How Monty is following in Bert and Patti’s footsteps in Magic Beach

The grandson of Bert and Patti Newton is following in hisgrandparent’s footsteps, making his movie debut in an adaptation of beloved Aussie classic Magic Beach.

The grandson of the late entertainment icon Bert Newton and Patti Newton, Monty Newton Welsh, is making his movie debut in an adaptation of a beloved Aussie classic, Magic Beach. Picture: Supplied

The grandson of the late entertainment icon Bert Newton and Patti Newton is following in his

grandparent’s footsteps, making his movie debut in an adaptation of a beloved Aussie classic.

Magic Beach, adapted from Alison Lester’s iconic picture book of the same name, is gearing up for its anticipated premiere on home soil, and will introduce Monty Newton Welsh to audiences as character Salty’s friend.

The young star said he was very excited when he found out he landed the role.

“I just really had to be myself. I think doing that in the audition was what got me the role,” Welsh told The Daily Telegraph.

“It was fun. We drove to Foster (Victoria). My feet were starting to hurt when we were filming because I had to go through caves, but I loved it. After a while I felt like my feet were made out of brick.”

The short four-day shoot was enough to spark the young actor’s desire for more roles in the future.

Magic Beach, which features Monty Newton Welsh as Salty’s friend, follows nine children and a dog on the famous beach. Picture: Supplied.

“I really I got into acting following my grandmother and grandfather’s steps. But my sister followed them, and now I want to follow after my sister.”

The film directed by Paper Plane director Robert Connolly mixes live action and animation and follows nine children and a dog on the famous Magic Beach, where their imagination comes to life as they explore caves, giant sandcastles, rock pools and sea creatures.

Entertainment icons Patti and Bert Newton.

Lester told the Telegraph it was “amazing” the idea she conceived more than 30 years ago was now a reality on screen.

“The whole movie’s got a really – its sounds daggy, but – magical feel about it.”

The author explained the project had been underway for more than two decades, but finally landed in the right hands.

Author and illustrator Alison Lester. Picture: Supplied

“When Robert came up with the idea of doing it more like a series of little things, I think that’s when I thought, ’oh yeah, I can just really see this happening’; because it didn’t feel like we were trying to force anything else onto it. It was very true to the book.”

The adaptation she hopes will bring old and new audiences together in a similar fashion to her book, which older generations regular stop her to explain they read it to their children.

“The book is very much about going places in your imagination and leaving space for the child to do that. And I think even though the movie shows what they’re imagining, it leaves it open to go in other directions yourself.”

Lester said if children take anything away from the film, she hopes it will be a joy for the beach.

“Just go enjoy all the beautiful things that are there. That natural world is such a great way for your imagination to fly.”

Magic Beach arrives in cinemas January 16