4 minute read
How to SURVIVE in Noonan’s World
AUSTRALIAN SURVIVOR: BRAINS V BRAWN II AIRED ON FEBRUARY 17 ON CHANNEL 10 AND 10 PLAY WITH LOCAL CONTESTANT LAURA NOONAN, ALSO KNOWN AS NOONAN.
While filming began in July last year, Noonan’s Survivor journey was 10 years in the making. She’d applied for the series 10 times, with her video auditions portraying her dramatic and creative side through her relationship with her family. Noonan’s dad is a horse trainer, her mum is a costume designer, her eldest brother is an actor, another brother is a jockey, and another is a teacher.
Growing up on the Mornington Peninsula as the last lesser-known Noonan has motivated her through her Survivor applications. As she progressed further in the casting process each year, the excitement was building. Her winning application was solo and included a simple face-to-camera off-script monologue that started with: “Look, you know who I am at this point; it’s Noonan’s world, and you’re all just living in it.”
“Every year my application was the talk of my footy club and drama club, with everyone asking if I’d apply. Of course I would,” Noonan said. “I never kept how far I was moving along in the process a secret until my last application. Just before I left, I gathered the girls in my footy team together to announce that I wouldn’t be in the finals. They all screamed.”
While her mum focused on when Noonan would finish her teaching degree – she works as a learning support officer – her brothers exploded with excitement, and the news didn’t reach her dad until she arrived home after filming.
“Years prior, Dad and I had an interesting conversation while watching Survivor. He was repeatedly interrupting by asking dumb questions, so I snapped and told him to be quiet. He looked at me and jokingly said: ‘You won’t make it on Survivor, and you won’t win.’ So he’s now taking credit for giving me motivation. But he’s genuinely proud. Ten years ago I set a goal, and now I’ve achieved it.” Obsessed with Survivor since 2003, it’s no surprise that Noonan rates her time on the show as the best experience of her life and that she’d do it again in a heartbeat. The Survivor magic created such an amazing adventure, and Survivor will dominate her personality for another 10 years.
“Everything you see of me is real; I was authentically myself the whole time. My emotions and actions were real. There was no strategy behind my personality. I will be the Noonan you’ll remember. I loved every second of it and I’ve made friends for life. I think in a way we’re bonded for life; trauma bonding is real, even if in this case we bonded during a positive experience.”
Noonan was a member of the Brawn tribe, and as an avid team player and sportswoman her experience in footy, netball, dance, horse riding and swimming assisted her Survivor game.
“My strength, agility and coordination helped me. Advantages heading into the game were knowing my strengths and weaknesses and acknowledging that I’m no pro. To prepare for Survivor I was training three to four times a week, and I strengthened my mental capacity and my ability not to give up.”
Noonan’s football coach organised a premier party for the airing of the first episode at their clubrooms in Mornington.
“I think when everyone watches my journey, they’ll be shocked,” Noonan said. “I’m underestimated a lot and now everyone will see the whole package. I want to be remembered as the fun-loving, over-the-top girl obsessed with Survivor. I’m not after fame, only Survivor – so, producers of Survivor All Stars, sign me up!”
