Kirsty Hamilton

Dannevirke-born Kirsty Hamilton got into drama school Toi Whakaari at age 18, then joined youth show Oi and co-starred in short film Eau de la Vie. In 1997 she was nominated for an NZ Film best actress award for feature Saving Grace. Hamilton co-starred as Grace, a self-destructive teen who meets a man who may be Jesus Christ. Since then Hamilton has acted on The Strip and ensemble dramas Mercy Peak and The Hothouse.

The whole movie rested on her shoulders. She had to be there, every minute of every scene ... Within the first minute of Kirsty Hamilton's audition, I knew she fit the bill. Of course, it took a lot longer than that to make a final decision – unfortunately for Kirsty. Director Costa Botes, on casting Hamilton in movie Saving Grace