Jeremy the Dud: Still Buzzing

With the trailer alone attracting 10 million views online, the short film Jeremy the Dud has been a success on many fronts. The Geelong-based production has attracted critical acclaim as well as some serious viewer numbers, having won awards at the Melbourne City Independent Film Awards (Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress) as well as Flicks 4 Change (Audience Choice). It is in the running for prizes at a list of other film festivals and has been shown at universities worldwide, including Princeton in the United States.

A trail of media attention followed the film’s release, with spots on ABC TV News Breakfast, Channel 7 and John Faine’s radio program on 774 ABC Melbourne, as well as features in The Guardian and Huffington Post. There has also been interest from the UK in a Jeremy the Dud spinoff. The concept for the film came from an idea to flip social norms, pointing out stereotypes that people with disabilities face regularly.

CHLOE HAYDEN

Making Her Mark

Chloe Hayden, who plays Heidi in Jeremy the Dud, is a successful YouTuber, performer and ambassador in her own right. Since making Jeremy the Dud, Chloe has continued to share her inspiring videos to her loyal fan base: a YouTube community of 3000 subscribers (her videos have been viewed almost 169,000 times), around 4000 Facebook fans and 5000 Instagram followers.

Speaking opportunities, school tours, singing gigs and modelling are all in a day’s work for this busy performer. Recounting her time on Jeremy the Dud, Chloe said that it was all an amazing experience, as well as something quite unique.

“It was the most incredible experience. It’s so different to anything that has been done before… that portrays disabilities in a way that really hasn’t been done before, which is really exciting.” She said it was a close-knit team on set, with bonds developing quickly. “We became a family so quickly. Within the first couple of hours we were poking fun at each other and mucking around, we were just having a good laugh.”

A recent highlight was travelling to Sydney to attend the Australian premiere of The Greatest Showman with fellow Jeremy the Dud actor, Sam Humphrey. “I’m still pinching myself about it,” she told viewers in a recent video. “I just came out of the after-party for The Greatest Showman. That was the craziest experience of my life.”

Chloe danced with Hollywood star Zendaya but that wasn’t her only celebrity moment. “I actually tripped over Hugh Jackman’s shoe. I apologised to him and he apologised to me, and I was like this, ‘This is the greatest encounter of my life’.”

SAM HUMPHREY

From Neighbours To Hollywood Blockbuster

When he was born, Sam Humphrey’s parents were told he wouldn’t live past 18. Now, the 24-yearold has proved the doctors wrong. The actor, who plays Jai in Jeremy the Dud, was born with acrodysplasia, a genetic condition that affects bone growth. “I’ve had many times where I’ve had people follow me around the supermarket or shopping centre asking me, ‘Little boy, are you lost?’ or, ‘Where’s your parents?’,” said Sam.

A few years ago, Sam cashed in his savings to make a show reel. His star rising, Sam began working on Neighbours, before landing a role in a major feature film, The Greatest Showman. Working with Hugh Jackman in the film was a dream come true for Sam, who said that watching Hugh in X-Men made him want to take up acting.

“He’s been a mentor and he’s given me great career advice. I’ve got to admit, the very first time I went on set, I was extremely intimidated. But then he gave me this inspirational speech, saying, ‘Sam, you’re incredible, you’re unique’. He just kept on repeating that. And I broke down. I literally bawled my eyes out.”

Life at the moment is a whirlwind, but it’s clear the young actor is enjoying it all, while keeping the focus on his career. “It’s certainly gotten quite busy for me, with all the social media. I’ve been having people message me saying that they love me, and how cute and adorable I am. So yeah, it’s been pretty hectic.” You know you’ve made it when people start sending you fan art, and Sam has been inundated with drawings from fans, which he has put up on his social media.

From attending movie premieres and parties - even the Golden Globes - his Instagram shows selfies with Emily Blunt, Christopher Walken and Natalie Portman. When REALISE asks him what his plans are for the rest of the year, Sam said that he does have a few projects in the works, although he couldn’t reveal details. What we do know is that travel is on the cards. He’s based in LA at the moment (having shot a major national commercial in the US already) and he’s UK-bound soon, though not before a visit back to Australia for a few weeks.

“I’m travelling to London in October for a convention, and a project which I can’t really talk about yet... there’s a recurring theme,” he laughed.

ADAM BOWES

Triple Threat

Adam Bowes plays Kyle on Jeremy the Dud and, like colleague Sam, the Sydney actor has enjoyed a role in a Hollywood blockbuster, having been directed by none other than Mel Gibson in Hacksaw Ridge. Adam also had a role in the supernatural horror film, Winchester, which starred Dame Helen Mirren.

As well as a career in acting and singing, Adam is a competitive swimmer and Paralympic recordbreaker. He recently was a speaker at the Inclusion and Diversity in Sports conference in Adelaide. Adam said that since being in Jeremy the Dud, life had changed. “It’s opened up a few work opportunities for me as well in the industry and I’m currently working on a few projects as a result.”

As well as that, friendships that were forged on set continue on. “Chloe, Sam and I, although we live in different states, still keep in touch often and have a lot of fun when we catch up. “I also caught up for dinner with Nick Boshier [who played the title role of Jeremy] not long ago, and Ryan and I were recently in Adelaide to talk at a conference on Disability and inclusion in Sport, which was awesome!”

Adam said he’s noticed an overwhelmingly positive response to Jeremy the Dud. “It’s being shared everywhere, to different disability and parent groups, which is so wonderful. Someone told me that the Vice President of Argentina apparently live streamed the full 20-minutes on Facebook, which was incredibly random, but cool.”

Adam said that some issues shown in the film are ones he has definitely noticed mirrored in real life. Like people illegitimately parking in disabled parking spaces, which motivated Adam to post a YouTube video about it. He has observed that his videos are having a positive reach. “I’ve found that some of my videos have helped newer amputees especially, or people who, for one reason or another, have to have an amputation in the future. So, I’ll certainly keep up the videos.”