Meryl Cassie
Encyclopedia
Meryl Danielle Cassie is a New Zealand actress and singer. She is most famous for her role as Ebony in the sci-fi series The Tribe, but has also appeared in other series, such as Revelations - The Initial Journey
, Shortland Street
and Hercules
.
She is also a talented singer, and sung the theme song of The Tribe from season 2 to 5, including being the lead singer on Abe Messiah, an album inspired from The Tribe. Along with her sisters Megan Alatini
and Monique Cassie
, she formed a band called the Nubian Angels in her early teens. The band relaunched in 2007, and have made various performances for charity in co-operation with Variety, the Children's Charity
, including joining them on the 2008 Variety Bash tour, and at other charity and social events.
Meryl moved from New Zealand
to Bondi Beach, Australia
in 2008, where she auditioned for Australian Idol
.
kids show What Now
at the age of 11, where she starred as a field presenter.
Official filming of the first season commenced in August 1998, and lasted for six months to March 1999. The fifth and last season wrapped up principal photography on 1 March 2003.
In 2004, she auditioned for New Zealand Idol
. She did not make it past the second round, partly because the judges thought she had too much experience to be in the contest. Various reports have stated that Cassie was very sad and actually cried on camera, saying how mean the judges were. Meryl's brother, Miguel Cassie, was going to make a TV documentary about Idol, where the rejected contestants could have a new chance. This show never saw the light of day.
. Though she didn't appear on the show, she provided her singing talent for the character Miri (played by Alina Transom).
's "Everything
", where she was dancing on the shoulders of the lead female in the music video. She also sang an impromptu performance of the Kelly Clarkson track "A Moment Like This" at a reunion of members of The Tribe cast, which was held on 13 September 2008. She ended the year performing on stage at the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park 2008, where she sang "What Time Is It?
" with fellow New Zealand entertainers Drew Neemia, Catherine Campion, Anthony Utama, Cameron Douglas and Jodie Clarke.
", where she plays the girlfriend of P-Money's who is being haunted by supernatural beings. January 2010 saw Meryl appar in Legend of the Seeker
, in the season 2 episode "Resurrection" where she played a courtesan named Bella.
As well performing in several gigs in Auckland, Meryl Cassie also featured on the P-Money album Everything, doing vocals on the track Dance With You. The track also features PNC, Vince Harder and Mz J. Meryl joined them and P-Money in the music video for the track, it marked her third appearance in a P-Money music video.
In August 2010 Meryl Cassie has an appearance on New Zealand comedy series The Jono Project
where she will be in a parody/homage to the international hit show Glee (TV Series)
.
Revelations - The Initial Journey
Revelations – The Initial Journey is a 2002 TV series, produced by Cloud 9 Screen Entertainment Group in New Zealand. The stories are told through the narrator who is called Jess the Traveller and played by Tom Hern. Each episode contains a story from a different time and place in world history....
, Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
and Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
.
She is also a talented singer, and sung the theme song of The Tribe from season 2 to 5, including being the lead singer on Abe Messiah, an album inspired from The Tribe. Along with her sisters Megan Alatini
Megan Alatini
Megan Bronwinne Alatini is a South African born New Zealand pop singer, actress and television personality. She rose to fame in New Zealand on the reality television series Popstars. She went on to become a member in the girl group TrueBliss. She is also known for portraying the part of Java in...
and Monique Cassie
Monique Cassie
Monique Cassie is a South African-born singer, actress and dancer. She is currently living in Auckland, New Zealand.-Biography:...
, she formed a band called the Nubian Angels in her early teens. The band relaunched in 2007, and have made various performances for charity in co-operation with Variety, the Children's Charity
Variety, the Children's Charity
Variety, the Children's Charity is an organisation founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 10, 1927, when a group of eleven men involved in show business set up a social club which they named the "Variety Club". On Christmas Eve 1928, a small baby was left on the steps the Sheridan Square...
, including joining them on the 2008 Variety Bash tour, and at other charity and social events.
Meryl moved from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to Bondi Beach, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 2008, where she auditioned for Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
.
1989-1995: Getting into acting
Meryl wanted to become an actress ever since she was 5 years old. She has trained in drama at the Young People's Theatre and Nathan Homestead. Because she wanted to get into acting as soon as possible, she got an agent at the age of 9, as she saw this as the first and best option to achieve her goal. Meryl got her first acting job in the New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
kids show What Now
What Now
What Now is a long running New Zealand children's television program that premiered in 1981. It is filmed before a live studio audience at Whitebait Productions in Christchurch....
at the age of 11, where she starred as a field presenter.
