Pia, who has since gone on to win Australian Survivor, also had high praise for the movie that made her a household name in Australia.
“It’s something I’m absolutely proud of and lucky to have been a part of because I definitely felt like, for years afterwards, all the roles I read were really the girlfriend role, which I didn’t suit and I didn’t fit into,” she said.
“And so, to have that first role with such a great kind of complicated, incredible character was just amazing to me.”
Based on Melina Marchetta’s 1992 novel, Looking for Alibrandi directed by Kate Woods, is a fearless coming of age story about teen love and surviving high school exams, while also taking a big bite into multiculturalism, identity and coping with loss.
Last year, Pia recalled the exact moment she discovered she had scored the role of a lifetime.
“I was walking down the street with my friend Kick and he was talking about a film he was auditioning for and how they needed someone to play the lead role,” Pia, who was 26 when filming began, told WHO.
“They called me that day and told me I needed to fly up to Sydney to audition. So I went and as the day went on, it was just me and Kick left. They kept calling me, telling me how great I was but I had to wait three months until they told me I got the role.”
Pia also admitted they knew early on the movie would make a lasting impression on audiences.
“There was times you could just feel we were making something special. You couldn’t put your finger on it, but you just knew it,” Pia revealed.
