'After graduating with a Bachelor of Dramatic Arts, Acting degree from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2001, she rose to prominence as co-creator and performer in the cult hip-hop comedy act Sista She (with Sarah Ward, Kim 'Busty Beatz' Bowers, DJ Jonah and sometimes double bassist Thomas Butt), who toured Australia from 2003 to 2008. [...]Candy has worked as an actor on Australia's mainstages and starred in television sketch comedy shows, but is most well known for her original independent theatre works, including Who's That Chik? (2009), MC Platypus and Queen Koala (2012-13), Hot Brown Honey Burlesque (2013-15), Australian Booty (2012-19) and One the Bear (Arts Centre Melbourne/ Sydney Opera House 2019). Candy is currently a part of the British Council of the Arts INTERSECT UKAustralia peer mentorship initiative, she holds a MentorLA Fellowship interning with Peter Saji, is the showrunner of Black-ish (US TV series) in Los Angeles, and is also in the early stages of her first feature film with Arena Media. In high school, my debating teacher pushed my skills by throwing me in teams with senior students so by the time l was fourteen, I was winning wholeschool public speaking contests against seventeen-year-olds.' (Publication abstract)
