australian television information archive

Lauren Hewett as Kathy Morgan

13-year-old Kathy Morgan is an intelligent and strong-willed girl who speaks her mind and often acts without thinking of the consequences. She has a crush on Tony, her next door neighbour, who is the star of her favourite TV show &quotLove Beach.&quot Her adventures in the Land of the Dragon Lord challenge Kathy to overcome adversity with courage and imagination, and leave her with a more grown-up insight into her family, relationships and herself.

Kathy is played by Lauren Hewett, who has already had a number of major career highlights. She received an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Acting by a Juvenile in a feature Film for her role in Film Australia’s Act of Necessity in 1990 and in 1993 she received the Australian Film Institute Award for Most Outstanding Acting by a Young Actor on Television for her role in Halfway across the Galaxy and Turn Left. Her film and television work includes roles in Strictly Ballroom, The Miraculous Mellops Two, Ocean Girl, Kideo, Level 13, A Country Practice, GP, All Saints, Mission Top Secret and a guest role in the top rating Australian soap Home and Away.

Ryan Kwanten as Josh Morgan

Kathy’s brother, 16-year-old Josh Morgan is a good humoured and courageous teenager, who also likes teasing his little sister. Computers are his consuming passion, and in the Land of the Dragon Lord, Josh’s ingenuity and computer skills play a vital role in overcoming many of the challenges that confront him and his friends and family in the Land of the Dragon Lord.

Josh is played by 21-year-old Australian actor Ryan Kwanten, who has appeared in guest roles on a number of Australian series including Home and Away, GP, Hey Dad, A Country Practise, Echo Point and Water Rats. He is also an accomplished athlete and has competed successfully in numerous events in Surf Life Saving, Biathlon, Triathlon, Rugby League, Swimming and Touch Football at both state and national level.

Heather Mitchell as Ashka

Ashka is a ruthless, power hungry Spellbinder from another parallel world. The world of the Spellbinders is a world where the industrial revolution never happened and the Spellbinders have seemingly magical powers. Ashka is ruthless and will do anything to get what she wants. A clever and seductive manipulator of people, she wears a Spellbinder power suit which uses electro-magnetism to hurl destructive bolts of energy.

Heather Mitchell’s impressive TV and film career includes roles in Muriel’s Wedding, Malcolm, Proof, GP, Embassy, The Everlasting Secret Family, A Country Practice, Mercury, Children of the Revolution and Thank God he met Lizzie. Heather stars opposite Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush in the recently released Australian feature film A Little Bit of Soul, released in March 1998 by Columbia TriStar Film Distributors. Her extensive stage work includes lead roles in Burn This, The Homecoming and Coriolanus for the Sydney Theatre Company, and Uncle Vanya and Hayfever for the Melbourne Theatre Company. Heather also portrayed the villainous Spellbinder Ashka in the first series of Spellbinder. Spellbinder, has now been seen in over 85 countries around the world. She recreates this role in its sequel, Spellbinder II: Land of the Dragon Lord.

Anthony Wong as Mek

Mek is a scientist from The Land of the Dragon Lord who has discovered a way of travelling between parallel worlds in his invention: a trans-dimensional bamboo boat. Mek is in his late 20’s. He is a clever but eccentric scientist who is intensely curious about everything. He is also easily distracted.

Mek is played by Australian actor Anthony Wong. In addition to his theatre and live performance work, Anthony Wong has appeared on a number of Australian TV series including roles in Home and Away, Mission Impossible, Cassidy, The Saint in Australia, Embassy, Boys from the Bush, A Country Practice and Singapore Sling. His film work includes Lillian’s Story and the lead role of Kar Ming in the acclaimed Australian film Floating Life, Directed by Clara Law. Anthony appears in China Dolls, Film Australia’s recently released documentary from Director Tony Ayres.

Peter O’Brien as Carl Morgan

Kathy’s father Carl Morgan in Spellbinder II Land of the Dragon Lord. Carl Morgan is about 40. He is an ex-football player who still regrets giving up his career for his family. He runs a sporting goods store and loves camping and the outdoor life.

Carl is played by Australian actor Peter O’Brien well known to Australian TV audiences for his work on numerous Australian series. His TV work includes the lead roles of Shane in Neighbours, Sam in The Flying Doctors, as well as roles in Shark Bay, Water Rats, GP and Law of the Land. Peter has also worked extensively in the UK with roles in Jackanory, The Gift, Kangaroo Valley and Driving Force for BBC TV, Taggart and The Stonehouse Affair for Scottish Television, and The New Alexei Sayle Show for Channel 4 UK. Peter appeared as the regular character Dr Scissors in the comedy series Cardiac Arrest I and II for LWT Channel 4 UK. Peter also worked in theatre in the UK, including the roles of Malcolm in Macbeth and Yasha in The Cherry Orchard for the Nottingham Playhouse. He also appeared as The Pirate King in the Pirates of Penzance in London’s West End. His recent theatre work includes the role of Septimus in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia and the role of Lidija in Miss Bosnia for the Melbourne Theatre Company. His film work includes the role of Joe Connor in Rosa Colosimo’s feature A Kink in the Picasso, and the role of Norman in the recent Australian feature film Hotel de Love.

