Already a seasoned performer in family cabaret shows, she threw herself into the local acting scene. Her ambition led her to Participate Film Academy, a world-first course that takes students with no film experience and teaches them how to produce and deliver a feature film.

The film produced by this year’s class, Green Fire Envy, is a gritty drama about two families torn apart by tragedy and the obsessive revenge that follows.

Ashleigh was set to play a leading role. However, just weeks before filming commenced, she was struck down by a virus, which was further complicated by a rare reaction to her daily asthma medication. The vivacious young girl found herself in hospital for two weeks and undergoing many tests.

When she was finally able to return home, she was still extremely fatigued and even had some difficulty walking. For most people, this could have ended the dream; for Ashleigh, this just made her more determined to be well enough for the first day of production.

Driven by her desire to be part of the film, Ashleigh threw herself into recovery mode with regular hydrotherapy and physiotherapy sessions. She successfully auditioned for one of the lead roles in Green Fire Envy and so the team of scriptwriters reworked the role to accommodate her physical difficulties.

For this year’s class at Participate, young Ashleigh has been a role model and inspiration. “Ashleigh's dedication and commitment have been an inspiration to all of us," says student producer Catherine Neasby. "Her passion for her art symbolises everything that we're all working towards."

Green Fire Envy begins production on 1 October 2007.