Biografia
Lia (Amelia) Lusted, made her professional debut at the age of 8 years old as the featured girl in a music video (Chocolate Films) for OSP, a London hip hop band. She was also cast as the youngest child in My Team the Cheerleaders TV series (CBBC-TV, Season 1-2) with Tess Daly, then joined the UK & Ireland Tour of the former West End show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with UK stars Jason Manford, Michelle Collins, Lee Mead, and Claire Sweeney.
Immediately thereafter, she successfully won the lead role of Jiminy Cricket in The Adventures of Pinocchio in the West End (Ambassadors Theatre), was the hero girl in a P&O Cruises commercial (Bare Films) and was featured in the Daily Mile commercial (ITV / INEOS) as a schoolgirl. She has also performed as a village child in Jack and the Beanstalk and as a kingdom girl in Cinderella pantomimes (both Starburst Foundation), in Aladdin stage musical as an Eastern Bazaar Girl, and performed the voiceover of the featured lead American girl Olga, in a new Disney TV animation of Voodoo Meow (with Miyu Productions, France, Pilot Episode). Lia, as Amelia, also appeared in the film Being Grace (Tapping Frog Productions, UK) as Nina, one of the best friends of the film's character Grace.
Lia could be seen honing her singing skills at the local Britain's Got Talent competition, as an arena singer at the Brentford Football Club Christmas half time show, and the subsequent year as an arena singer at Bournemouth Football Club community Christmas event. Lia is also a skilled dancer and has appeared in many dance productions, her proudest in the jazz 'On Broadway' ensemble for Dance Beats Cancer, which was filmed for TV, and won the Charity Film Awards Silver Winner in 2019.
After the Netflix film production she was cast in shooting overseas was paused due to the pandemic in 2020, and wasn't green-lit again to continue post lockdown, Lia picked herself up like many in the industry, and won the role of featured girl Sasha Rahman in the film The Subordinate filming in production 2021-2022. She was also cast as one of the lead Wednesday's in the stage production of The Addams family in 2021, and successfully auditioned for a very coveted spot as a singer and dancer in the new teen pop band GenZ Vision, led by a top London music producer and backed by professionals from The Voice UK, Diversity Dance Troupe, etc. The group will be sharing messages of importance to today's youngsters such as diversity, inclusion, climate change, etc. In addition, in 2022, Lia filmed a TV commercial for Christian Aid (Somesuch Productions London) for humanitarian aid given the global situation.
At the young age of 10, after competitive audition, Lia (as Amelia) won a prestigious full scholarship in collaboration with The Stage industry magazine, to attend full time performing arts school in London. Lia started her training at 3 years old in dance and performing arts, and currently trains in ISTD modern dance and tap to Advanced 1 and 2 levels respectively, RAD ballet Advance 1, LAMDA drama/solo acting Grade 6, and ABRSM singing vocals Grade 6, plus musical theatre, commercial dance, street, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, and jazz dance genres. Lia is also a member of the Senior Elite Dance Team and has won many trophies over the years competing. In her spare time, outside of performing, Lia loves to swim and snorkel; at every opportunity she gets, you'll find her in a pool or in the sea. Lia also likes to surf and can't wait to try sea-diving next!
After such a difficult start in life prior to adoption, living in vulnerable conditions in the South Pacific islands where she was born, when it was thought she may never walk due to her horrific, traumatic background, let alone dance, sing, and act, Lia is so incredibly grateful for everyone who has believed in her thus far; and to her adoptive parents, and disabled brother, who brought her home to London when she was very young, who keep her balanced and feet firmly on the ground. Lia remains modest and extremely humble, and says with a very sincere and grateful heart, "A huge 'thank you' to all who believe in me!"
