NIDA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we learn and tell stories, the Bidjigal, Gadigal, Dharawal and Dharug peoples, and we pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past and present.
Tamara Foglia Castañeda is an Indigenous Latinx performer who grew up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. Born to immigrant parents from Chile and Argentina, she was raised with a strong sense of community and culture, something which pushed her towards all things artistic. With a background in dance and musical theatre she began performing from a very young age.
A lover of film and musical theatre, she remembers the exact moment her passion was sparked. Her parents took her to see the Lion King musical and “Oh my god! Those performers look like me!”. The rest was history. Tamara’s passion quickly turned to acting, where she discovered a knack for accents and a love for character analysis. After all, growing up in a house of mental health practitioners is bound to make you curious about the human condition.
Tamara studied a two year music theatre diploma at Showfit before being accepted into NIDA, where she has worked to hone her skills.
As a BIPOC creative and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Tamara is passionate about increasing diversity in the industry. She aims to be the representation she so longed to see more of as a child.
Mother/Stenographer
Machinal
Arkadina
The Seagull
Angel Cruz
Jesus Hopped the A Train
Pontius Pilate
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Rivera
Scenes from an Execution
Varya/Dunyasha
The Cherry Orchard
Claudius
Hamlet