus". 16th Street Studios. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  4. ^ Ellis, Bob (1 September 1978), "Film Notes", Filmnews
  5. ^ Williams, George (21 October 1994), "The sting of social protest Australian film festival", The Sacramento Bee
  6. ^ Light, Deborah (17 December 1988), "At long last, the termination of national fervour - TV Extra", The Sydney Morning Herald
  7. ^ The Heidi Chronicles, AusStage
  8. ^ A Small Family Business, AusStage
  9. ^ Pottinger, Paul (6 October 1988), "Why actresses love Ayckbourn", The Sydney Morning Herald
  10. ^ Naylor, Zoe (5 March 2012). "Zoe Naylor on the benefits of ongoing training for actors". IF Magazine. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Man Alive", article via Issuu, Loreto Mandeville?
  12. ^ "Kim Krejus". Theatricalia. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Sex Diary of an Infidel". AusStage. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
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