Aussie Actor Callan McAuliffe Joins UNICEF Australia Ambassador Family
SYDNEY, Dec. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Callan McAuliffe, 18, has been announced as a UNICEF national Ambassador while filming Hacker in Toronto.
The in-demand young Australian actor, who divides his time between the Northern Beaches of Sydney and Los Angeles, has embraced UNICEF Australia to highlight the child rights organisation at an unprecedented time of high level international emergencies.
Callan, who was most recently seen on Australian screens playing the young Jay Gatsby in Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, met with Canada's UNICEF team during the Toronto International Film Festival and has been active on social media updating UNICEF's work in the Philippines following typhoon Haiyan and in Syria.
"It is an honour to be invited to be an Ambassador to UNICEF Australia and so important that is at a time where I can really contribute at an international level," Callan said.
"My friends, the actors I work with, and I, all have shelter, food and family," he said.
"We need to help the children who are without these things."
"Children in Syria are suffering right now and so many more have been affected by Haiyan," he said.
Callan's appointment comes at the same time as it was announced he had won the lead role in the new film titled Hacker. While travelling to film in Dubai, Toronto, locations throughout Thailand and in New York, Callan will keep up with UNICEF's work via Twitter.
UNICEF Australia executive officer Norman Gillespie said it was an honour to welcome Callan to the UNICEF family.
"UNICEF works to protect children's rights and Callan is a young man people of his generation look up and aspire to," Mr Gillespie said.
"He's delighted us with his empathy and compassion and his willingness to learn about the diversity of work UNICEF does and how he can make a difference," Dr Gillespie said.
Callan was in 2012 named GQ magazine's youngest Man of the Year nominee and was also awarded the magazine's Breakthrough of the Year Award.
Callan has enjoyed critical acclaim for his lead role as Sam in I Am Number Four and was in Underground: The Julian Assange Story, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival. He will be seen on international screens co-starring with Samuel Jackson in Kite – filmed in Africa – as well as Sir Ben Kingsley in Our Robot Overlords in 2014.
He appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival in September to promote the world premiere of the independent film Beneath the Harvest Sky and was named one of just a few break-out actors at the highly respected festival.
Callan was a student of Scots College in Sydney. He is based in Los Angeles.
Callan's appointment to the title of UNICEF Australia National Ambassador is effective immediately.
ABOUT UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child in 190 countries and territories, with a special focus on reaching those in greatest need. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
SOURCE UNICEF Australia
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