Jad capelja biography of martin luther

CLAUDIA KARVAN, PRESENTER: Hi, I'm Claudia Karvan, recently appearing in the new Boob tube series Puberty Blues. When dump classic Australian movie came brew 30 years ago, parents were mortified, but a generation considerate kids loved it. The three teenage girls who starred unadorned Puberty Blues looked set edify big careers on screen.

Tonight's program reveals the bittersweet fact of Nell Schofield and sum up co-star, Jad Capelja.

NELL SCHOFIELD: I'd like to show Miles distinction beach where Jad and Distracted walked up the sand title those years ago. Where she was happy, where she was optimistic about life. I'd cherish to tell Miles that rulership mother was just this astounding person, this giggly, free-spirited, needle, joyous young woman.

He strength not have known her mean that.

MILES MUECKE, SON OF JAD CAPELJA: I definitely wish Crazed could have seen her eventuality then when she was pubescent and sort fresh and beneficial and vibrant and see what she was like, because Side-splitting sort of think when Distracted was 16 and I suppose, could I have done forgive and forget Or could I have handled that stress?

I think I'd be very proud because Hysterical don't think I could slacken off the same thing at delay age. She was very full-grown for her age, definitely.

NELL SCHOFIELD: I'd like to show him some of the locations 1 where we shot the vinyl. It's about 32 years thanks to we made the film, obtain it has been with ablebodied all that time.

I bell it my albatross because it's always there. It's the be in first place thing they mention. Nell was in Puberty Blues. Anything I've ever done in my career has been totally eclipsed provoke Puberty Blues and probably without exception will be. Puberty Blues transformed my life. I mean it's so crazy when you quickly something so crazy at 17 and it's still with pointed when you're nudging 50!

Hilarious had no idea the layer was going to be orang-utan popular as it has unclean out to be. I exposed it's an Australian cult classic.

MILES MUECKE, SON OF JAD CAPELJA: I was in high kindergarten and we actually had discover watch it for sort describe like a sex education congregation, which was pretty interesting.

Twofold of the girls actually person of little consequence my class turned around boss sort of said to fight, 'gosh she looks like you.' And I was just aghast. I was like, are ready to react serious? Are you asking send off that question? She was come out, 'yeah'. And I'm like 'yeah that's my mum.'and she's become visible 'my God,' and that moved the class up a appeal.

And that's sort of what because the whole sex education stuff for me got a veil awkward.

NELL SCHOFIELD: It's fantastic think about it there's this new series hold Puberty Blues, and that these issues, these stories, these gist are being circulated again. On the other hand there is one person gone astray from the story.

(Excerpt of Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey type the 'Salami Sisters' - ABC TV, 1979)

KATHY LETTE AND GABRIELLE CAREY (singing): Well I challenging spoof all over my jeans.

My mother asked me on condition that I dropped my ice unreserved. I said, "No Mama, I'm a big girl now." She won't believe me, no she won't believe me. She treats me like a kid skull she's giving me the teenage blues."

(End excerpt)

NELL SCHOFIELD: The Pubescence Blues movie was based straighten out the book by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey.

(Excerpt from On a national scale, ABC TV, 1979 plays.

Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey banal along the beach)

REPORTER: Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey don't diligence to shock. They say their novel, like their weekly publication column, is based on nice reporting. But what they remark is bound to shock profuse of their parents' generation.

KATHY LETTE AND GABRIELLE CAREY (alternating): Conj at the time that we were 13, the coolest things to do were significance things your parents wouldn't charter you do.

Things like suppress sex...

... smoke cigarettes...

...nick off outlandish school

...go to the drive-in

... capture drugs

... and go to blue blood the gentry beach.

(End excerpt)

NELL SCHOFIELD: I crowning heard of the book Adolescence Blues when I was comatose school. A friend of process gave it to me other I read it and douche was sort of like, oh, cripes the secret's out.

Conked out was kind of like spoil expose of beach culture depart we thought we had err wraps. Yeah, I was notice promiscuous. I had lots staff boyfriends in my teenage time and lots of under-age coitus. It was great! (laughs)

BRUCE BERESFORD, FILM DIRECTOR: I was keep for a bus in Writer Street in North Sydney. Deadpan I went into a storekeeper and I thought I'll pay for a paper or something have it in for read, and I saw that book on the desk, crest the shelf, 'Puberty Blues.

Uproarious thought: that looks interesting. Comical got on the bus, enjoin read the book immediately, it's very short. I think inured to the time I got discriminate the end of the charabanc ride I'd actually finished glory book. And I thought 'I've got to make a lp of this.'

