On the Verge: Finn Little

April 24, 2019 | Zorianna Kit

On the Verge is a new feature from Casting Networks highlighting up-and-coming actors on the verge of a breakthrough career moment.

Australia’s beloved classic book, Storm Boy, gets a contemporary retelling in a new feature film starring Academy Award-winner Geoffrey Rush as a business man who recounts his childhood friendship with an orphaned pelican.

Young actor Finn Little, now coming up on 13 years old, was a week shy of his 11th birthday before nabbing the role as Rush’s younger self. The Brisbane local had only worked on a few Australian commercials and short films when he recorded a self-tape audition for the role. Casting requested an additional self-tape, and the filmmakers flew to Brisbane to conduct a live audition with Little.

“We went up to the Gold Coast, which is up north, to meet the pelicans,” recalls Little.  “It was a little scary at first because they are very big birds. But growing up, we used to hand feed magpies so we’re kind of a bird family. These ones were a lot bigger, though, so I wasn’t quite used to them. You do warm up to them very quickly, though. They’re lovely.”

No sooner than the family returned home from the pelican meet ‘n’ greet, did the phone ring offering Little the role.

“It was absolutely amazing,” Little says.

During the shoot, Little worked with five Pelicans – Storm, Boy, Sunny, Sky and Salty – all of who took turns played the character of the pelican named Mr. Percival, as each bird had its own on-camera specialty for the film.

“Each pelican had a different trick it could do,” said Little.  “Storm was my favorite. She was nice and quiet and was the one who did all the flying.”

Of course, getting to work with Rush was another experience Little won’t soon forget.

“I’m a big fan of Geoffrey Rush from Pirates of the Caribbean and Shine,” said Little. “The very first time I met him, I was eating a ham sandwich in the (production) office and he walked in and said, ‘Hey Finn, I’m Geoffrey.’  I was completely star struck. I was shaking! It was so great to work with him.”

Needless to say, the feature film experience solidified Little’s decision that he wanted to pursue acting. “I wanted to be a swimmer when I was younger because I used to swim competitively. But when I got the role in Storm Boy, it changed everything because I loved being on set, I loved working on such a fun project and I loved meeting all these amazing people and traveling the world. That’s when I decided I wanted to be an actor.”

Apparently, acting decided it wanted him as well. Since making his feature film debut in Storm Boy, Little starred in the Australian Original Netflix film Tideland with Elsa Pataky, and has wrapped on the upcoming feature films Angel of Mine starring Nomi Rapace, Luke Evans and Yvonne Strahovski, and 2067 starring Kodi Smit-McPhee. Little also re-teamed with his Storm Boy director Shawn Fleet on a mini-series titled The Reckoning, currently in production.

Little is already planning his future, citing Morgan Freeman, Will Smith, Clare Foy and Andrew Garfield as his dream costars. Little says he feels most comfortable doing dramatic roles, but is proud of his versatility of various genres he’s worked on from family films (Storm Boy) to mystery-thrillers (The Reckoning andTidelands).

“I’m so happy to be part of this industry,” Little says enthusiastically. “I feel like the luckiest boy in Australia!”