Meet Chrys Phillips, the Australian writer-director on the rise

For many, especially the fans of “Counter Play”, Chrys Phillips is a familiar name. Working in both the USA and Australia, Chrys has written and directed more than 1000 hours of footage, including 15+ TV episodes, two feature films, and digital media content. But for the Australian writer, things weren’t always meant to end this way.

The Struggle to Succeed

Born in Australia, Chrys Philips never had a desire for an adventurous life. She worked as a copywriter for most of her career, while also being a single mother to Mikaela. Eventually, Chrys decided to become an author and published her The Magic Wars series. It was for one of these book tours that Chrys and her daughter went to the USA in 2012. Little did they know what fate had for them.

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Despite the initial struggle, Chrys decided that she wanted to stay in America and do something more for her career. In 2013, she sold all her possession and the house in Melbourne, permanently settling in the US. For the time being, she settled in LA and started working on her next book. Mikaela, when she turned 18 in 2014, landed a job at Afterbuzz TV to better support the family.

In 2015, the duo moved back to Australia to work on an Amazon Prime series called “Counter Play”. For two seasons, Chrys wrote most of its episodes while Mikaela starred in it. In 2018, the two returned to America, but not without solidifying their credentials as a writer and actor respectively.

Returning To Australia

In April 2020, when the pandemic situation got worse in the USA, the duo decided to move to Australia for safety purposes. They moved to Gold Coast, a place known as “mini Hollywood” of Australia and a favorite of many international film projects. It was here that Chrys decided to create movies she loved.

Of Mothers and Daughters

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of Chrys’s life is her relationship with her daughter, Mikaela. Mikaela Philips is a film producer in her own right, often collaborating with her mother. The mother-daughter duo describes themselves as being exceptionally close. Over the years, the two have struggled together and been a party in each other’s success. In the media, the two are often described as real-life Gilmore Girls – Lorelai and Rory – due to their bond. In a recent interview, Mikaela acknowledged this comparison:

‘We do get the Gilmore Girls comparison quite a lot. I think that, honestly, the main reason is because no one had ever really seen that type of mother-daughter relationship before until that show came out.”

#WomenInFilm

Female representation in the film industry has improved over the years, but it is still far from equal. Chrys is one of those women who realize that you can’t ask for equality; you have to snatch it. This is the idea that led her to make “Madison and the Happiness Jar” in 2020. The film was an archetype example of female representation in the industry. It had a strong female lead, was produced by Mikaela, while directed and written by Chrys. In simple terms, a movie “of women, by women, for women”.

The directorial debut of Chrys met with a good response, and she signed a deal with Film Volt Ltd. For distribution of the film. Buoyed by the response, Chrys Phillips is already set to work on her next film! Titled “The Rise of Billy Jones”, it is supposed to be a gritty, rock’n’roll drama currently being shot at Gold Coast, Australia.

With two feature films under her belt and her daughter by her side, Chrys Phillips is on her way to attaining greater glory.