Aussie actress says new soccer flick has same vibes as movie Bend It Like Beckham

Seventeen years since Bend It Like Beckham, the push for equality in sport is still very much an issue and is tackled on screen in a new Aussie flick.

Seventeen years since Bend It Like Beckham, the push for equality in sport is still very much an issue and is tackled on screen in new Aussie flick Back of the Net.

“It definitely has that vibe,” actor Tiarnie Coupland told Confidential.

“Bend It Like Beckham encouraged women to play soccer and I feel Back of the Net will do the same for this generation. It is great that the film is based around young women in sport, or playing sport.”

Tiarnie Coupland said Back of the Net has similar vibes to Bend It Like Beckham.

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The gender pay gap in sport remains huge with male professional athletes earning millions while many of their female counterparts have to work part time jobs to survive.

Some headway has been made in tennis and surfing.

There is equal prize money at all four of the major grand slam tennis events while surfing events globally also have equal payouts.

Back of the Net is in cinemas now with American Disney star Sofia Wylie in the lead role of Cory Bailey.

US Disney star Sofia Wylie plays in the lead role.

Coupland plays one of her teammates, Edie, while Melissa Bonne, Kate Box, Gemma Chua-Tran and Yasmin Honeychurch are also in the film.

“It really is about friendship and empowerment and embracing new experiences so I think it definitely will encourage younger boys and girls to play any sport really,” she added.

At just 22, Coupland is almost a veteran of the Australian film and TV business.

She landed her first commercial at the age of eight and appeared in feature film The Final Winter a year later.

Bend It Like Beckham was a popular soccer movie starring Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra.

She’s since appeared on the big screen in films including Killing Ground and The Half Dead as well as TV shows Worst Year of My Life Again, Neighbours, Love Child and Jack Irish.

“I learnt on the job,” she said, having just returned from a six week trip to Los Angeles.

“I feel very lucky. Long term, I would love to continue working in this amazing industry and obviously do an international project.”