40 under 40: Chance of changing a life keeps inspirational Wiradjuri performer grounded

"When I got the part, my parents were originally quite shocked. I came from a big sporting family, and I'm pretty sure they asked the people casting the show if they had the right kid. That's how foreign it was for myself and my family," Mr Draper said.

He was nine or 10 years old at the time and had "no experience whatsoever".

But Mr Draper said from his first time on the stage, he caught the bug.

"There was a feeling of finding where I belong in a way," he said.

When he reached his later schooling years, Mr Draper realised there were places you could go to study to be an actor or a performer. Once he found that out, he was all in.

"There was no Plan B. It was what I was always meant to do. I didn't look into any other option. It was that or bust," Mr Draper said.

His family supported him "1000 per cent", fostering his talent and encouraging him to follow his dreams.

"It's very difficult growing up in a country town and discovering that you enjoy being a performer or you want to be an actor or you can sing and dance. Sometimes it's not the most inviting environment, it can bring a lot of bullying and whatnot. That's something I did endure," Mr Draper said.

"But even in those times I didn't give up because my parents encouraged me to keep going. They could see I had a talent and something that was quite special. I think it made me stronger, and it made me the person I am today."

Mr Draper, a Wiradjuri man from Orange, became the first Indigenous graduate at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

He broke ground again when he took over as Toulouse Lautrec in Moulin Rouge The Musical and became the first Indigenous person anywhere in the world in that lead role.

Mr Draper said there were still moments when he felt he needed to pinch himself to see if his career was real.

"You almost have an out-of-body experience when you're in the midst of doing a show or filming something or whatnot. You have to remind yourself of the young kid who dreamt of doing that, which I think can sometimes get lost. Because it can become a job as well," he said.

"It's a really, really interesting, joyous job to have, but it comes with its challenges.

"It's an extremely competitive business and you're putting yourself up for constant criticism. The nos are more than the yeses and sometimes that doesn't have anything to do with your talent, it's just how you fit into the puzzle. It can be hard, you have to have a lot of resilience and a lot of willpower to keep going."

Mr Draper said his motivation to keep going was never about wanting to be a superstar, it came back to him being an Indigenous artist.

"Every time I walk on stage or I'm on a film set it's the constant thought of who's going to see this and whose life could it possibly change by seeing another Indigenous person up there on the stage or screen," he said.

"That's the most important thing because if you don't see yourself represented then I don't believe you think it could be a viable option for you."

As a young kid, the Indigenous role models on the stage and screen were "few and far between". Knowing he could be that person for someone else is what keeps him grounded.

As do his parents, who Mr Draper said lead the world with grace, kindness and education.

Thankfully, Mr Draper believes the world is changing and there is more diversity within the arts, especially after COVID and the Black Lives Matter Movement.

But he said it would be a continuous fight to ensure there was always representation on stage.

Mr Draper is now staring in Sunset Boulevard, which will be touring Singapore in February.

Next week he starts Promises, Promises at the Hayes Theatre, and after that he plans to take a break after working consistently for the past 4.5 years.

As for his long-term goals, Mr Draper said he planned to take each opportunity as it comes.

"Of course, you have big dreams and see yourself in places, which I think is important. It's important to be ambitious and back yourself, but I do think there's an element of surprise in this business that sometimes the jobs that come to you aren't the ones that you were expecting," he said.

"I think what's meant to happen for me will happen, coupled with hard work and determination."

For anyone else considering a career in the arts, Mr Draper's advice was to "back yourself, 1000 per cent".

"You've got to know what you bring to the table and build a resilient skin which I think country people do have, that's an advantage. But if you're determined and you work hard, and you know there's nothing else you want to do, I think you'll succeed," he said.