Now, Koll’s career is formidable. She has worked on countless critically-acclaimed productions, including the impactful film Zach’s Story, the comedic sitcom Flat Whites, and much more, making her one of Australia’s best actresses right now. This is evident as Koll will light up the small screen once again with the upcoming series Traffik.
“I really wanted this part. Firstly, the topic of human trafficking is incredibly important. Then after reading the brilliantly written script by Diana Djurcinovska where she’d created strong, powerful, feminine characters, while keeping the gender ration balanced within the cast. She’s a cool writer and I’m excited to see where she goes from here,” said Koll.
Traffik is an important dramatic series that touches on the issue of human trafficking. It follows Claudia, Jack, Ava, Edmund, Mila, and Smitty, an elite team, who operate outside of the law, assembled to save as many victims of human trafficking as they can. Koll plays[1] the leading role of Claudia in the series. Koll’s role of Claudia, who along with her partner Jack, are responsible for actually assembling and heading the team. Claudia is British aristocracy and the financier. She has a secret dark past which includes unfinished business with the main antagonist.
“I loved the script and the cast. I also loved that it was a highly trained elite team who worked outside of the law. My mum has always been crazy for spy thrillers, so this aspect really ignited me. Also, my character Claudia, is an aristocrat and the financier, so we got to shoot in some very cool places. My favorite was the team’s private jet, which never got boring,” Koll described.
The script has already created quite a lot of buzz for the show, which went on to win several awards at some of the world’s most prestigious film festivals. It was Official Selection at The Nova Fest 2016, an Official Finalist at the American Move Awards 2016, a Finalist at the Filmatic Screenplay Awards Competition 2016, an Official Selection at the Action on Film Writers Celebration & Competition 2016, a Finalist at the World Series of Screenwriting 2015, and was nominated for Best Script at the Phoenix Melbourne Film Festival 2015.
“I love this show and really hope it goes onto win more. I think it’s poignant, thought provoking and entertaining, which is everything you want out of TV,” said Koll. “Working on it was such a great experience and I learned a lot. The director and Diana really wanted to keep it moment to moment, so they would only reveal a certain amount of information to the actors at a time. This process kept us focused on the scene at hand.”
Koll’s portrayal of the leading role of Claudia is vital to the show. Claudia’s story arch is a large part of the story, and the producers knew they needed a talented and versatile actress to take it on. Mark Harris, the producer of Traffik, knew Koll’s skillset would perfectly cater to the role of Claudia.
“Sunny is exceptionally friendly, down to earth, and on point. Sunny is an absolute pleasure to be around, and her professionalism and dedication to her work makes the process smooth. Sunny brings a lot of unique qualities to her acting abilities. Her look, voice, and ability to manipulate character is mature and well-crafted. Her application of several acting techniques and methodologies allows her to craft exactly what you're looking for. She takes direction with ease and is able to work with higher level production staff in an extremely professional manner,” said Harris.
Koll’s commitment to each role she takes on is evident with her portrayal on screen. She knows how to connect to her character and therefore her audience, with not only a believable performance, but also a captivating one. This is exactly what she does in Traffik and what she does with every project she is a part of.
“There are many aspects I love about being an actress, from being able to connect with my personal emotional truth, to the collaborations with other artists, to the moment to moment play and exploration, to reading and working on incredible scripts and screenplays, to the connection with the audience and to being able to find the courage and resources to play characters you never thought possible,” Koll concluded.
Audiences can also look forward to seeing Koll in the upcoming film Quanta, which is expected to be released later this year.