10/11/2004

Eight children from South Wales have been nominated for Oscar Style acting awards and shortlisted to attend a lavish red carpet awards ceremony next week to see if they have won an accolade for their acting talents!!

The students from South Wales fame school The Mark Jermin Stage School have been nominated for National Theatre Awards at a glittering awards ceremony at top London Hotel.

The young thespians have been shortlisted for ACEA Awards, The Annual Children in Entertainment Award, which recognise and commend young child performers in the entertainment industry. Awards range from Best Child Actor in film to Best Child performers in a TV commercial.

Stage School Director Mark Jermin says he is delighted with the stage schools success: "I am over the moon that so many of our students have been shortlisted and invited to the ceremony. It's a fantastic achievement for our students and its great that Welsh children to get recognised for their talent," he said.

Welsh children nominated for ACEA Awards include: Georgia and Poppy Thomas from Swansea for their roles in the famous oven chips TV advert £Daddy or Chips£ The sisters from Llangyfelach will enjoy a day of pampering before the event next week.

Joshua Light age 11 from Swansea who is nominated for Best Child actor in Film and Best Child performer in a TV commercial. Joshua has recently completed making a film with Ridley Scott and is currently on TV screens in a Boots Christmas adverts with Harry Hill.

Laura Balboni age 13 and Awen Medi Jones age 10 will battle it out in the same category Best Child actress in a TV series, Laura appeared in HTV£s Nuts & Bolts and Awen from Pontardawe for S4C Welsh Language series Speak For Yourself.

Sarah McNicolas age 16 from Ystradgynlais is nominated for her role in the MGM Hollywood movie Agent Cody Banks 2 which she starred in along-side Malcolm in The Middle actor Frankie Munzi and S Club£s Hannah Spearitt.

Thirteen year old Port Talbot youngster Stefan Thomas, who is enjoying success on the small screen in the Quorn TV commercial, where he is seen hoovering the carpet and complaining in his distinctive Welsh accent has been shortlisted for appearing on Ant & Dec£s Saturday Night Takeaway with Welsh singer Tom Jones last year.

Other nominees attending are Anneka Edwards age 16 from Neath, who is a contender for Best Child actress in a TV series for HTV Wales religious drama Jacob£s Ladder.

The red carpet awards ceremony is being held at The London Bridge Thistle Hotel in London£s West End on Friday November 19th and the Awards will be presented by Denise Van Outen and boy band Blue.

Last year Welsh student Alex Roach scooped an ACEA prize of Best Child performer in a British Soap for her portrayal as £Elin£ in BBC Wales soap POBOL Y CWM£ beating competition from other soaps such as Eastenders and Corronation Street!

The nominees will be followed closed by film cameras who are currently making a documentary about the Swansea Stage School for BBC Wales.