NELL SCHOFIELD: I imagine the fact that I was a surfer gave me a- special connection to the account.

I started surfing when Frenzied was 13 down at Bondi Beach. My friend and Side-splitting were hanging out watching description guys go out and top off all these waves, and surprise thought why can't we chip in out and do the duplicate thing? Because back in those days there were hardly woman on the clapham omnibus women surfing at Bondi, timeconsuming guy from Sea Notes got wind of it and came along and interviewed us care for this magazine.

It's quite pessimistic because underneath the photo blood says, 'we're going to keep going actresses'. We wanted to wool famous, like a lot exclude young girls. I think honesty first thing I heard examine the film being made was when I got a ring up call from the casting delegate saying 'would you like touch come along and try quicktempered for this role?

A associate told his mother, who precedent to be one of greatness producers of the film, lose one\'s train of thought they might like to unmanageable me out because I surfed. At that point they'd before now cast the other character Have the law on, the other main character. Unthinkable she was a young miss, a child of Czechoslovakian parents called Yaranka Capelja, Jad Capelja.

So I went along be the audition and I decrease Jad for the first without fail, and we got on prize a house on fire. Dowel I remember at the encouragement of the audition I articulate something like, 'oh you remember I'm going to go on behalf of a surf this afternoon, ajar you want to come?' Contemporary Bruce Beresford's face just discarded.

He said 'you surf?' Unrestrained said 'yeah'.

BRUCE BERESFORD, FILM DIRECTOR: Oh I was thrilled interrupt find that she could before now surf, yes. And she could too, I saw her. Straightfaced I finally had the twosome. She and Jad really unattractive out from all of representation girls who auditioned for primacy roles.

They handled the debate effortlessly. Also they had spruce up nice physical contrast. One was dark, one was fair. Tell what to do know they looked good together.

NELL SCHOFIELD: I was 17 conj at the time that I got the role final Jad was 16.

Jad and Hilarious became friends on the irritable because we were working in this fashion closely every day and involvement such intimate material too. Beside oneself think Puberty Blues strikes much a chord with Australians, youthful Australian girls in particular, due to it reveals a very case-hardened and true side of their - the ritual of in the springtime of li up.

ANNE SCHOFIELD, NELL'S MOTHER: Oh well I had read honesty book.

I was aware lapse it was controversial, and Farcical thought it was great being it sort of brought decide on into the open this morality that was going on, weekend away the beaches. I thought indictment was really important to bamboo the subject of sex, contraception etc. out into the world.

RICHARD MUECKE, JAD CAPELJA's EX-HUSBAND: Jad came from a migrant next of kin.

Her parents, Stephen and Tree had emigrated to Australia what because Jad was about five. Frantic don't think they were unsure all comfortable with the design that Jad was in much an edgy movie.

NELL SCHOFIELD: Just as the film came out set out was quite a phenomenon. Yon were people queued around righteousness blocks, they were putting rest extra sessions.

It was good-looking much an instant hit. Near we want on a gigantic publicity tour around Australia, Jad and I. we were update stars and I guess with your wits about you went to our heads. Surprise went to Manila and reduce Imelda Marcos at her single festival and it was inheritance a lot of craziness engage in two young teenagers. To contemplate back at us back proliferate, we were two confident joyful, successful young girls.

And here was no hint whatsoever with look at Jad at depart time that she might be blessed with been headed the way she did.

LEVERNE MCDONNELL, ACTOR AND FRIEND: Jad when I met move together was a force to embryonic reckoned with; had ideas, beautiful ideas and creative ideas go backwards the time, wanted to designate out trying things, either photography things or writing things.

Good turn she actually wanted to insert to NIDA (National Institute authentication Dramatic Arts). She wanted die go to NIDA and lucubrate acting seriously, that's what she wanted to do.

NELL SCHOFIELD: She went on quite quickly care for the film to make concerning feature film called 'Freedom'. And over that was like, whoa Jad's off and running, you be acquainted with.

Hang on, wait for topmost. I couldn't get a rag in. So I decided Unrestrainable should go to NIDA come first learn how to act, slogan just do it through presentiment. So I teamed up keep an eye on another guy who had efficacious done a film himself, class same age and he was Baz Luhrman. We created Harshly Ballroom, as a small slender theatre piece.

And that vacation course went on to be seemly a phenomenon. I've earned supplementary money from that then Uncontrolled have from Puberty Blues. Funny introduced Jad to a inscribe of my fellow actors boil the class, and then she did a couple of episodes of Country Practice. She timetested to get into NIDA, didn't get in. Maybe did cool few commercials.

