For decades, ambitious Australian actors have believed that access to Hollywood’s best teachers and casting directors meant one thing: getting on a plane. A new Australian academy is setting out to change that — starting with one of the biggest names in the business: Ivana Chubbuck.
The way actors build careers is changing. A new Australian academy is aiming to ensure geography is no longer one of the barriers. Fresh from winning three major awards at Tropfest 2026, including the People’s Choice Award, filmmakers Benjamin and Holly-Anna Mathews have launched Acting Mastery Academy — an international training platform designed to connect Australian actors with world-class teachers, casting directors and industry leaders while helping them build long-term, sustainable careers.
At the center of the Academy is The Breakout Actor Roadmap, a career development program combining more than 60 hours of training, live coaching and direct access to internationally respected acting coaches, casting directors and industry professionals.
Rather than focusing solely on performance technique, the Academy is built around a broader philosophy: helping actors develop their craft, strengthen their mindset and create meaningful opportunities in an increasingly global industry.
Acting Mastery’s first major international event, presented in collaboration with Kate Jaggard at Actors Room, Byron Bay, will see legendary Hollywood acting coach Ivana Chubbuck return to Australia for the first time in a decade to present an exclusive four-day masterclass in Sydney from 5–8 August 2026.
Widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential acting teachers, Chubbuck has coached performers including Ryan Gosling, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Beyoncé and many of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Just 32 actors will work directly with Chubbuck during the intensive masterclass, while a further 180 participants will observe her renowned technique in action.
The launch follows the Academy’s successful online debut featuring acclaimed U.S. casting director David Rapaport, whose casting credits include You, Riverdale, Gossip Girl, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Arrow, Supergirl and Batwoman. Through live workshops and interactive sessions, Rapaport gave Australian performers direct insight into the casting process behind some of television’s biggest global productions.
Acting Mastery Academy is the online platform from Acting Mastery, the Sydney-based studio that award-winning filmmaker, actor and acting coach Benjamin Mathews and producer Holly-Anna Mathews have spent the past decade building into one of Australia’s leading acting communities. The Academy takes that work global — giving actors, wherever they are based, access to world-class training, mentorship and industry relationships that extend well beyond the audition room. The Academy reflects Acting Mastery’s long-held belief that actors shouldn’t spend their careers waiting to be chosen—they should be equipped to create opportunities for themselves.
“We built the Academy we wish we’d had when we were starting out,” said Benjamin Mathews.
“We wanted to remove the barriers we’d experienced ourselves and create the kind of access, training and community that helps actors build long-term, sustainable careers — without feeling like they have to put their lives on hold or move overseas to do it.
“The industry has changed so much. Self-tapes, online coaching, global casting and international productions have opened up new pathways. But actors still need the craft, mindset, relationships and practical tools to take advantage of those opportunities. That’s what we wanted to build.”
The Academy sits alongside a fast-growing filmmaking career. Among those three Tropfest wins for Project Hourglass was the inaugural Motion Picture Association Career Acceleration Award, presented to Benjamin through Tropfest Runways — a recognition that will see him meet with major Hollywood studios later this year to pitch feature projects currently in development through their production company, SquireRose Studios. Benjamin and Holly-Anna are also developing a slate of feature films and television projects with major Australian production companies.
For Benjamin and Holly-Anna Mathews, the Academy reflects the same philosophy that underpins their filmmaking career: actors should not spend their careers waiting for opportunities — they should be equipped to create them.
As Acting Mastery Academy expands internationally, Benjamin and Holly-Anna Mathews hope to strengthen the connection between Australian actors and the global entertainment industry, bringing internationally recognised teachers and decision-makers directly to local performers while helping actors build sustainable careers from wherever they are based.
With just 32 working places and 180 observer seats, Chubbuck’s Sydney masterclass is expected to draw strong interest from actors around the country.
For more information:
https://actingmastery.com.au/onlineplatform
Watch Project Hourglass here: