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Darwin actor Robbie Collins says he is thrilled and relieved after winning the Logie for best new talent in Australia.
"I am feeling pretty over the moon, slightly relieved and just ecstatic," he said last night following the win.
"There has been a considerable amount of people that have helped me along that road."
Collins said he was "Territory proud" when he accepted the award.
"To all the Territorians watching at home, thank you," he said.
'This award here is ours'
Collins has undertaken a variety of roles during his career, including as King Mufasa in a stage production of The Lion King and as Waruu West in the ABC science-fiction production Cleverman.
He said part of Cleverman's appeal was that it was an Indigenous story with a great cast and crew, Indigenous directors and an Indigenous creator.
"It just ticks all the boxes and I think it is the fact that it is an Indigenous and an Australian story that has made it so successful both here and overseas as well," he said.
Collins, an Indigenous man who has relatives on the Tiwi Islands, spoke in the local Tiwi language while accepting his award.
"He said 'to the Tiwi Islands, hello friends and family. This award here is ours'," said Collins's cousin Grace Young, who lives on Bathurst Island.
"We could barely hear it because half the family in the house were screaming out, but just really proud and really happy that he mentioned his family up here," she said.
Family knew Collins was bound for stardom
Ms Young said she never doubted that Collins was bound for big things.
"We always knew he was going to be up there somehow, whether it was through music or acting, because he has got such a beautiful voice as well," she said.
"He has always just been such a great role model and just really outgoing."
Collins, who is currently filming in Victoria, also thanked Darwin writer and artist Chips Mackinolty, who helped him find accommodation while the actor studied at Australia's prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney.
Mackinolty today said Collins had always acknowledged the people who helped him, even in small ways.
"Robbie has always been very strong in terms of his friendships, and his family and extended family on the Tiwis," he said.
Mackinolty said Collins had helped break new ground as an Indigenous man who had undertaken non-stereotypical roles.
"In the past the Aboriginal roles have been seen as Aboriginal roles ... but I think what is going to start happening, and I think Robbie is part of this trend, is to be given straight roles," Mackinolty said.
Topics: actor, indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, darwin-0800, nguiu-0822
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