"Australian Actresses,
Famous Australian Women"

Australian actresses section provides a quick outline about some of the Australian celebrities that have made an international career in movies or theatre.

Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Tony Colette are just three of these famous Australian women. Below is a brief overview of their achievements.

You can find more information about them and all the awards they received by browsing Wikipedia.

Australian Actresses - Nicole Kidman

Photo courtesy of Michael AlbovNicole Kidman is one of the most famous Australians.

She started her career, as a teenager, in the early 80s. Some of the films where she made an appearance include the children’s movie "BMX Bandits" and "Bush Christmas". She played in television shows, such as "Five Mile Creek" or "A Country Practice", a long running drama.

Kidman was highly acclaimed for her leading role in the Australian film "Dead Calm', which set her on the road to stardom in 1989.

Her career includes:

• an Oscar (2002) for her portrayal of Virginia Wolf in "The Hours",
• three Golden Globe awards:
• in 1995 for her role in "To Die For",
• in 2001 for "Moulin Rouge",
• in 2002 for "The Hours"
• several nominations for the Golden Globe and Oscar,
• many other prestigious awards and nominations of the film industry.

As of 2003 she has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

With such a career it is not a wonder that in 2006 she topped the list of the highest-paid actresses.

Australia has honoured her career and her contribution to humanitarian causes by making Nicole Kidman a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2006.

Photo courtesy of MarthaIn 2008 she starred next to Hugh Jackman in the epic movie "Australia", directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Nicole is currently married to one of the famous Australian singers, Keith Urban. The two celebrities have a daughter.

She was also married previously to Tom Cruise. They have adopted two children.

Australian Actresses - Cate Blanchett

Photo courtesy of SiebbiCate Blanchett began her career in theatre in 1992.

Two years later she played Ophelia in the "Hamlet" production of the Company B theatre in Sydney.

"Paradise Road", directed by another famous Australian, Bruce Beresford, marked her international debut in a movie in 1997.

In 1998 her astonishing portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I won her a Golden Globe, a BAFTA award and an Oscar nomination.

Playing strong and influential characters proved a successful strategy for Cate Blanchett:

• In 2005 she won an Oscar for starring as Katherine Hepburn in "The Aviator" by Martin Scorsese.
• In 2007 she received two Oscar nominations:
• one for the best actress in "Elizabeth the Golden Age", the sequel to her first movie "Elizabeth",
• and the second for best supporting actress in 'I’m Not There", where she played one of the six Bob Dylan characters in the picture.

Cate has an impressive list of awards and nominations for almost all the films she played in. She has a star in the Holywood Walk of Fame since 2008.

Cate continues to love theatre. She and her husband, Andrew Upton, another famous Australian dramatist and director are currently part of the board of directors and artistic co-directors of the Sydney Theatre Company.

In 2009 Cate Blanchett played in Sydney Theatre's production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" and in 2010 she will play in "Uncle Vanya".

Other Famous Australian Women -
Toni Collette

She started her career with the Australian comedy "Spotswood" in 1992 where she played next to Anthony Hopkins and Russell Crowe.

The 1994 movie "Murriel’s Wedding" won her the:

• Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress,
• Australian Film Critics Award for Best Actress,
• and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress

Toni Collette’s status of international celebrity came with her nomination for an Oscar in 1997 for the movie "The Sixth Sense".

She received various nominations for her performance in "Little Miss Sunshine" in 2006, including a Golden Globe, Australian Film Institute and BAFTA award nominations.

In 2009 she won the Emmy for the best leading actress in the "United States of Tara" television series. This role won her a Golden Globe, her first, in 2010.

Her awards are not limited to movies. She received a Tony award nomination for "The Wild Party" musical on Broadway.

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