Gemma Pranita

{{Infobox person

| name = Gemma Pranita

| image = Gemma Pranita 19 March, 2011.jpg

| imagesize = 200px

| caption = Pranita at the Cotton on Fashion Parade {{nowrap|in Melbourne}} on 19 March 2011

| birthname = Gemma Pranita Xumsai

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|12|18|df=y}}{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/_cyzq6DMYe/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/gemma_peanut/1143011858535204382 |archive-date=25 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Gemma Pranita on Instagram: "This is 30."|date=18 December 2015|accessdate=4 October 2016}}{{cbignore}}

| birth_place = Bangkok, Thailand

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Actress
Photographer
Podcaster

}}

| yearsactive = 1999–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Matthew Rooney|2015}}

| children = 2

}}

Gemma Pranita (born 18 December 1985) is a Thai-born Australian actress. Pranita was encouraged to join the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) by her drama teacher, and from 1999 to 2003, she competed at state level in the Shakespeare Globe Association's annual Shakespeare festival. Pranita formed a theatre company called Cry Havoc! with her best friend in 2006. After graduating from WAAPA, Pranita joined the Bell Shakespeare theatre company. She has also had roles in the films, Crush and Resistance. From 2010 until 2012, Pranita played Jade Mitchell in the Australian soap opera Neighbours. She briefly reprised the role in March 2019. After leaving Neighbours, Pranita appeared in The Ever After and launched a blog showcasing her career as a photographer. She also co-hosts the We Don't Have Time For This podcast.

Early life

Pranita was born Gemma Pranita Xumsai in 1985 in Bangkok, Thailand, the daughter of a Thai father and an English mother.{{cite news|url=http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/die-hard-jai/204/|title=Die hard Jai|last=Blumer|first=Clare|date=23 April 2012|work=The Global Mail|accessdate=24 April 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425212032/http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/die-hard-jai/204/|archivedate=25 April 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://holysoap.channel5.com/neighbours/cast/jade-mitchell-12496|title=Jade Mitchell played by Gemma Pranita|work=Holy Soap|publisher=Channel 5|accessdate=19 May 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313143404/http://holysoap.channel5.com/neighbours/cast/jade-mitchell-12496|archivedate=13 March 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://web.me.com/kate.reeves/Cry_Havoc/Collaborators.html|title=Who is Cry Havoc!|publisher=Cry Havoc!|accessdate=19 May 2011}} When she was twelve years old, Pranita and her family moved to Australia.{{cite web|url=http://neighbours.com.au/6973.htm|title=Gemma Pranita|work=Neighbours.com|publisher=Network Ten|accessdate=19 May 2011}} Pranita took an interest in drama, art and music at her Sydney high school and she became friends with Kate Reeves.{{cite web|url=http://web.me.com/kate.reeves/Cry_Havoc/GEMMA_PRANITA.html|title=Gemma Pranita and Kate Reeves|publisher=Cry Havoc!|accessdate=19 May 2011}} Pranita's drama teacher encouraged her to apply to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Pranita plays the guitar, composes music and she regularly performs in public.

Career

=Acting=

From 1999 to 2003, Pranita competed at state level in the Shakespeare Globe Association's annual Shakespeare festival. In 2002, she was invited to join the company in their National production of Loves Labors Lost as a performer and score composer. Pranita and Revz formed Cry Havoc!, a theatre company, together in 2006. After she graduated from WAAPA in 2007, Pranita joined the Bell Shakespeare theatre company and she toured with them for eight months. She also played the lead role in Revz's short film, Hi My Name is Billy. The following year, Pranita joined the cast of thriller film, Crush.{{cite news|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/perth-confidential/hollywood-comes-to-south-perth/story-e6frg30u-1111115256439|title=New movie Crush filmed in WA|last=Caccetta|first=Wendy|date=4 January 2008|work=The Sunday Times|publisher=News Limited|accessdate=19 May 2011}} The film shot on location in Perth and Pranita played the role of the Nurse. Pranita plays the role of the Spanish Valentina Vega in the Australian Sci-fi film, Resistance.{{cite web|url=http://totalscifionline.com/interviews/2755-resistance-tv-for-the-naturally-gifted |title=Resistance: TV for the naturally gifted |last=Juddery |first=Mark |date=20 November 2008 |publisher=Total Sci-fi Online |accessdate=25 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223085505/http://totalscifionline.com/interviews/2755-resistance-tv-for-the-naturally-gifted |archivedate=23 December 2010}}

In September 2010, a Herald Sun reporter announced Pranita would be joining the cast of Neighbours as Jade Mitchell, the younger sister of Sonya (played by Eve Morey).{{Cite news|title=Pranita moves into Neighbourhood|date=7 September 2010|work=Herald Sun|publisher=The Herald and Weekly Times|page=21}} Pranita was in Russia researching Anton Chekhov when her agent called her to audition for Neighbours.{{Cite web|url=http://neighbours.com.au/One_Door_Closes_Another_Opens!.htm|title=One Door Closes and Another Opens!|date=12 October 2010|work=Neighbours.com|publisher=Network Ten|accessdate=19 May 2011}} The actress returned to Australia and her agent informed her that she could audition on the last day.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a302772/neighbours-star-nearly-missed-out-on-part.html|title='Neighbours' star nearly missed out on part|last=Kelly|first=Kristy|date=8 February 2011|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hachette Filipacchi UK|accessdate=19 May 2011}} Pranita won the role and she moved to Melbourne for filming within the week. Pranita initially signed a twelve-month contract with the show. On 8 June 2012, Fiona Byrne of the Herald Sun reported Pranita would be departing Neighbours.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/neighbours-star-gemma-pranita-seeks-new-roles/story-e6frf96o-1226389547296#|title=Neighbours star Gemma Pranita seeks new roles|last=Byrne|first=Fiona|date=8 June 2012|work=Herald Sun|publisher=The Herald and Weekly Times|accessdate=8 June 2012}} Pranita stated that two years was long enough to play one character and she wanted to challenge herself to do other things.{{cite web|url=http://www.channel5.com/shows/neighbours/news/jade-star-gemma-to-exit-ramsay-street|title=Jade star Gemma to exit Ramsay Street|date=8 June 2012|work=Channel 5|publisher=Northern & Shell|accessdate=8 June 2012}} Pranita filmed her final scenes on 9 August.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a398396/neighbours-gemma-pranita-bids-farewell-on-last-day-as-jade-pic.html|title='Neighbours' Gemma Pranita bids farewell on last day as Jade - pic|last=Millar|first=Paul|date=9 August 2012|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Magazines UK|accessdate=9 August 2012}}

