A Unique Encounter That Changed Everything
Australian author Holden Sheppard has shared a fascinating story about how he knew the actor cast in his hit TV series Invisible Boys was destined for Hollywood. This revelation came long before the world caught on to the actor’s rising fame.
Holden, who is 38 years old, wrote the 2019 coming-of-age novel Invisible Boys, which was later adapted into a successful Australian miniseries. He revealed to the Daily Mail that from the moment he met the lead actor, Joseph Zada, he knew he had found someone with Hollywood potential.
‘It’s really funny,’ Holden said. ‘I wasn’t meant to meet Joseph Zada that day. I was going to meet the producer for coffee. I was in my hometown and there was this blue-haired boy in the bakery… I looked and went, “That has to be the actor who is playing Charlie.”‘
The encounter was an instant recognition – the kind of casting moment that feels almost cinematic. Holden walked up to Joseph and said, ‘Excuse me, I think you may be one of the boys on my TV show!’ Joseph then asked, ‘Are you Holden?’ It was a cool moment, and Holden felt proud to see Joseph bring the show to life. He was even more thrilled when Joseph eventually cracked the US market.
A Major Hollywood Breakthrough
In April last year, Joseph, who is 21, landed a major Hollywood breakthrough when he was cast in the upcoming The Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping. The film is set almost 30 years before the original movie. Joseph reportedly beat out hundreds of other actors for the role, in which he will play the younger version of Woody Harrelson’s character.
For Holden, seeing the final cast of Invisible Boys come together was a surreal moment. Especially with established Australian names attached, it made the experience even more special.
Holden, who was born in Western Australia, said he was particularly starstruck to see veteran actors David Lyons and Pia Miranda join the project.
‘Pia Miranda! Oh my God, my mother is Italian and her movie Looking for Alibrandi was such a touchstone for us. Having Pia cast in this was just so cool,’ he said.
Expanding the Invisible Boys Universe
Looking ahead, Holden has already expanded the Invisible Boys universe. He revealed that he has written a newly released sequel titled Yeah the Boys, which continues the story several years on.
He described it as a darker, more adult evolution of the original story. ‘Yeah the Boys is the rebellious older brother of Invisible Boys. It is firmly adult territory now, we meet the boys several years later. They are all struggling in different ways,’ he revealed.
Holden also mentioned that he couldn’t wait for his second novel to also be adapted for the screen. He added that it would stand as its own story rather than a direct sequel series.
The Relevance of the Story Today
In February last year, Holden revealed why he thinks the series based on his bestselling novel is more relevant than ever. ‘The show is dropping in a more hostile environment than the book did. The book came out in 2019 and there was this sense that same-sex marriage had just been legalised in Australia,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘People were like, maybe we don’t need stories like this anymore. But 2025 turns out to be needing this story more than we did six years ago… I am glad,’ he said.
‘It’s like a little beacon of hope right now. Let’s show four young gay men being defiant, being bold, proud and just giving the middle finger to the world.’
Holden’s book draws on his own experiences as a young gay teenager growing up in the regional Western Australian town of Geraldton. He worked hard to ensure the series authentically portrayed genuine gay relationships.
