Nelson Bay local Molly O’Sullivan shines in season two of ABC’s The Assembly

NELSON Bay local Molly O’Sullivan will feature on season two of ABC program ‘The Assembly’.

The show follows journalism students with autism as they learn the craft and interview celebrities.

“My experience on The Assembly has been absolutely life-changing and is something I will never forget,” Molly said.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects brain development and function.

Many autistic people have heightened sensory awareness and may find non-verbal communication challenging.

“As a person who has had trouble maintaining friendships, I never thought in a million years that I would come across a lovely set of people I got to work with who not only opened up opportunities, but also taught me more about myself,” Molly told News Of The Area.

“Through my fellow students and the crew, I learnt that it is okay to be myself and speak up.”

Molly is in her second year of a Media Communications degree, and her dream is to be a director.

She says representation of autistic and other disabled people in the media industry can be improved.

“I have experienced and seen so many people not be able to get jobs or be questioned about their ability to do their job based on their disability.

“There is this stigma that working on set can be too overwhelming or that there are too many accommodations that need to be met to make the work environment accessible to me and others like me.

“This is simply not true and something that shows how revolutionary shows like The Assembly are.”

Renowned interviewer Leigh Sales mentors the cohort of students as they learn the skills of the media industry.

Season two features interviews with guests such as Ray Martin, Maggie Beer and – Molly’s personal favourite – Guy Sebastian.

Producer and Director Melissa Maclean says at the heart of The Assembly is collaboration.

“Together, we empower a new generation of storytellers to find their voice, build confidence, and reimagine what inclusion looks like in Australian media.”

By Cosette DE LORENZO