Following her departure from Neighbours, Pranita appeared in the short film Banter as Emma.{{cite web|url=http://ticktockfilms.com/Page_3.html|title=Banter|publisher=Ticktock Films|accessdate=17 February 2013}} She then appeared alongside fellow Australian actresses Teresa Palmer and Phoebe Tonkin in The Ever After directed by Mark Webber.{{cite web|url=http://www.marqueemgt.com.au/highlights-101/|title=Marquee highlights volume 101: Actors & creatives|date=20 August 2013|publisher=Marquee Management|accessdate=18 October 2013}}{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/teresa-palmer-melissa-leo-ever-after-1200493601/|title=Teresa Palmer, Melissa Leo Starring In 'The Ever After'|first=Dave|last=McNary|date=6 June 2013|work=Variety|accessdate=18 October 2013}} Prainta reprised her Neighbours role for a brief guest stint in March 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a26375797/neighbours-spoilers-gemma-pranita-jade-mitchell-return/|title=Neighbours confirms return date for Sonya Rebecchi's sister Jade Mitchell|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=18 February 2019|work=Digital Spy|accessdate=18 February 2019}}

=Blog, photography and podcast=

Pranita started a fashion and photography blog called Gemma Peanut Gallery in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/gemma-pranita-on-catching-up-with-margot-robbie-and-launching-her-career-behind-the-camera/news-story/3f992937dd8cbf52bd3016b6ec69f3ef?nk=cfb429b18655ca0e93ccfee99540e4e4-1478024910|title=Gemma Pranita turns to photography after her LA dreams fall short|last=Swain|first=Sarah|date=26 August 2016|work=Manly Daily|accessdate=1 November 2016}} Pranita features posts of herself and friends, including some of Australia's starlets, from Margot Robbie to Rachael Taylor, Renee Bargh, Teresa Palmer, Phoebe Tonkin and Delta Goodrem. She launched an online photography course in September 2016.

Pranita co-hosts the We Don't Have Time For This podcast with her close friend Kate Reeves. The podcast covers topics relating to motherhood, fashion, careers, and relationships.{{cite web|url=https://mosmanliving.com.au/kate-reeves-and-gemma-pranita/|title=Queenwood alumni create smash hit podcast: Meet Kate Reeves and Gemma Pranita|date=20 August 2023|publisher=Mosman Living|access-date=14 April 2024}} In 2023, Pranita and Reeves embarked on a tour with their live show titled "Can We Not Evolve?"

Personal life

Pranita dated Australian actor Jai Courtney for eight years before splitting in 2013.{{cite web |title=Is This Fortune-Free Paper Stock? |url=https://archive.flaunt.com/content/people/jai-courtney |website=Flaunt Magazine |access-date=6 January 2023 |date=4 May 2014}}

Pranita is married to Matthew Rooney. The two were childhood friends, who became engaged after 18 months together.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/former-neighbours-star-gemma-panita-engaged-to-childhood-friend-matthew-rooney/story-fni0cvc9-1227268828040|title=Former Neighbours star Gemma Panita engaged to childhood friend Matthew Rooney|date=19 March 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=22 March 2015}} In October 2017, Pranita announced that she was expecting the couple's first child.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BaOMps-AOHz/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/gemma_peanut/1625292157868892659 |archive-date=25 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Earlier this year, I looked in the mirror...|last=Pranita|first=Gemma|date=14 October 2017|publisher=Instagram|accessdate=14 October 2017}}{{cbignore}} She gave birth to their daughter on 18 April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BhvXaqbA07W/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/gemma_peanut/1760728966651662038 |archive-date=25 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=No words. Just an overwhelming amount of love and an overflowing heart.|last=Pranita|first=Gemma|date=18 April 2018|publisher=Instagram|accessdate=19 April 2018}}{{cbignore}} Pranita gave birth to their second child, a son, in 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.mamamia.com.au/gemma-peanut-parenting/|title='It's relentless.' 5 things Gemma Peanut has learnt in the first 5 years of motherhood|last=Findlay|first=Shannen|date=7 June 2023|publisher=Mamamia|access-date=14 April 2024}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes
scope="row" \| 2007 \| Hi My Name is Billy \| \| Short film
scope="row" \| 2009 \| Crush \| Nurse \|
scope="row" \| 2010 \| Resistance \| Valentina Vega \| Pilot episode
scope="row" \| 2010–12, 2019 \| Neighbours \| Jade Mitchell \| 243 episodes
scope="row" \| 2012 \| Banter \| Emma \| Short film
scope="row" \| 2014 \| Checked Out \| Melinda \| TV film
scope="row" \| 2014 \| The Ever After \| Naja \|

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

scope="row" | 2007

| Hi My Name is Billy

| Short film

scope="row" | 2009

| Crush

| Nurse

scope="row" | 2010