Conversation with Chenoa Deemal - S2, Ep5

Cultures of Change: Healing Our Identity

In this episode, I'm joined by Chenoa Deemal. She is a professional actor and has been in many productions, including The 7 Stages of Grieving, The Longest Minute, which she received a Matilda Award nomination for best actress, and, most recently, in the production, Cursed, writen by Kodie Bedford who is an incredible Indigenous writer for screen and stage.
Chenoa is a Thiithaarr Warra woman from the Guugu Yimithirr Nation. Chenoa is passionate about her work and the roles that she takes on.
"The more exposure Indigenous kids and children of color, I mean, you know, refugee kids, the more that they see themselves and their stories represented, the more they feel like they're important and that they matter and their stories matter. Yeah, that's important to me, that they're valuable."
In 2020 Chenoa appeared in the world premier of Ensemble Theatre’s Black Cockatoo and in the award-winning Australian play Holy Day by Andrew Bovell in New York, in March 2019. With production partners United Stages and Grin and Tonic, Chenoa had a month-long season of The 7 Stages of Grieving by Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman at Starlight Theatre, Los Angeles. In 2018 she played the lead in Queensland Theatre’s The Longest Minute which received a Matilda Award Nomination for Chenoa - Best Actress in a Leading Role. She also appeared in David Williamson’s Sorting Out Rachel at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre in 2018. Her performance in the Queensland Theatre/Grin & Tonic co-production The Seven Stages of Grieving garnered huge critical acclaim; the production also went to London for the 2017 Border Crossings’ Origins Festival. Other theatre credits include: Rainbow’s End (Riverside Theatres), An Octoroon, St Mary’s in Exile, Mother Courage and Her Children(Queensland Theatre), The Voice in the Walls (Imaginary Theatre), Mr Takahashi & Other Falling Secrets (Corrugated Iron) and A Man with Five Children (Darlinghurst Theatre). Splatalot!(YTVcanada/CBBC/ABC3) & short film Love Song Dedication. Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) QUT; Advanced diploma of the Performing Arts:ACPA (Aboriginal Centre of the Performing Arts).
You can connect with Chenoa on Instagram @chenoadeemal
Follow along with the podcast @healingouridentity on Instagram.
I have recorded a masterclass for you as well called ‘Reclaim Your Identity’. It’s free and you can access it at www.womenreconnecting.com
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