Essie Davis
| Essie Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Esther Davis 1970 (age 45–46) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Spouse(s) | Justin Kurzel (m. 2002) |
| Children | 2 |
Esther "Essie" Davis (born 1970) is an Australian actress and singer.
Early life
Davis was raised on the outskirts of Hobart, Tasmania, the daughter of a local artist, George Davis. She was educated at Clarence High School; Rosny College; the University of Tasmania, where she was a member of the Old Nick Company; and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, where she graduated in 1992.[1]
Career
Her acting career began with the Bell Shakespeare company when, straight out of NIDA, she was cast as Juliet in the 1993 production of Romeo and Juliet.[2]
Her film career started with her role in the all-Australian 1995 movie Dad and Dave: On Our Selection, which starred Geoffrey Rush, Leo McKern, and Joan Sutherland. Her biggest movie roles are in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, director Richard Flanagan's 1998 Tasmanian film The Sound of One Hand Clapping, and Girl with a Pearl Earring.[1]
In 2003 she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her UK performance in the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire. In 2004 she starred in a Broadway production of Tom Stoppard's Jumpers, for which she earned a Tony Award nomination. In 2005 she appeared as Mrs. Nellie Lovett in the BBC production of Sweeney Todd with Ray Winstone.
In the 2008 film Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger she plays Esther's controlling mother. Also in 2008, she appeared in the film Australia with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, directed by Baz Luhrmann. The same year, Davis played Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof for the Melbourne Theatre Company.[3]
Davis returned to Tasmania to launch the Tasmanian Theatre Company in 2008 and help support local theatre while encouraging youth to continue participating in the arts.[4] In 2011, she received a Logie Award nomination for her role as Anouk in The Slap. In 2012, 2013 and 2015, Davis played Phryne Fisher, the central character in ABC Television's high-rating costume drama, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.[1]
Davis starred in Jennifer Kent's 2014 debut feature The Babadook. For her work in the film Davis was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, an AACTA International Award for Best Actress[5] and a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Leading Actress.[6]
In 2016 she will join the HBO series Game of Thrones in Season 6.[7]
Personal life
Davis married Justin Kurzel in 2002; the couple have two children,[8] twin daughters, Stella and Ruby.[9]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Custodian, TheThe Custodian | Jilly | |
| 1995 | Dad and Dave: On Our Selection | Kate Rudd | |
| 1996 | Lilian's Story | Zara | |
| 1996 | River Street | Wendy Davis | |
| 1997 | Blackrock | Det. Gilhooley | |
| 1997 | Two-Wheeled Time Machine, TheThe Two-Wheeled Time Machine | Young Alice | Short film |
| 1998 | Sound of One Hand Clapping, TheThe Sound of One Hand Clapping | Jean | |
| 2003 | Matrix Reloaded, TheThe Matrix Reloaded | Maggie | |
| 2003 | Pact, TheThe Pact | Helene Davis | |
| 2003 | Girl with a Pearl Earring | Catharina | |
| 2003 | Code 46 | Doctor | |
| 2003 | Matrix Revolutions, TheThe Matrix Revolutions | Maggie | |
| 2005 | Isolation | Orla | |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Web | Mrs. Arable | |
| 2008 | Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger | Grace Blueburger | |
| 2008 | Australia | Catherine "Cath" Carney Fletcher | |
| 2010 | South Solitary | Alma Stanley | |
| 2010 | Wedding Party, TheThe Wedding Party | Jane | |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Marella (voice) | |
| 2011 | Last Time I Saw Michael Gregg, TheThe Last Time I Saw Michael Gregg | Lottie | Video |
| 2011 | Burning Man | Karen | |
| 2014 | Babadook, TheThe Babadook | Amelia Vanek |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Water Rats | Senior Det. Nicola Bourke | "Blood Trail", "Dead or Alive" |
| 1997 | Ripper, TheThe Ripper | Evelyn Bookman | TV film |
| 1998 | Kings in Grass Castles | Mary Costello | TV miniseries |
| 1998 | Murder Call | Judy St. John | "Deadfall" |
| 2000 | Halifax f.p. | Alison Blount | "The Spider and the Fly" |
| 2001 | Corridors of Power | Sophie | "1.4" |
| 2002 | Young Lions | Julie Morgan | "1.2", "Mardi Gras" |
| 2003 | Enter the Matrix | Maggie (voice) | Video game |
| 2003 | After the Deluge | Beth | TV film |
| 2003 | Temptation | Julie | TV film |
| 2006 | Sweeney Todd | Mrs. Lovett | TV film |
| 2006 | Silence, TheThe Silence | Juliet Moore | TV film |
| 2011 | Cloudstreet | Dolly Pickles | TV miniseries |
| 2011 | Slap, TheThe Slap | Anouk | Main role |
| 2012-2015 | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Phryne Fisher | Lead role |
| 2014 | Poet in New York, AA Poet in New York | Caitlin Thomas | TV film |
| 2014 | Funny or Die | Amelia | "The Babadooks of Hazzard" |
| 2016 | Game of Thrones | "6.1" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Title | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Dad and Dave: On Our Selection | Nominated |
| 2000 | Best Actress in a Telefeature or Mini-Series | The Spider and The Fly | Nominated | |
| 2003 | Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy | After The Deluge | Won | |
| 2006 | Screamfest Horror Film Festival | Festival Trophy | Isolation | Won |
| 2011 | Film Critics Circle of Australia | Best Supporting Actor- Female | South Solitary | Won |
| 2012 | AACTA Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama | Cloudstreet | Nominated |
| ASTRA Awards | Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female | Nominated | ||
| Logie Awards | Most Outstanding Actress | The Slap | Nominated | |
| Film Critics Circle of Australia | Best Actress – Supporting Role | Burning Man | Nominated | |
| 2013 | AACTA Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Actress | Nominated | |
| Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival | Best Actress | The Babadook | Won | |
| Sitges Film Festival | Best Actress | Won | ||
| Toronto After Dark Film Festival | Best Actress | Won | ||
| AACTA Awards | Best Lead Actress | Nominated | ||
| Detroit Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| Houston Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| Online Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| San Francisco Film Critics Circle | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Best Breakthrough Performance | Nominated | ||
| Village Voice Film Poll | Best Actress | 3rd place | ||
| 2015 | Saturn Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | |
| Empire Awards | Best Newcomer- Female | Nominated | ||
| Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Leading Actress | Won | ||
| AACTA International Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
| Dorian Awards | Film Performance of The Year- Female | Nominated |
References
- 1 2 3 Essie Davis at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ Peter Gotting,"Big screen dreaming", The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 March 2004.
- ↑ Production details for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Melbourne Theatre Company website; accessed 10 October 2014.
- ↑ About The Tasmanian Theatre Company, tastheatre.com; accessed 10 October 2014.
- ↑ Mr. Babadook Speaks!
- ↑ For Your Consideration: The 2015 Chainsaw Award Nominees for Best Actress
- ↑ "Essie Davis joins the cast of Game of Thrones". Watchers on the Wall. 11 September 2015.
- ↑ Karl Quinn,"Lunch with Essie Davis", The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 March 2012.
- ↑ "True crime as a spectator sport" by Bryce Hallett, The Sydney Morning Herald, 11 December 2009
External links
- Article about her Laurence Olivier Award
- Article on Essie Davis
- Essie launches new Tassie Theatre Company
- The Adventuresses Club | An Essie Davis Fansite
- Essie Davis at the Internet Movie Database
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