Jerome Velinsky stars as Anthony Koletti in the Australian popular TV Series, Underbelly: Vanishing Act. The series chronicles the story of a woman who disappeared after swindling over $40 million from her most trusted clients. Jerome Velinsky stars in a leading role alongside Kate Atkinson who plays Melissa Caddick. In Underbelly: Vanishing Act Melissa Caddick is married to Anthony Koletti.
indieactivity: You just landed your first leading role in the newest installment of one of Australia’s most popular series. What was the experience on Underbelly: Vanishing Act?
Jerome Velinsky (JV): It was such a fun ride with an incredible team. I’ve been a fan of the series since it took Australia by storm back in 2008. So I was thrilled to be part of the newest installment.
Working alongside veteran actors Colin Friels and Kate Atkinson was definitely a highlight. And I also collaborated for the third time with one of my favorite Aussie directors, Geoff Bennett.
Watch the trailer for “Underbelly Vanishing Act” featuring Jerome Velinsky
Has this leading role as con-woman Melissa Caddick’s husband, Anthony Koletti, been your most challenging role to date?
Jerome Velinsky (JV): Playing the character of Anthony was certainly challenging and transformative. Everything from his look, fashion, and speech pattern was so different from mine, not to mention his taste in music. I had to learn to DJ and even how to pass as a believable hairdresser! (Thank you to the makeup and hair team).
It is exciting to be able to melt into a role, and also walk away from a character with much learning.
I am lucky to have played a 70s Italian mobster (Love Child) to a sadist billionaire (Fun House). Honestly, I think my biggest challenge to date has been navigating the Australian industry. I’m a diverse actor with an ethnic background, so being cast as the lead has been very rewarding for me.
What are your principles on a production set?
Jerome Velinsky (JV): Every project calls for a slightly different set of principles and etiquette. But as a base, I want to always be present and open to collaboration. I do my homework and come as prepared as I can. Yet, you want to be able to let everything go and have the freedom to play.
There are so many things on a set that you can’t control and can throw you when you’re starting out. I’ve learned that perhaps the most important thing is to trust and not resist what is happening “in the moment”. Also, being a good human never goes out of fashion!
You’re a multi-hyphenate artist – how do you juggle acting, writing, and directing?
Jerome Velinsky (JV): It’s definitely a juggle – but I don’t think I’d have it any other way. Writing, directing, and acting all fuel different parts of my creative spirit. My impatience in between acting jobs threw me into writing, and I fell in love with it.
There’s something so special and almost hypnotic about writing – you’re creating a story, a whole world, characters – it’s thrilling. I feel that I’m a better actor because of my writing and directing and vice versa. Working across these fields has really helped me understand collaboration. And it is a great reminder to not get too concerned with myself.
Your writing has won major awards at some of the biggest screenwriting festivals in the US. What’s next for you on the writing front?
Jerome Velinsky (JV): The competition wins have been an amazing acknowledgment and reminder to keep going. I just had one screenplay optioned by a major US production company. It has been such an incredible and personal accomplishment for me and I’m really excited to watch that unfold.
I’m currently in pre-production with a new screenplay; a psychological thriller that will be a feature directorial debut. It’s a mammoth task ahead, but I’m eager for the next step of the journey. I can’t wait to bring this film into the silverscreen.
You have a strong credit list of Voice-Over work. The video game “Horizon Forbidden West“ adds to this credit. How does voice acting differ from onscreen acting?
Jerome Velinsky (JV): I had a blast working on Horizon Forbidden West – it’s such a beautiful-looking game. With voice acting, you often don’t have the luxury of being on location. There is no environment or even chemistry between you and your co-stars to infuse your performance.
You rely on your imagination to take you to these fantasy worlds and truthfully walk within them. Voice acting presents a whole new set of challenges and constantly keeps me on my toes.
You recently voiced the character of Dracula on the Universal Pictures animation series, We Will Be Monsters, for Fortnite. What was it like voicing such a classic horror icon?
Jerome Velinsky (JV): To be the voice of Dracula in this reimagining of such iconic monsters was surreal. Finding Dracula’s voice was so fun – he’s such a cool cat in this series!
We grew up with these timeless characters, and to see they are reinvented for a new generation is pretty wild. It was also such a privilege to get to work with the talented Rick Famuyiwa (The Mandalorian, The Chi).
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