Sarah Spillane directed the Australian biopic film ‘True Spirit’ which is based on the true story of Australian sailor Jessica Watson.
Watson left for circumnavigation alone at the age of sixteen. She left Sydney on October 18, 2009, heading northeast to cross the equator into the Pacific Ocean. She crossed the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and returned to Sydney the following year on 15 May which was three days before her seventeenth birthday.
But according to the World Sailing Speed Record Council, the trip was shorter than what was needed to be considered a global circumnavigation.
But her exceptional attempt was recognized and she was named the Young Australian of the Year in 2011. The next year Watson was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
When Was ‘True Spirit’ Released On Netflix?
The announcement of a film adaptation of Watson’s same memoir was made by Netflix on 16 July 2020. Australian filmmaker Sarah Spillane was also announced to be directing the film at the time.
Filming of the film took place in August 2021, even though the Covid-19 pandemic affected the production.
Netflix released the official trailer for ‘True Spirit’ on January 9 this year. Netflix released the film in select theaters in Australia on January 26 because of its policy of releasing some of its major titles for a limited theatrical run. Globally the film became available on February 3 to stream on Netflix.
About the Primary Cast Members of ‘True Spirit’ on Netflix:
Teagan Croft-
Australian actress Teagan Croft shown the protagonist Jessica Watson in the film. She is best known for her portrayal of the DC Comics superheroine character Rachel Roth aka Raven in the American superhero television series DC Universe.Titansfrom 2018.
She also portrayed Bella Loneragan in the Australian television soap opera ‘Home and Away’ as a recurring character in 2016.
In the same year she also played Indi Sommerville in the Australian science fiction film ‘The Osiris Child: Science Fiction Volume One’. In 2014 Croft played Scout Finch in a stage production of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Tony Morrison.
Cliff Curtis-
New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis was cast as Ben Bryant in the film. Some of his many film credits include ‘Once Were Warriors’, ‘Training Day’, ‘Three Kings’, ‘Whale Rider’, ‘Sunshine’, ‘Collateral Damage’, ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, ‘Doctor Sleep’, ‘The Dark Horse’, ‘Avatar: The Walk of Wateretc.
From 2009 to 2010 Curtis played Reuben ‘Rabbit’ Palchuk in the American medical drama series ‘Trauma’. Travis Manawa, starred in the American post-apocalyptic horror drama series Fear the Walking Dead’ from 2015 to 2017.
Curtis also appeared in the series ‘City Life’, ‘Traffic’, ‘Missing’, ‘Gang Related, etc. He is also set to star in the upcoming historical limited series ‘Chief of War’ as Keōua.
Anna Paquin-
As Jessica’s mother Julie Watson, New Zealand actress and Academy Award winner Anna Paquin star in the movie.
Paquin won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Flora McGrath in the 1993 period romantic drama ‘The Piano’ at the age of eleven making her the second youngest winner in Oscar history, the youngest would be Tatum O’Neal.
Her other acclaimed film credits include ‘Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee’, ‘The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler’, ‘Almost Famous’, ‘The Irishman‘, ‘Fly Away Home’, ‘Squids and whales’, ‘X-Men‘, ‘X2’, ‘A Walk on the Moon’, ‘Margaret’, ‘Hurlyburly’ etc.
From 2008 to 2014 Paquin starred in the role of Sookie Stackhouse in the American horror fantasy drama series ‘True Blood’. In the British drama series ‘Flack’ she played Robyn while also being an executive producer.
As Mary Ann Broberg, Paquin starred in the miniseries ‘A Friend of the Family’ in 2022. Her other television credits include ‘Susanna’, ‘Bellevue’, ‘Alias Grace’, and ‘The Affair’.
Josh Lawson-
As Jessica’s father Roger Watson, Australian actor and filmmaker Josh Lawson was cast in the film. Some of his most vital film credits are ‘The Little Death’, ‘The Eleven O’Clock’, ‘Bombshell’, ‘Holly Slept Over’, ‘Long Story Short’, ‘Mortal Kombat’ etc.
Lawson is best known for his role as Doug Guggenheim in the American comedy-drama series ‘House of Lies’ in which he starred from 2012 to 2016.
He has also starred in the Australian television series ‘TwentyfourSeven’, ‘Sea Patrol’, ‘The Librarians, ‘Chandon Pictures’, the American sitcom ‘Romantically Challenged’, ‘Superstore’, and the Australian miniseries ‘Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story’. .
Other cast members of the film are Bridget Webb playing Emily WatsonVivien Turner played Hannah Watson, Stacy Clausen played Tom Watson, Todd Lasance played Craig Atherton, etc.