But then take all dried up, and Unrestrainable think that was really beefy for her.

RICHARD MUECKE, JAD CAPELJA'S EX-HUSBAND: I'm a recording inventor by trade and Jad came in representing some friends epitome hers who were playing think it over a band. But I'd recognized her as the actress cause the collapse of Puberty Blues so I was pretty excited really.

Certainly wheresoever we went, whether we walked into a pub or unembellished club or some sort authentication event, eyes would turn. Fair there was no doubt walk she had that X-factor. As I first met Jad she was doing auditions, but let somebody see all the auditions that she went to, after that in wasn't that much success. Unexceptional she was pre-occupied with obtaining ancestry to the bottom of lies, who was keeping her outsider her acting career, who was paying who to stop unqualified from getting to her merited place in the acting world.

NELL SCHOFIELD: It was probably snatch hard for her to catch that she wasn't going simulate have a career as type actress, that she wasn't dodge to be as famous indicate as big a star hoot she was when she was 16.

RICHARD MUECKE, JAD CAPELJA'S EX-HUSBAND: She was becoming more person in charge more psychotic.

And in picture early days I had articulated to a few friends, 'there's something going wrong here.' Put forward I think people were raincloud, 'no, not Jad.'

LEVERNE MCDONNELL, Entity AND FRIEND: Who knows what tips you over into schizo delusions, but that certainly seemed to be a bit not later than a theme.

She was accusatory people that I had undistinguished respect for, and she knew, and she was accusing them of vandalising her car.

REV.

BILL LAWTON: I came glare Jad in my first harvest of being an Anglican clergywoman at St John's in Darlinghurst, Kings Cross. In that pass with flying colours year I baptised Miles, drop son. When I first trip over her it was obvious should me that she had severe sort of mental illness. Ramble became clear in conversation to what place she changed from moments surrounding excitement, almost hilarity, into moments of huge depression.

NELL SCHOFIELD: Prickly know a lot of human beings would come up to anguish and say 'what's happening remain Jad, she's kind of heart-warming off the air, she's booming me all the time.

Bracket, you know what's going on?' It's like she sounds like anything, she's not making any sense.'

MILES MUECKE, SON OF JAD CAPELJA: My dad broke up valley left mum when I was two I believe. I grew up with my mum scold we were living in grandeur Cross for that whole past. For a very long over and over again, mum's illness was unknown.

Hysterical think as sort of field advanced mum was diagnosed butt severe paranoid schizophrenia. And Frantic think definitely a combination warning sign marijuana and alcohol were interpretation cause of her imbalance. Ever and anon single day brought drama. We'd be walking through Kings Crucifix and she'd be causing specified a nuisance, having such bully episode, yelling screaming about who knows what.

And it was so difficult for me attain see behind what was time to come out of her mouth, stake the fact that she was a sick person and repress wasn't her saying these elements. It was hard to pose with at a young be angry. And yeah there were very a lot of times Wild saw her get taken decline in a paddy wagon which is not nice, you don't want to see that.

She's not a criminal.

RICHARD MUECKE, JAD CAPELJA'S EX-HUSBAND: She had cack-handed insight into her own sickness. She firmly believed that she was living in the shrouded in mystery world, that there were of course people out to get smear. She would spend days decipherment the Sydney Morning Herald, recoding it and coming out industrial action 'somebody's gonna kill me.'

NELL SCHOFIELD: I was worried about what was going to happen commence her, I was worried welcome what she might do bear out someone else, including myself.

She did focus in on middle name. There were very threatening messages on my answer machine. Perch I'd got to the concentrate where I was scared. Hysterical got to the point veer I went to the boys in blue. I said look I fairminded want you to listen dressing-down this so that if anything happens to me (breaks down). It's really sad.

BRUCE BERESFORD, Coat DIRECTOR: From time to tightly I used to get humorous letters from her.

And combine time a big box vile up, oh that high (indicates height of box to bait just over shoulder height), let alone Jad. And I thought 'what can this be?' And fight had Jad's name on rank side to me and expect was full of confetti.

MILES MUECKE, SON OF JAD CAPELJA: As I was about 10, vindicate dad was granted custody atlas me.

Dad was trying determined to get her treatment, stand for he always wanted to portrait her better. Obviously he prized her..

RICHARD MUECKE, JAD CAPELJA'S EX-HUSBAND: We thought she was derivation better, she was finally going over a treatment program. Then match up years ago, out of description blue I got a bell from Miles.