1998-2003: Fame with The Tribe
In 1998, Meryl auditioned for the show that would give her both success and acting experience: The Tribe. She auditioned for the role of the character Salene, but the producers called her and told her she had received the role of Ebony, one of the antagonistic characters on the show.Official filming of the first season commenced in August 1998, and lasted for six months to March 1999. The fifth and last season wrapped up principal photography on 1 March 2003.
2004-2005: Hiatus
In the period of 2004 to 2007, Meryl went on a hiatus, and took a break from acting and singing. She worked in a bank, helped out at her mother's hair braiding salon and gave birth to her first child, Rylon Ngarino Watt, on 16 September 2006.In 2004, she auditioned for New Zealand Idol
New Zealand Idol
NZ Idol, more commonly known as New Zealand Idol, was the New Zealand version of the Idol series originated as the hit British TV series Pop Idol. New Zealand first saw the Idol format when TV2 aired American Idol 2, which garned impressive ratings...
. She did not make it past the second round, partly because the judges thought she had too much experience to be in the contest. Various reports have stated that Cassie was very sad and actually cried on camera, saying how mean the judges were. Meryl's brother, Miguel Cassie, was going to make a TV documentary about Idol, where the rejected contestants could have a new chance. This show never saw the light of day.
2006: Karaoke High
In 2006 Meryl Cassie provided music for NZ teen series Karaoke HighKaraoke High
Karaoke High was a short-lived New Zealand drama series on TVNZ, the first episode was shown on the TVNZ website one week before it was shown on television. The first series screened week nights between 18 December 2006 and 5 January 2007 as a replacement for Shortland Street over the Summer Holidays...
. Though she didn't appear on the show, she provided her singing talent for the character Miri (played by Alina Transom).
2007-2008: Relaunching music career
In 2008 Meryl appeared in the music video for P-MoneyP-Money
-Albums:-Singles:-External links:* - News, video clips, downloads* - Information, photos, and video clips...
's "Everything
Everything (P-Money song)
"Everything" is a single released by New Zealand music producer P-Money. It features vocals by Vince Harder. It is to be released in the UK on 7 September 2009 on 3 Beat Blue.-Release and chart performance:...
", where she was dancing on the shoulders of the lead female in the music video. She also sang an impromptu performance of the Kelly Clarkson track "A Moment Like This" at a reunion of members of The Tribe cast, which was held on 13 September 2008. She ended the year performing on stage at the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park 2008, where she sang "What Time Is It?
What Time Is It? (song)
"What Time Is It?" is the opening musical number and first single from the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical 2. It is featured on the High School Musical 2 soundtrack, and is the first song off the High School Musical 2 soundtrack....
" with fellow New Zealand entertainers Drew Neemia, Catherine Campion, Anthony Utama, Cameron Douglas and Jodie Clarke.
2009 - present
Following on on from her appearance in P-Money's music video for "Everything" in 2008, Meryl became the lead in his music video "AngelsAngels (P-Money song)
"Angels" is a 2009 single released by New Zealand music producer P-Money.-Release and chart performance:The single was released digitally February 8, 2009. After two days release it has currently peaked at #54 on the New Zealand iTunes Music Store and at #4 on the Dance/Electronic Singles Chart....
", where she plays the girlfriend of P-Money's who is being haunted by supernatural beings. January 2010 saw Meryl appar in Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker
Legend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and...
, in the season 2 episode "Resurrection" where she played a courtesan named Bella.
As well performing in several gigs in Auckland, Meryl Cassie also featured on the P-Money album Everything, doing vocals on the track Dance With You. The track also features PNC, Vince Harder and Mz J. Meryl joined them and P-Money in the music video for the track, it marked her third appearance in a P-Money music video.
In August 2010 Meryl Cassie has an appearance on New Zealand comedy series The Jono Project
The Jono Project
The Jono Project is a satirical news and entertainment show hosted by Jono Pryor. The programme first aired on C4 in 2010 and is a reincarnation of the Qantas Award winning "Jono’s New Show", which ran for two seasons until cancelled by C4, due to budget cuts.It was revised in 2010, and now airs...
where she will be in a parody/homage to the international hit show Glee (TV Series)
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
.