| Deborah Mailman |
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| Born |
(1972-07-14) 14 July 1972
Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia |
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| Occupation |
Actress |
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| Partner(s) |
Matthew Coonan |
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| Children |
2 |
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Deborah Mailman (born 14 July 1972) is an Australian television and film actress. She was the first Aboriginal actress to win the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and had gone on to win four more both in television and film. She is well known for having played the character Kelly Lewis on successful Australian television series, The Secret Life of Us. She is also well known for her current role as Cherie Butterfield in the successful Australian drama series Offspring. She starred in lead roles in the acclaimed films Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Sapphires, and Paper Planes.
Early life
Mailman grew up in Mount Isa in north-west Queensland.[1] She is one of five children born to Wally Mailman, a famous rodeo rider and horseman, and Jane (Heeni) Mailman, the daughter of a preacher and talented musician. She has both Indigenous Australian (Bidjara) and Māori (Ngati Porou and Te Arawa) heritage. In 1992, she graduated from Queensland University of Technology Academy of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Performing Arts. Since then she has worked extensively in Australian film, television and theater as well as many contributions overseas.[2]
Career
Mailman at Australian Film Walk of Fame at Randwick Ritz, The Spot Festival
Mailman played the role of Kate in a La Boite Theatre production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew in 1994.[3][4] Other early stage roles include solo show The Seven Stages of Grieving (which she co-wrote with Wesley Enoch) for Kooemba Jdarra, Queensland Theatre Company's 1997 revival of Louis Nowra's play Radiance, and Cordelia in King Lear for Bell Shakespeare in 1998.[5][6]
In 1998, Mailman made her film debut as Nona in the Australian independent film Radiance (based on the play), for which she won the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.[1] From here she has since become one of Australia's most prominent local actors especially through her lead role on The Secret Life of Us, a role for which she was twice awarded Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series at the Logies (2002 and 2004). She stayed during the shows entire duration (2001–2006).
Mailman was featured prominently in the Leah Purcell documentary Black Chicks Talking (2001), where she candidly discussed her thoughts about her Aboriginal heritage.[7] In 2006, she took part in a four-part television documentary series with Cathy Freeman called Going Bush, where the pair set off on a journey from Broome to Arnhem Land spending time with Indigenous communities along the way.[8]
She appeared in the Play School TV series and was part of The Actors Company for the Sydney Theatre Company (2006–2007).[9]
She appeared in the film Rabbit-Proof Fence.[5] She played a lead role in the 2010 musical film Bran Nue Dae.[10] In the play The Sapphires and the subsequent film of the same name she played the role of singer Gail McCrae.
She was awarded an Inside Film Award for her short film Ralph, which starred Madeleine Madden.[11] From 2010 to 2014, she played the role of Cherie Butterfield in Channel Ten's Offspring drama series.[12]
In 2012, she starred in Redfern Now, an indigenous mini-series for the ABC.[13]
On 29 January 2015, Mailman co-hosted the AACTA Awards with Cate Blanchett.[14]
Personal life
Mailman's partner is advertising executive Matthew Coonan. They have two sons, Henry and Oliver.[15] Deborah has four siblings.
Filmography
Awards and nominations
Mailman's plaque at the Australian Film Walk of Fame, Ritz Cinema, Randwick, Sydney
| Year |
Category |
Film |
Result |
| 2010 |
Best Supporting Actress |
Bran Nue Dae |
Nominated |
| 2013 |
Best Actress |
The Sapphires |
Nominated |
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Other awards
| Year |
Category |
Result |
| 2003 |
NAIDOC Person of the Year |
Won |
| 2003 |
Female Actor of the Year |
Won |
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References
External links
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| | | Key: (a)= Winner of Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series
(b)= Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy |
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- Complete list
- (2003–2020)
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