Gemma Pranita

Gemma Pranita (born 18 December 1985[1]) is a Thai-born Australian actress. Pranita was encouraged to join the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) by her drama teacher, and from 1999 to 2003, she competed at state level in the Shakespeare Globe Association's annual Shakespeare festival. Pranita formed a theatre company called Cry Havoc! with her best friend in 2006. After graduating from WAAPA, Pranita joined the Bell Shakespeare theatre company. She has also had roles in the films, Crush and Resistance. In September 2010, Pranita joined the cast of Australian soap opera Neighbours as Jade Mitchell. She departed the serial in August 2012 and reprised the role of Jade on 1 March 2019

Gemma Pranita
Pranita at the Cotton on Fashion Parade at Federation Square, Melbourne on 19 March 2011
Born
Gemma Pranita Xumsai

(1985-12-18) 18 December 1985
Bangkok, Thailand
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
Spouse(s)
Matthew Rooney
​
(m. 2015)​
Children2

Early life

Pranita was born Gemma Pranita Xumsai in 1985 in Bangkok, Thailand, the daughter of a Thai father and an English mother.[2][3][4] When she was twelve years old, Pranita and her family moved to Australia.[5] Pranita took an interest in drama, art and music at her Sydney high school and she became friends with Kate Revz.[5][6] Pranita's drama teacher encouraged her to apply to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).[5] Pranita plays the guitar, composes music and she regularly performs in public.[5]

Career

Acting

From 1999 to 2003, Pranita competed at state level in the Shakespeare Globe Association's annual Shakespeare festival.[4] In 2002, she was invited to join the company in their National production of Loves Labors Lost as a performer and score composer.[4] Pranita and Revz formed Cry Havoc!, a theatre company, together in 2006.[6] After she graduated from WAAPA in 2007, Pranita joined the Bell Shakespeare theatre company and she toured with them for eight months.[5] She also played the lead role in Revz's short film, Hi My Name is Billy.[6] The following year, Pranita joined the cast of thriller film, Crush.[7] The film shot on location in Perth and Pranita played the role of the Nurse.[7] Pranita plays the role of the Spanish Valentina Vega in the Australian Sci-fi film, Resistance.[8]

In September 2010, a Herald Sun reporter announced Pranita would be joining the cast of Neighbours as Jade Mitchell, the younger sister of Sonya (played by Eve Morey).[9] Pranita was in Russia researching Anton Chekhov when her agent called her to audition for Neighbours.[10] The actress returned to Australia and her agent informed her that she could audition on the last day.[11] Pranita won the role and she moved to Melbourne for filming within the week.[11] Pranita initially signed a twelve-month contract with the show.[9] On 8 June 2012, Fiona Byrne of the Herald Sun reported Pranita would be departing Neighbours.[12] Pranita stated that two years was long enough to play one character and she wanted to challenge herself to do other things.[13] Pranita filmed her final scenes on 9 August.[14]

Following her departure from Neighbours, Pranita appeared in the short film Banter as Emma.[15] She then appeared alongside fellow Australian actresses Teresa Palmer and Phoebe Tonkin in The Ever After directed by Mark Webber.[16][17] Prainta reprised her Neighbours role for a brief guest stint in March 2019.[18]

Blog and photography

Pranita started a fashion and travel blog called Gemma Peanut Gallery in 2013.[19] Pranita features posts of herself and friends, including some of Australia's biggest starlets, from Margot Robbie to Rachael Taylor, Renee Bargh, Teresa Palmer, Phoebe Tonkin and Delta Goodrem.[19] Pranita launched an online photography course in September 2016.[19]

Personal life

Pranita is married to Matthew Rooney. The two were childhood friends, who became engaged after 18 months together.[19][20] In October 2017, Pranita announced that she was expecting the couple's first child.[21] She gave birth to their daughter on 18 April 2018.[22] 26 July 2019 they announced on Instagram that she was expecting her second child. On 10 January 2020, she gave birth to her son.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2007 Hi My Name is Billy Short film
2009 Crush Nurse
2010 Resistance Valentina Vega Pilot episode
2010–12, 2019 Neighbours Jade Mitchell 243 episodes
2012 Banter Emma Short film
2014 Checked Out Melinda TV film
2014 The Ever After Naja

References
  1. "Gemma Pranita on Instagram: "This is 30."". 18 December 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  2. Blumer, Clare (23 April 2012). "Die hard Jai". The Global Mail. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  3. "Jade Mitchell played by Gemma Pranita". Holy Soap. Channel 5. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  4. "Who is Cry Havoc!". Cry Havoc!. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  5. "Gemma Pranita". Neighbours.com. Network Ten. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  6. "Gemma Pranita and Kate Revz". Cry Havoc!. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  7. Caccetta, Wendy (4 January 2008). "New movie Crush filmed in WA". The Sunday Times. News Limited. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  8. Juddery, Mark (20 November 2008). "Resistance: TV for the naturally gifted". Total Sci-fi Online. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  9. "Pranita moves into Neighbourhood". Herald Sun. The Herald and Weekly Times. 7 September 2010. p. 21.
  10. "One Door Closes and Another Opens!". Neighbours.com. Network Ten. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  11. Kelly, Kristy (8 February 2011). "'Neighbours' star nearly missed out on part". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  12. Byrne, Fiona (8 June 2012). "Neighbours star Gemma Pranita seeks new roles". Herald Sun. The Herald and Weekly Times. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  13. "Jade star Gemma to exit Ramsay Street". Channel 5. Northern & Shell. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
  14. Millar, Paul (9 August 2012). "'Neighbours' Gemma Pranita bids farewell on last day as Jade - pic". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  15. "Banter". Ticktock Films. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  16. "Marquee highlights volume 101: Actors & creatives". Marquee Management. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  17. McNary, Dave (6 June 2013). "Teresa Palmer, Melissa Leo Starring In 'The Ever After'". Variety. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  18. Kilkelly, Daniel (18 February 2019). "Neighbours confirms return date for Sonya Rebecchi's sister Jade Mitchell". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  19. Swain, Sarah (26 August 2016). "Gemma Pranita turns to photography after her LA dreams fall short". Manly Daily. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  20. "Former Neighbours star Gemma Panita engaged to childhood friend Matthew Rooney". The Daily Telegraph. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  21. Pranita, Gemma (14 October 2017). "Earlier this year, I looked in the mirror..." Instagram. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  22. Pranita, Gemma (18 April 2018). "No words. Just an overwhelming amount of love and an overflowing heart". Instagram. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
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