Tourism Australia Announces Youngest Friend, Callan McAuliffe

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Callan McAuliffe (Flipped/I Am Number Four/Cloudstreet/The Great Gatsby) has been named by Tourism Australia as the youngest friend in their prestigious "Friends of Australia" Campaign. He joins an elite group of fellow Australians including Hugh Jackman, Baz Luhrmann, Olivia Newton John, Curtis Stone and The Wiggles to name a few!

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120112/LA35005)

Callan McAuliffe is a talented young Australian actor, who has received praise in Australia and overseas for various roles in theatre, film and television. Callan is originally from Sydney, and divides his time between Sydney and Los Angeles to study and perform.

Callan is currently working with Baz Luhrmann on the epic film The Great Gatsby, where he will star as the young Gatsby alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Toby Maguire.

Callan has enjoyed an extraordinary journey since being cast by Rob Reiner as BRYCE, his romantic lead in FLIPPED (2010). Soon after he was handpicked for the Spielberg/Michael Bay Dreamworks Production -  I Am Number Four to play the lead support role of SAM.

Cloudstreet, the historic mini-series in which Callan plays the YOUNG QUICK LAMB, has been nominated for an Australian Academy Award in 2012. The Awards will be held at The Sydney Opera House on January 31st.

Callan (16) is flying to Los Angeles from Sydney - where he is currently filming The Great Gatsby - to celebrate the honour at the Black Tie gala G'Day LA on Jan 14th.

He will join a host of other Australians all set to celebrate Australian achievements, Australian Academy Award nominations and Australian Tourism at this now well-known annual event in the USA.

On news of the honour Callan exudes: "I am beyond honoured to have been invited to join the Friends of Australia team - joining fellow Australian's whom I remain in awe of," said Callan. "It has to be the easiest job in the world to promote your own country."

"While in Sydney filming 'The Great Gatsby' in my free time my favourite activities have been - climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and photography at Taronga Zoo. When I have more time, I enjoy abseiling and camping in the outback of Australia - where there are endless opportunities to enjoy the peace and Australian nature - not experienced anywhere else in the world."

Callan returns to Sydney in January to finish his role in 'The Great Gatsby' and mid-year will film the lead role of URIEL in 'Paradise Lost.' Both Warner Bros films are filming in Australia.

SOURCE Tourism Australia