About Sean Keenan (Lockie Leonard)

Sean Keenan describes the experience of his first television acting role as one of the coolest surfing dudes in literature.

Lockie Leonard, based on the novels by Tim Winton, is now airing on television and Sean,14, says the feeling of being on screen is weird. "I haven't really had that thing where many people have spotted me yet, but at school it's a bit like that because heaps of people at school have been watching it. I was surprised at how many people came up to me and actually said they enjoyed it. They're either telling the truth or they're really good at being sarcastic."

The series was filmed over six months in Albany. "Stoked" is how Sean describes his reaction when he found that he was chosen for the role of Lockie. "It was almost like a dream, you just couldn't even believe it was happening." He says that Lockie is a great character to play. "I read the books, and I loved Lockie in the books, he's just such a great kid."

Although acting seems really glamorous and Sean says the experience was fantastic, there was a downside to being in the series. "Its really draining, it takes a lot out of you. I worked really long hours and I just got so tired by the end."

Every day Sean would wake up at 6am, get picked up from his house and then driven to the location. He'd have breakfast, put his make-up on and begin filming by 7:30. Normally filming would take place at many different locations each day.

Like Lockie Leonard, Sean does surf, although he says that when he gets on a board he's "a bit of a kook." Give him another year, he reckons and he might just be as good as Lockie.

Now that the series is finished and Sean is back at school, life feels very different for him. "There's a bit of happiness to be able to get back to normal life and see your friends again and to get back to Busselton but also sadness."

There are always mixed feelings when an experience ends that you really enjoy. Sean loved Albany and of course, he misses the people he worked with. But he made some good friendships on the set and still keeps in touch with the other young actors.

Sean definitely wants to continue acting. That takes a lot of luck and commitment, he says. One thing in particular he's taken away from the experience is "a whole new view of the television industry. I've learnt so much, and I was so naïve about it before." There's much more involved in the making of television program than he had imagined.
 

Sean says that he never imagined that he would be on the television one day. "When you're younger, you consider television as almost another realm. You watch it and you just think there's no chance you could get onto that. It just happened so fast it was amazing."