From Queensland to Hollywood: How Cass Gundry Built a Career From Scratch

“I moved to LA at 21 with what I call a dream and a dollar bill,” says Cass Gundry, an Emmy-nominated TV producer based in Los Angeles.

Thirteen years later, Gundry has worked on groundbreaking shows like The Jim Jefferies Show, Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, and Reno 911!. She’s also the founder of Cassowary Gumtree Productions, her independent company focused on creating culture-shaping content with guts, grit, and originality.

“I’ve worked with legends and helped develop bold voices. I make things happen—and make them matter,” Gundry says.

Two Continents and a Vision

Originally from Kilcoy, Queensland, Gundry’s ambition stretched far beyond her small-town roots. She earned a scholarship to Bond University, where she completed dual degrees in business and communications in just three years—an early sign of her relentless drive.

She interned at CBS News in Washington, D.C.—“one of the best times of my life,” she says—before working at MTV in Sydney. Despite those milestones, Gundry knew her future was elsewhere. So, with no job, no contacts, and very little money, she moved to Los Angeles.

“Don’t wait for permission. Audacity is your greatest asset,” she says.

She threw herself into the industry, cold-calling every production company filming a pilot in L.A. until one replied. She landed the job—and never looked back.

Blending Sharp Comedy with Cultural Insight

Gundry quickly carved out a lane in the L.A. production world, specializing in low-budget scripted comedy that punches above its weight. Through Cassowary Gumtree—named after two Australian icons—she’s committed to telling stories that challenge the status quo, champion underrepresented voices, and reflect the world as it actually is.

Her specialty? High-impact productions with lean teams, fast turnarounds, and real purpose. From studio pilots to live shows like the Garden State 20th Anniversary Concert at The Greek, Gundry proves that you don’t need a massive budget to create something unforgettable.

“I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling to disrupt, entertain, and shift culture,” she says. “Comedy was my way in—but making work that matters is what keeps me here.”

Resilience, Reinvention, and the Road Ahead

Gundry’s career hasn’t been without setbacks. The pandemic and Hollywood strikes forced the industry—and Gundry—to pause. But in that space, she doubled down on her vision, refining her creative lane and expanding into live event production.

“That pause became power. It gave me clarity,” she says. “I realized my sweet spot is producing smart, subversive stories that speak to this moment—and help shape what comes next.”

As she continues to develop pilots, build out original IP, and expand into large-scale events, Gundry remains driven by the same philosophy that brought her to Los Angeles in the first place:

“Be undeniable.”

And with the career she’s built from scratch, she’s done exactly that.

From Queensland to Hollywood: How Cass Gundry Built a Career From Scratch

“I moved to LA at 21 with what I call a dream and a dollar bill,” says Cass Gundry, a TV producer in Los Angeles.

Thirteen years later, Gundry has worked on innovative shows like The Jim Jefferies Show, Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, and Reno 911!She has also started her own female-led production company, Cassowary Gumtree.

“I’ve worked with legends and helped develop bold voices. I make things happen—and make them matter," Gundry states.

Two Continents and a Dream

Gundry is from Kilcoy in Queensland, Australia, but her ambition took her across the world to a whole other continent to fulfill her dream of working in the television production industry.

The first step in her journey was winning a scholarship to attend Bond University on the Gold Coast. She boldly decided to earn two degrees at the same time, one in business and the other in communications, and fast-tracked her academic career so she graduated in just three years.

Afterward, she interned in the United States at CBS News in Washington, D.C., a time one of the best in her life. Returning to Australia, she worked at MTV in Sydney, which was a pivotal learning experience. Despite these early successes, Gundry had higher aspirations.

“Don’t wait for permission. Audacity is your greatest asset,” Gundry says.

She packed her things and flew to Los Angeles without a job, no connections, very little money, and a vision to become one of the women in production. Having educated herself on how others had broken into the industry, she attended industry events and called every production company that was filming a pilot in Los Angeles.

Gundry got her break when the president of a production company responded to her email and invited her for an interview. She got the job.

Blending Sharp Comedy With Social Purpose

Gundry carved a space out for herself in the Los Angeles production landscape. She concentrated on low-budget scripted comedy that “hits hard without the price tag.” Later, she started her own production company, Cassowary Gumtree, a nod to her Australian roots, and set out to create culture-shaping content. Her niche, she says, is where creativity thrives under constraints. She’s also committed to promoting the voices of those who often are ignored.

“I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling to disrupt, entertain, and shift culture. I came up watching loud, unapologetic voices from Chris Lilley to Ellen DeGeneres. Comedy was my way in—but making work that matters is what keeps me here,” Gundry says.

Gundry has also faced challenges that forced her to reinvent herself. The pandemic hit just as she started to burn out. Then the Hollywood strikes hit and in the lull she was given the space to evaluate every aspect of her life.

“That pause became power. I used it to reinvent—from the inside out. I carved out a clear lane for myself: producing smart, low-budget film, TV, and live events that punch above their weight. And I began building The Five Method, a bold new framework for modern self-care that’s as unapologetic as the stories I tell,” Gundry says.

The Five Method is a new self-care framework that “reimagines wellness through the lens of radical reinvention, humor, and unapologetic prioritization of self.” Gundry developed this innovative approach for women like her in the industry and beyond. She’ll soon be launching workshops for The Five Method in Los Angeles in London.

As Gundry continues to produce pilots and develop new projects, she also has an eye on expanding into live events to create “unforgettable experiences.”

“I’m proud of where I’ve come from,” Gundry says, “and I’m just getting started."