Between the Sunset and the Sea Actor Bios

MICHELLE VAN DER WATER

Michelle van der Water grew up in Stanwell Park, a small beach town about an hour south of Sydney. Her family immigrated to Australia from South Africa when she was a year old. She started modelling and acting when she was about 16. A friend of hers was doing extra work and she thought it might be something fun she could do to earn money while she was at school. She also took drama classes, but never really thought acting was a profession she could succeed in. Everyone on TV was blonde and blue-eyed and the industry was very small and it didn't seem like a realistic career choice for her. But she was proved wrong. She got an agent and started doing commercials and print work. During this time many American companies were coming to Australia to shoot due to cost savings and Michelle was cast again and again as African-American. This gave her an insight into the opportunities America held for her. She finally decided to move to Los Angeles and initially studied acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute where she met director Marianne Hansen. Marianne also introduced Michelle to a manager she was working with in Beverly Hills and after one meeting, she was immediately signed and sent out on auditions for pilots, TV shows and films. Soon Michelle found herself picked up for representation by a prestigious agency and offered a lead role in a Lion's Gate horror film called "Minotaur", based on the ancient Greek myth. She starred opposite far more experienced actors Tony Todd (Candyman), Rutger Hauer (Bladerunner) and Tom Hardy (Star Trek Nemesis). With her career taking of, Michelle still found the time to work with Marianne on "Between the Sunset and the Sea" who had previously directed her in a play (La Route des Fous) at the Lee Strasberg Institute. This will undoubtedly not be their last collaboration...

CREDITS:

FILMS
Solace
Minotaur
Journey To Lasta
Max Knight

TELEVISION
"California Girl", UPN
Outkast "Prototype" music video
Heartbreak High, SBS Network, Australia
Home and Away, The Seven Network, Australia

JUSTIN SHERMAN

Justin Michael Sherman was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Although performing has always been in his blood (his father is a jazz musician), Justin did not become fully interested in the arts until high school. In high school Justin found his creative voice, singing in the school choir and performing in various theater productions. He continued his love of the arts into college where he continued acting in theater and short films at UCLA, eventually getting his Bachelor of Arts from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Justin is now pursuing film and television projects and can be seen in the feature film "The Man Who Couldn't", courtesy of the Voyager Film Company. When not acting, Justin is giving studio tours at Universal Studios Hollywood, enjoying long walks on the beach, climbing to the top of the Hollywood Hills, and writing his own film projects.