Clare Agius was born on 18th of September 1975. As a child she was rather reserved and spent most of her time being creative, reading and daydreaming. Nowadays Clare is a tv presenter, actress and even owns her own media production company. One of her latest TV productions is called 'Mhux ghal Kulhadd'.

Clare has a passion for adventure, travelling and is a big animal lover. She is also enigmatic in her own ways and admits to having kept a big part to herself in spite of having given a lot to her televiewers and fans. She's a contradiction. She's mega super-charged and yet somewhere deep within there's tranquillity. A need for tranquility which sees Clare escaping all work in the summer months to dedicate her time to travelling.

 

If you leave out the numerous Christmas roles I got at ‘muzew’ I guess it would have to be in March 1996 at the Manoel Theatre playing the title role in ‘Yerma’ by Federico Garcia Lorca after an intensive 5 years at the M.T.A.D.A. (Manoel Theatre Academy of Dramatic Arts).

Besides the positive feedback of my tutors and theatre veterans at the time( which was most important and valuable to me), I got quite amazing crits. Victor Fenech wrote on The Sunday Times of 7th April 1996 “ Clare Agius played Yerma with the right tragic feel. She invested her role with genuine solitude and anguish, and altogether gave a commendable portrayal that augurs well for her future as an actress”.

Don’t be too impressed! I just happened to be in the mood of digging up my portofolio which stopped being updated ages ago?

Most definitely yes. And to be quite honest, it never stopped! Tv popularity and having my face splashed practically all over the island does give you a kick I must admit but it doesn’t come close to theatre.

By theatre I must elaborate that it starts from the people you surround yourself with during a theatre production, to the studying of the character and the script which I do with such passion, to working yourself up to production week and ultimately throwing yourself to the lions! And even though you are vulnerably exposed, as more often than not the character you play would have become part of you during the process, you still savour every moment….it’s the sweetest fear ever.

Clare freaks out half-way through an otherwise normal photo shoot

You know…I ask myself that question each time I'm on my way to the accountant!?:) Okay, let’s put it this way, I have been my own boss since the age of 20. Self employed hopping from one project to the other and pretty much creating my own projects.

Then there came a time when it was necessary due to paperwork and what not, where it would be easier to form the company and so after I had to learn a lot of financial stuff which I won’t bore you with, it was done! Since then, besides getting nauseous each time I have to do the accounts, pretty much everything remained the same. I am still the front man, middleman and the last man out to turn off the lights after every project.

Clare as Agent Alex on a TV show she really enjoyed presenting

 

Recently you've been given a prominent part in the popular Polish TV series ‘Kryminalni'. Did it take numerous contacts and considerable effort to make it through? How did it all happen?

The only numerous contacts and considerable effort I do, would have to be for some animal welfare cause….for myself….none whatsoever. You might think this sounds a bit cheesy considering what I do for a living but the honest truth is that I simply do not feel comfortable promoting myself.

In this case it so happened that I was contacted by Masquerade Casting Agency who were commissioned to run auditions for the Polish Producers. I did go but didn’t quite grasp anything then since I literally dashed in and out of the auditions. Well I must have struck the right cord with the director as I was chosen from amongst all the others who auditioned for my part. It proved to be an amazing opportunity not only to play the role of Maltese Police Officer assisting the Polish Warsaw Police to solving a case but also to work alongside some of Polish most famous actors and directors. It also opened up doors for me but will not reveal anything yet….have learnt to count my chickens when they hatch.

Lights - Cameras - Action! Clare at a filming session for Polish TV series ‘Kryminalni'

 

Clare's Polish friends from 'Kryminalni'. Is that Brad Pitt???

 

Spending so much time on set does speed up friendship growths and this one was no exception. I became strangely close to the female lead played by Magdalena Schejbal, it was like meeting the Polish version of me! We clicked straight away and spoke about absolutely everything!

But my lips are sealed when it comes to sharing any secrets sorry On a lighter note, by the end of the filming I was singing along to Polish songs, learnt all the in-house jokes and found myself missing them once they’d left :( Oh yes….i do have one thing to leak out!!! Do you remember Ali G’s catchy phrase “Jak shi mash”? And we all thought he must have made it up……well its actually polish! Spelled “Jak sie masz” and it means “how are you”! There you go….see I did reveal something

 

Clare just loves animals and is a leading advocate of stray animal neutering ... a sensible helping hand for animals and humans.

Keeping myself occupied?....mmm….that’s an interesting phrase…..one that never actually existed in my manual So no I don’t do extreme stuff for that reason. For fun? Well one could argue whether throwing yourself out of a plane could really be considered much fun BUT for me…..i've always been fascinated with flying, the sky, the clouds ( I lived there when I was a child!).

So the first time I did it was to experience what I had so long dreamt about. Was I scared? I swear to god I wasn’t! It felt so natural. But did I get a rush? Oh yeahhhh! So much so that I did it again and again, over Malta, the great barrier reef and each time I go higher and higher and the free fall is longer and longer! But if you think that’s the craziest thing i've ever done, read below.

You asked Let’s set one thing clear, when it comes to my work or family and friends, I always take calculated risks and am very cautious but for my personal boundaries of bravery or risk taking, the sky is the limit. So listen up, you web users out there. If you’re really interested in getting to know the greatest risk I've ever taken then just log onto www.jetfighter.com.au and check out what I did for my 30th birthday! And its not a joke! I flew the real thing exceeding 800km/hr and going up to Gforce 5! Got a dvd to prove it? which I haven’t shown to anyone yet! I guess this is one of my enigmas then.

Hang on a second..cos im still buzzing with the thought of my fighterjet flight..Had I not ended in front of the camera, I would be flying these jets and come to Malta only to take part in the airshow!

Seriously I would have become a pilot, no doubt! I was that way orientated from childhood till the age of 18 even upto 20 when I did go to Ground School training but by that time my acting and artistic side kind of took over. Today I see it as what life presented me first with at that moment in time but before you even think if there would ever be a potato-couched Clare Agius,think again. I haven't yet started in doing the things I want to accomplish In life and as long as I am
granted good health, happiness and a drive, I will always have the need for speed! As for how I'd still be healthy, I've been doing yoga regulary for the past 5 years and it connects me to myself and keeps my
body so flexible. And recently I have taken up some personal training sessions at the gym (which I used to hate) and my body strength, tone and agility has improved tremendously. Besides I drink plenty of water so NO....no acne spots, no crisp munching and no potato coUch! That is if we exclude Sundays and public holidays lol

I swear we have no recollection of this photo! Looks like a UFO sighting.

 

I still cannot explain why Clare ignored me completely simply to have a word with the platter!! Was the interview so dull?!