Michael Balk is an Australian actor, television presenter, radio announcer[1] and producer.[2]
Michael Balk | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | Queensland University of Technology |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, Producer, Television Presenter |
| Years active | 2000–present |
Personal life
editMichael grew up in the Clarence Valley in Northern Rivers New South Wales.[3] He attended primary and secondary school in Grafton[4] before moving to Brisbane to study Arts/Law at Queensland University of Technology.[5]
Balk is the nephew of acclaimed filmmaker Philip Hearnshaw,[6] and grandson of Australian Liberal Politician Eric Hearnshaw.[7]
Career
editBalk is best known for his original television roles, notably scrapboy in dirtgirlworld[8][9] & Get Grubby TV,[10] Glen Goosebump in SMASHHDOWN!,[11] and various characters on BrainBuzz.[12]
Michael appears in musicals,[13] theatre productions[14] and television commercials.[15][16]
Between 2006 and 2010 Michael was lead presenter and producer at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo.[17]
Michael is the president[18] of the Australian charity the Actors & Entertainers Benevolent Fund of Queensland.[19] He served as president of Actors Equity Queensland for many years, and as a board director for the MEAA.[20] Michael is currently the Federal President of the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance.[21]
Awards and nominations
editMichael was nominated for Best Emerging Artist at the Matilda Awards in 2005 and 2006.[22]
In 2010 dirtgirlworld was nominated for a Logie Award in the Outstanding Children's Program category.[23] The creators of the show dedicated the nomination to key creatives on the team citing Michael Balk among them.[24]
The stars of dirtgirlworld were recognized with an AFI Award in Melbourne, Australia in 2010.[25]
dirtgirlworld also received nominations for a BAFTA[26] and Prix Jeunesse Award[27] in 2010, and for Outstanding Preschool Programme at the 2011 JAPAN prize[28] in Tokyo.
In 2013, Balk and the team from the ABC went on to win the International Digital Emmy Award in Cannes for their work on dirtgirlworld.[29]
Balk was voted in the Clarence Valley's Most Influential People of 2019.[30]
References
edit- ^ "Announcers". 4MBS Classic FM 103.7. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ "Michael Balk". IMDb. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Dirtgirlworld creators win AFI". Northern Star. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ Apps, Lesley. "Australia going bananas for Dave". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Michael Balk: Education". LinkedIn.
- ^ "Australian film's right-hand man". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Eric Hearnshaw", Wikipedia, 8 April 2020, retrieved 12 April 2020
- ^ "Logie nomination for dirtgirlworld". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Valley's dirtgirlworld success". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ LukeMortimer. "Local kids will Get Grubby in Dirtgirlworld spin-off". Northern Star. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Airdate: Smashhdown!". TV Tonight. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ Apps, Lesley. "Grafton actor's newest roles of a lifetime". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ Kellar, Jim (9 January 2016). "MAKING HER OWN BREAKS". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ Blake, Elissa (11 January 2016). "Costa Georgiadis gets grubby on stage". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Second fiddle to a whopper". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Balk hops into mockumentary". Queensland Times. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "TV: Mouse a must for preschoolers". www.couriermail.com.au. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Tough fight for actors and entertainers before the curtain rises again". InQueensland. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Our Committee | Actors' & Entertainers' Benevolent Fund of QLD Inc". Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- ^ "Equity Foundation".
- ^ "Michael Balk elected new MEAA Federal President". MEAA. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Matilda Awards", Wikipedia, 9 April 2020, retrieved 12 April 2020
- ^ "Logie nomination for dirtgirlworld". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Logie nomination for dirtgirlworld". Tweed Daily News. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Dirtgirlworld creators win AFI". Daily Mercury. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "dirtgirlworld nominated for BAFTA". TV Tonight. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Dirtgirlworld a celebration of outdoors fun for children". The West Australian. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Cate McQuillen". Screenworks. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "ABC TV's dirtgirlworld cleans up at Digital Emmys". About the ABC. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ Howard, Lesley Apps, Tim. "Clarence Valley's most influential people #18-15". Daily Examiner. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
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