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Screen Australia gives Paul Hogan project green light

Screen Australia and Screen Queensland have greenlit the upcoming Paul Hogan biographical project from FremantleMedia Australia for Channel Seven.

Screen Australia and Screen Queensland will provide "signfiicant" funding to The Paul Hogan project (working title), an intimate story of how an Aussie tradie from the wrong-side-of-the-tracks evolves into an Oscar-nominated superstar. 

Kevin Carlin, whose work includes Wentworth and Seven’s upcoming miniseries Molly, will direct. 

The script is by Keith Thompson (The Sapphires) and Marieke Hardy (Packed To The Rafters, The Family Law). 

FremantleMedia director of drama and executive producer, Jo Porter, has assembled the creative team, with shooting set to commence early next year.

Casting of the lead role is underway and highly contested, according to a Channel Seven statement.

Seven’s head of drama, Julie McGauran, said the The Paul Hogan project would be a celebration of a beloved icon.

"An Aussie battler with a larrikin heart who experienced an unexpected, unprecedented rise to international stardom," she said.

FMA’s director of drama and executive producer, Jo Porter, said writers, Hardy and Thompson, were the perfect combination of creative talent to explore this complex, smart man who helped define Australia's identity.

"It is going to be a revealing, heartwarming story that will really get audiences talking We are extremely grateful to the support of Screen Australia and Screen Queensland in bring this to life," she said.

Screen Australia chief executive, Graeme Mason, said audiences had shown their great support for projects about or inspired by our local icons.

"Paul Hogan definitely fits the bill," he said. "2016 is going to be a brilliant year for Australian television.”

Screen Queensland chief executive, Tracey Vieira, said it was a culturally significant story as well as an opportunity of economic significance.

"We are committed to growing quality domestic production in our state, especially television drama, as well as helping Australian stories get told on screen and this is a true celebration of one of Australia’s most beloved and internationally recognised personalities,” she said.

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