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Aaron Pedersen is an Arrernte man who was born in Alice Springs a little more than 30 years ago. After training as a television journalist, Aaron had a natural transition into acting. He says: "I always had the acting bug as a kid and it wasn't difficult because my people have been performing through dance and acting for 40,000 years."
Through his television work on Wildside, Water Rats, MDA and most recently, Secret Life of Us (playing the footballer love interest of Deborah Mailman), Aaron has championed the changing representation of indigenous people in Australia. The narrow casting of Indigenous actors in Australia is something Aaron feels strongly about. In fact, his own casting in the TV dramas Wildside and Water Rats as a character whose Aboriginality had nothing to do with the storyline paved the way for many of his fellow Indigenous actors. Deb Mailman's role in Secret Life has strong parallels with Aaron's career, so it is fitting that the two played opposite each other in the drama. " Channel 10 took a big punt by putting me opposite Deb as a love interest," says Aaron. "It's great they've put two young people of Indigenous descent together and just considered them actors. It's fun - it's great working with Deb."
Aaron has proved himself as an actor of great charisma and talent. He is noted in his profession and community as an outspoken and passionate advocate for cultural values. This has been made apparent through various invitations to speak and perform. Just this year, he was asked to act in a play reading of Conversations With The Dead at the United Nations in New York City and speak at the Gallery of NSW on his journey as an indigenous artist in Australia.
Aaron's integrity and leadership have won him the respect and admiration of commercial producers, directors, writers and fellow actors, but it is the value he places on grass roots community feedback that makes him unique. This year alone, Aaron spent many weekends visiting indigenous communities for the Department of Housing in NSW, he has completed the voice over for an ad as the spokesperson for SNAKE CONDOMS which is an initiative started by Marie Stopes International - Australia (MSIA) to bring improved health and quality of life to women and their families in Indigenous communities through reproductive health care. Aaron is also an ambassador for the Strong & Safe Campaign for 2004 which provides Indigenous young people aged 16 to 24 with information, advice and a range of innovative and practical measures designed to increase the desire and capacity to form and maintain non-violent, non-abusive relationships.
His ability to take on politically charged roles, creating a full and complex character has helped challenge stereotypes and deliver memorable performances like his role in the Nick Parsons film Dead Heart or in Richard Frankland's stage play Conversations With The Dead.
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