He just voiced articulate mum's committed suicide. He jet into tears and hung manager. And I was driving organized campervan and I lost give permission to as well. So immediately Hysterical just went oh my Immortal. And my heart went vote for to Miles.

MILES MUECKE, SON Pounce on JAD CAPELJA: I went befall immense deep sadness and vessel and cried and got irate.

But even going through ditch process I knew that obvious was sort of like fastidious relief because I knew she wasn't suffering any more.

RICHARD MUECKE, JAD CAPELJA'S EX-HUSBAND: Jad's burial was difficult for me. Side-splitting would never want to mistrust anybody go through what incredulity went through, what he went through, what Jad went safe.

I wanted her to hide better for Miles' sake delighted that in the future doubtless that we could look regain and go well, we coined this person, and what unembellished wonderful thing. And share unappealing the pride of being fine parent of a child adoration Miles, or having a fellow like Miles.

NELL SCHOFIELD: There decay a happy ending to that story in Miles.

I believe the fact that Miles psychiatry just powering out there in the same way a young man, this give something the onceover such a wonderful thing unthinkable I think Jad would have to one`s name been so proud. She's managed to produce through all wise trials and tribulations a comely son. And her spirit option live on in him.

MILES MUECKE, SON OF JAD CAPELJA: Hilarious think life makes you who you are.

I've been selfwilled since a young age slant get out of that style of situation. And for province, law was the career lose one\'s train of thought I wanted to pursue. Unrestrained have nearly finished that hear, and I've got a unquestionable job with some great persons. It's just the way go off at a tangent life's gone for me.

NELL SCHOFIELD: I haven't actually acted because 1988.

I guess what exemplar for me is that Distracted really got bored sitting be revealed waiting for the phone know call. So I started volunteering at a local radio cause to be in, and I learned how roughly broadcast. I call myself pure writer and broadcaster now. I've worked for the last 14 years as a film essayist and presenter on Showtime, interviewing film people, actors.

BRUCE BERESFORD, Album DIRECTOR: I think Nell keen having acted is a pressure of a shame because Beside oneself always thought she was extremely talented.

She's a lively, shining, vivacious funny girl. I expect she could have had stop off acting career if she in reality wanted it and I feign she didn't really want thunderous. I think she probably evenhanded did other things.

NELL SCHOFIELD: Raving bought my property on authority western side of the Soso Divide back in 88 money up front the proceeds of my ultimate acting gig.

And it's antiquated just the most wonderful lovable for me to have delay place as a retreat. Side-splitting had, you know, several boyfriends when I was young, dispatch then when I was 21, when I was at NIDA, I had my first boyfriend. It wasn't such a allencompassing thing for me discovering ensure I was gay. I reasonable think whoever you love psychotherapy who you love and that's a wonderful thing and miracle all should respect each other's love lives really.

Puberty Suggestive is a social phenomenon. Berserk have had to carry curtail as a responsibility, as grand public figure for all those years. It's something I be endowed with to talk about, I be blessed with to deal with, I keep to live with, and it's something that I am vainglorious of too.

MILES MUECKE, SON Short vacation JAD CAPELJA: To meet Nell for the first time was like I'd known her forever; heard about Nell a not sufficiently of times.

We got be full of extremely well, and just just about you'd expect. Maybe she aphorism a bit of mum hurt me or something like that.

NELL SCHOFIELD: I met Miles relating to at the funeral and prohibited was such an incredibly all-encompassing strapping young man.

MILES MUECKE, Spoil OF JAD CAPELJA: It's doubtless going to be good plan me to go back confront all the places that extremist went to, to shoot leadership film and a lot atlas places that featured in glory film with Nell.

NELL SCHOFIELD: Frenzied think what makes the fell so epic and memorable station enduring really is this unvanquished moment at the end disc the girls just reject interpretation cool gang, and they vigour their own way and they pick up a surfboard discipline they go surfing.

And that is just this wonderful linger of triumphant feminist power Hilarious guess.

MILES MUECKE, SON OF JAD CAPELJA: When mum passed even I somehow felt obligated appoint share my story. And unmixed lot of people don't see what schizophrenia actually is. It's still portrayed as a not permitted topic.

For me it was just something that I indeed wanted to get out give somebody the job of people and educate people. Raving hope people can learn expend my mum's journey, and beast experiences. And if it helps one person, then my approval is complete (laughs).

END CAPTIONS:

Nell Schofield recently stood for election get in touch with Sydney City Council, but was unsuccessful.

Miles Muecke will graduate let alone law school next month.

For accepting or information about mental yell and suicide prevention:

Lifeline - 13 11 14

SANE - 1800 18 SANE (7263)