Lenore Smith as Vicky Morgan

Vicky Morgan is Carl’s wife and the devoted and loving mother of Kathy and her brother Josh.

Lenore Smith is a familiar face on numerous Australian TV series including The Restless Years, Kingswood Country, The Young Doctors, Spellbinder, The Sullivans, and GP. She played the continuing role of Kate Wellings in Crawford’s The Flying Doctors for 7 years, a role which earned her a 1990 silver Logie Award nomination for most popular actress. Lenore also received a 1988 Penguin Award for best Actress. Her theatre work includes roles in Steaming for Gary Penny productions, and the national tour AR. Gurney’s Love Letters. In Spellbinder II: Land of the Dragon Lord, Lenore is reunited with actor Peter O’Brien, who plays her husband Carl Morgan. Lenore last co-starred with Peter in the famous Australian series The Flying Doctors.

Leonard Fung as Sun

The character of Sun is a spoilt and pampered 10-year-old boy with too much power. He has had too much responsibility thrust on his shoulders too quickly. A lonely little boy, Sun is also scared on being on his own. Through the story, and with Kathy’s help, he gains maturity and wisdom.

Hu Xin as Princess Aya

Sun’s sister Princess Aya is in her early 20’s. She is romantic but has a mind of her own and a strong social conscience. She is mature and perhaps would be a better ruler of the The Land of the Dragon Lord than her spoilt young brother.

Princess Aya is played by renowned Chinese actress Hu Xin.

Gui Jielan as Jasmine

Jasmine is a 15-year-old girl from a fishing village in the Land of the Dragon Lord. She is superstitious but also tough and courageous. She dreams of leaving her village to become an entertainer and thinks her prayers have been answered when she mistakes Josh for a water spirit who can grant her three wishes.

Jasmine is played by young Chinese actress Gui Jielan.

Justin Rosniak as Tony

Tony , Kathy’s 17-year-old neighbour is a TV soap opera star with a big ego. He is handsome and he knows it. So do his adoring female fans. At first Kathy tricks Tony into helping her find the trans-dimensional boat and return to the Land of the Dragon Lord to rescue her parents, but finally she trusts him with the truth.

Tony is played by Australian actor Justin Rosniak. Justin has chalked up a substantial list of productions in his short acting career including being a regular for 12 weeks in Home &amp Away, guest appearances in A Country Practice, Rafferty’s Rules, G.P and Police Rescue. He was also a co-star in the feature film Sweet Talker and The Big Wish, a telefeature produced in 1989/90. He also had the role of Jake in two series of Eggshells, on ABCTV. In 1994 he appeared in the ABC production of Top Silk, and the following year in Home and Away as Joseph for Channel 7 and as Sean in Naked for ABCTV. Justin appeared as Gerard in Film Australia’s acclaimed science fiction kids series Return to Jupiter, 3 years after the first series Escape from Jupiter.

Ye Mung as Sharak

The aggressive leader of a Barbarian Army from the land beyond the border of the Land of the Dragon Lord. Sharak plans to invade the Land of the Dragon Lord and claim it for himself. Sharak is played by renowned Chinese actor Ye Mung.

Rafal Zwierz as Gryvon

Ashka’s devoted apprentice Gryvon appears in the second episode of Spellbinder II: Land of the Dragon Lord. He helps Ashka escape from the world of the Spellbinders only to be abandoned there forever.

Gryvon is played by the Polish actor, Rafal Zwierz. Rafal has had extensive acting experience. He has starred in a range of Polish productions as well as the German production Police Station, the Canadian production And the Violins Stopped Playing and the American production The Poachers.

Lech Makiewicz as Dr Elvo

Doctor Elvo appears to be in his 30’s but is actually 230 years old. He appears more rational than the other immortals but is hiding a secret agenda…

Dr Elvo is played by Polish actor Lech Makiewicz.

Wenanty Nosul and Katarzyna Walter as Lem and Guin

A couple in their 40’s who are in reality 300 years old. Lem and Guin are desperate for a real child of their own and think that their prayers have been answered when Kathy arrives in their world.

Lem and Guin are played by Polish actors Wenanty Nosul and Katarzyna Walter.

Adam Siemion as Jez

Jez is 16 years old. He becomes Kathy’s friend when she and Mek accidentally travel to his world. He was born underground in the machine world and will risk everything to stay on the surface. He is tough and courageous.

Jez is played by young Polish actor Adam Siemion.

Katarzyna Laniewska as Lin

An old and wise woman, Lin is one of the elders of the machine world. She is the leader of the survivors of the war with machines.

Lin is played by Polish actress Katarzyna Laniewska.

Salvatore Coco

Appears in episodes 6 and 7 as Jimbo, one of two men out camping in Kathy's world that Sun comes across.

Jody Dry

Appears in episode 6 an actress dressed in a crocodile suit who is fighting a giant lobster for a TV commercial shoot that Sun stumbles upon in Kathy's world.

Leeanna Walsman

Appears in episode 8 in a minor role as "Girl", a friend of Tony (Justin Rosniak)

Simmone Mackinnon

Now known for her long running role on McLeod's Daughters, sharp eyes will spot Simmone Mackinnon appearing as a character on Tony's TV soap, "Love Beach", that Sun watches on TV. Also in episode 8.