How Celia Pacquola blew a role in one of the world’s biggest TV shows, children’s cartoon Bluey
Comedian Celia Pacquola has mustered up the strength to tell her darkest story — how she lost out on a role in TV sensation Bluey.
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Thank God You’re Here star Celia Pacquola has revealed her secret Bluey past and told what it was like to be dumped from the now leviathan show after landing the role as the voice of the beloved cartoon Blue Heeler’s mum, Chilli.
Bluey is arguably the biggest show in the world and has won a slew of awards locally and internationally.
A merchandising empire has sprouted off the show and there is a Bluey film set for 2027, a Bluey World theme park in Brisbane, a Bluey stage show, and a Bluey video game just to name a few Bluey spin offs.
Pacquola’s Bluey trauma dump started in 2017 when she was asked to audition for the role in the then untried kids show.
“I said, ‘Yes, please, I’d love that job,” Pacquola recalled on her I’m As Surprised As You Are comedy special.
“And I went in and I recorded a whole episode.”
Then she was told the casting was going in a different direction – oh, what might have been!
“You are looking at a bad dog,” she rued.
“I blew it, I blew it.
“Do you know how bad I must have been? It’s my voice. My voice doesn’t change. They offered me the role. They know my voice.
“They went, ‘You can do this,’ and I proved them wrong.
“They said, ‘We believe in you,’ and I changed their minds.”
The role of Chilli’s voice ended up going to Melanie Zanetti.
“I got the part, I was shit, I lost the part, she got the part fair and square,” Pacquola said.
“So we don’t watch f**king Bluey in my house.
“I am pretty sure their ratings will do fine without me, by the way.”
I’m As Surprised As You Are is available on ABC iview.
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Originally published as How Celia Pacquola blew a role in one of the world’s biggest TV shows, children’s cartoon Bluey
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