Michael Balk is an Australian actor, television presenter, radio announcer[1] and producer.[2]

Michael Balk
NationalityAustralian
Alma materQueensland University of Technology
Occupation(s)Actor, Producer, Television Presenter
Years active2000–present

Personal life

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Michael grew up in the Clarence Valley in Northern Rivers New South Wales.[3] He attended primary and secondary school in Grafton[4] before moving to Brisbane to study Arts/Law at Queensland University of Technology.[5]

Balk is the nephew of acclaimed filmmaker Philip Hearnshaw,[6] and grandson of Australian Liberal Politician Eric Hearnshaw.[7]

Career

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Balk is best known for his original television roles, notably scrapboy in dirtgirlworld[8][9] & Get Grubby TV,[10] Glen Goosebump in SMASHHDOWN!,[11] and various characters on BrainBuzz.[12]

Michael appears in musicals,[13] theatre productions[14] and television commercials.[15][16]

Between 2006 and 2010 Michael was lead presenter and producer at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo.[17]

Michael is the president[18] of the Australian charity the Actors & Entertainers Benevolent Fund of Queensland.[19] He served as president of Actors Equity Queensland for many years, and as a board director for the MEAA.[20] Michael is currently the Federal President of the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance.[21]

Awards and nominations

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Michael was nominated for Best Emerging Artist at the Matilda Awards in 2005 and 2006.[22]

In 2010 dirtgirlworld was nominated for a Logie Award in the Outstanding Children's Program category.[23] The creators of the show dedicated the nomination to key creatives on the team citing Michael Balk among them.[24]

The stars of dirtgirlworld were recognized with an AFI Award in Melbourne, Australia in 2010.[25]

dirtgirlworld also received nominations for a BAFTA[26] and Prix Jeunesse Award[27] in 2010, and for Outstanding Preschool Programme at the 2011 JAPAN prize[28] in Tokyo.

In 2013, Balk and the team from the ABC went on to win the International Digital Emmy Award in Cannes for their work on dirtgirlworld.[29]

Balk was voted in the Clarence Valley's Most Influential People of 2019.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Announcers". 4MBS Classic FM 103.7. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Michael Balk". IMDb. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Dirtgirlworld creators win AFI". Northern Star. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  4. ^ Apps, Lesley. "Australia going bananas for Dave". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Michael Balk: Education". LinkedIn.
  6. ^ "Australian film's right-hand man". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Eric Hearnshaw", Wikipedia, 8 April 2020, retrieved 12 April 2020
  8. ^ "Logie nomination for dirtgirlworld". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Valley's dirtgirlworld success". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  10. ^ LukeMortimer. "Local kids will Get Grubby in Dirtgirlworld spin-off". Northern Star. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Airdate: Smashhdown!". TV Tonight. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  12. ^ Apps, Lesley. "Grafton actor's newest roles of a lifetime". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  13. ^ Kellar, Jim (9 January 2016). "MAKING HER OWN BREAKS". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  14. ^ Blake, Elissa (11 January 2016). "Costa Georgiadis gets grubby on stage". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Second fiddle to a whopper". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Balk hops into mockumentary". Queensland Times. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  17. ^ "TV: Mouse a must for preschoolers". www.couriermail.com.au. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  18. ^ "Tough fight for actors and entertainers before the curtain rises again". InQueensland. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  19. ^ "Our Committee | Actors' & Entertainers' Benevolent Fund of QLD Inc". Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Equity Foundation".
  21. ^ "Michael Balk elected new MEAA Federal President". MEAA. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Matilda Awards", Wikipedia, 9 April 2020, retrieved 12 April 2020
  23. ^ "Logie nomination for dirtgirlworld". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  24. ^ "Logie nomination for dirtgirlworld". Tweed Daily News. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  25. ^ "Dirtgirlworld creators win AFI". Daily Mercury. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  26. ^ "dirtgirlworld nominated for BAFTA". TV Tonight. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  27. ^ "Dirtgirlworld a celebration of outdoors fun for children". The West Australian. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  28. ^ "Cate McQuillen". Screenworks. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  29. ^ "ABC TV's dirtgirlworld cleans up at Digital Emmys". About the ABC. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  30. ^ Howard, Lesley Apps, Tim. "Clarence Valley's most influential people #18-15". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 7 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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