Finding Joy -- Cast

Principal Cast

Raffi Billie Dean (Joy Brown) Andrew Einspruch (Peter Wolfman) Janet Watson Kruse (Tessa) Rebecca Barratt (Sally) Todd Dwyer (Matt) Cameron McAuliffe (Nick) Angry Anderson (Kris Quaid) Jenny Morris (Tracey) *Tamsin Dean Einspruch (Tarquin)*

Raffi Raffi was a homeless dog who turned up at the dog-friendly household of Billie Dean and Andrew Einspruch one cold June day, just as Billie was beginning to write Finding Joy. He became the couple’s sixth dog. Willow, the other featured dog in the film, is the seventh. Raffi was chosen to play the dog in the film because of his uncanny ability to look depressed or happy on cue. Finding Joy is his first film - that we know of.

Billie Dean (Joy Brown) Billie began performing professionally with Studio Sydney in 1982, and wrote, co-directed, produced and performed in her own comedy shows The Reluctant Soul and The Body and Soul Revue. She also had several featured roles in commercials. Billie became a stand-up comic, performing regularly at Sydney’s Comedy Store and other Sydney venues. She also performed in Melbourne, London, Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Santa Fe. Billie met Andrew Einspruch in 1986, and they joined forces as the husband and wife comedy duo Einspruch & Dean, performing their own material in the show Random Thoughts, both in Australia and the USA. See also: billiedean.com

Andrew Einspruch (Peter Wolfman) Andrew performed, directed and produced improvised comedy shows with the Lightside City Players in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, from 1984. He and Billie Dean created the show Random Thoughts, which was heralded as “New Wave Comedy that is fresh, experimental, very funny and CLEAN!” Their earnest New Age characters David and Joanna were popular with audiences everywhere, earning them the accolade of being the “higher consciousness version of the ABC’s Tim and Debbie, with the simpatico of George Burns and Gracie Allen”. They presented their own comic segments and shows for an experimental cable television station.

Janet Watson Kruse (Tessa) Janet is a rising Melbourne actor, who has appeared in numerous short films, including Vicious, For Better For Worse, Harold, and Refuse, and educational videos for various organisations. Janet has been involved in various theatre productions over the years, including “Whoever So Believes” by Kiera Lindsay, “The Bacchae”, directed by Michael Cathcart, and more recently “The Seventh Seal”, an Ingrid Bergman screenplay adapted for the theatre by David Symons.

Rebecca Barratt (Sally) Rebecca has worked extensively for television and film appearing in such films as Mission Impossible 2 and Pick Ups, and such high rating series as All Saints, Water Rats, GP, and Wildside. She’s not a naturopath in real life but a very dedicated actor who continued her acting studies in New York after she made Finding Joy.

Todd Dwyer (Matt) Todd began his acting career in 1995 with regular television work in such high rating series as Water Rats, All Saints and Murder Call. He also took the lead in the musical stage production "Numurka". Finding Joy is his first feature film. He does like dogs, and all animals and is not a bit like Matt. Shortly after making Finding Joy he took in a homeless dog who is now a much-loved member of the Dwyer family.

Cameron McAuliffe (Nick) Cameron has had an illustrious career in both stage and screen. He appeared in the feature films Holy Smoke and The Venus Factory, as well as numerous appearances in short films, television commercials and theatre. He’s another actor who started his career in improv, notably Theatresports.

Angry Anderson (Kris Quaid) Angry shot to fame as lead singer of Australian band "Rose Tattoo", and has released numerous albums both with the group and as a solo artist. Angry appeared as Ironbar in George Miller's film Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome. He was also in the 1992 Australian Cast of the play "Jesus Christ Superstar" as King Herod.

Jenny Morris (Tracey) Singer/songwriter Jenny Morris is one of Australia’s most consistently successful recording artists, with over 500,000 albums sold, including multi-platinum for ‘Shiver’ and Platinum for ‘Body & Soul’. Jenny has toured with INXS and Paul McCartney, and has been awarded Australian Female Artist of the Year several times by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Her recent album, the first with Yep! Records, features the single "Home".

Tamsin Dean Einspruch (Tarquin) Tamsin is the daughter of Billie Dean and Andrew Einspruch. Her interests include animals, riding horses, dancing, making up stories, and going to the library. Now eight, she was five when she performed as Tarquin, her first acting experience.