Celia Ireland

Last updated

Celia Ireland
Celia Ireland in Attendance at Wentworth Con.png
Born (1966-05-16) 16 May 1966 (age 59)
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
Notable workTelevision:
All Saints
Wentworth
Film:
My Mother Frank
Australian Rules
SpouseTim [1]
Children2 [1]

Celia Ireland (born 16 May 1966) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Regina Butcher on the television series All Saints and her Logie award winning role as Liz Birdsworth on the prison drama series Wentworth .

Contents

Early life

Celia Ireland was born in Newcastle, New South Wales on 16 May 1966. She lived in Haig Street, Belmont, City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia with a large cast of older sisters and a brother. Celia attended Saint Mary's Catholic High School, Gateshead, City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales and later Saint Anne's/Saint Pius X College, Adamstown (Newcastle), New South Wales, Australia. Currently, she often visits Canberra, ACT and enjoys shopping and eating out.

Career

Ireland made her television debut in 1992 when she made a guest appearance on the Australian television series Police Rescue . What followed was a number of guesting roles on television series such as A Country Practice , Water Rats and Murder Call , to name but a few and the feature films Dallas Dolls in 1994, which was her film debut; Dad and Dave: On Our Selection , Floating Life , Idiot Box and Thank God He Met Lizzie , with Cate Blanchett; all of which she appeared in throughout the nineties.

In 1997, Ireland played Rosy's mother Filameena in the Australian children's television series Swinging for ABC TV.

In 1998, Ireland went on to voice Boronia in the Australian children's animated television series Petals for ABC TV and Mrs. Simms in the Australian children's animated television series Seaside Hotel for Seven Network and Yoram Gross EM TV in 2003.

In 1999, Ireland was cast as Regina Butcher on the Seven Network drama series All Saints, [2] first appearing during the series' second season. She left the series in 2005 during season eight after the character of Regina was written out.

While appearing on All Saints, Ireland continued to receive guest roles in several series and films; the Australian feature films After the Rain, My Mother Frank , Angst and Australian Rules , in which she received a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role; the popular Nine Network drama series McLeod's Daughters and Don't Blame Me . In 2006, Ireland played a recurring role in the second season of Supernova . Her other television credits include Monster House , Laid , Me and My Monsters , the television comedy-drama series Packed to the Rafters , and a recurring role as Connie Callahan in the Seven Network soap opera Home and Away ; the films Rogue , Cactus , Being Venice and Goddess.

In 2012, it was announced that Ireland had received the regular role of Liz Birdsworth on Australian prison drama series Wentworth , [3] a reimagining of the cult classic series Prisoner (Prisoner: Cell Block H) which aired on Network Ten from 1979 to 1986. Wentworth went to air on SoHo in mid-2013. Ireland had appeared as a regular in all three seasons, as a prisoner who gives peer support to her fellow inmates. Her character name is that of the original Prisoner character Lizzie Birdsworth, although Ireland plays a completely different character role to that of Sheila Florance's character, they do however share a similarity as Liz is a functioning alcoholic, Liz in season six of Wentworth would be diagnosed with Dementia.

Ireland would later exit the series in season 7 [4] alongside costar Tammy Macintosh, [5] Liz would pass away after suffering a stroke after the devastating Siege of Wentworth. Ireland and Milosevic who were filming that scene at the time were not told that a costume sale that was being organized was suddenly cancelled as the show had secured funding for its final 20 episodes. [6]

Post Wentworth

After leaving Wentworth, Ireland had joined the filming of both the first seasons of Five Bedrooms and Total Control. [7]

In 2022, Ireland joined several members of the Wentworth cast at the Wentworth Con fan convention that was held in Melbourne., [8] Ireland also appeared at Wentworth Con Florida.

In 2022, it was announced that Ireland would join the Sydney Theatre Company production of Hubris and Humiliation for its 2023 season. [9]

In 2024, after a multi year absence from television, Ireland was announced as part of the cast for Death in Paradise spin off series Return to Paradise. [10] Ireland played police volunteer Reggie Rocco in the ABC series. [11] Ireland would return for series two of the series when it was announced on 17 April 2025 that it had gone back into production. [12]

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994 Dallas Doll PolicewomanFeature film
1995 Dad and Dave: On Our Selection SarahFeature film
1996 Floating Life Feature film
Idiot Box BarmaidFeature film
1997 Thank God He Met Lizzie CherylFeature film
1999Oops!WomanShort film
2000After the RainStevie Canetti
My Mother Frank PeggyFeature film
Angst Case WorkerFeature film
2002 Australian Rules Liz BlackFeature film
2007 Rogue GwenFeature film
2008 Cactus VesnaFeature film
2012Being VeniceAustralian Woman
2013 Goddess MaryFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
1992 Police Rescue Lachlan's MotherSeason 2 (Episode: "Sugar")
1993 The Comedy Sale VariousSeason 1 (3 episodes)
A Country Practice Judy HallemSeason 13 (2 episodes)
1996 Water Rats Sarah FleetwoodSeason 1 (2 episodes)
1997 Swinging Filameena TurveySeason 1 (15 episodes)
1998 Petals Boronia (voice)Seasons 1 & 2
1999 Murder Call Barb FerrisSeason 3 (Episode: "Hide & Seek")
Dog's Head Bay Alice AstassioSeason 1 (4 episodes)
2002 Home and Away BernadetteSeason 15; Unknown episodes
McLeod's Daughters Melanie PowersSeason 2 (Episode: "The Bore War")
Don't Blame Me (aka Don't Blame the Koalas)SchoolteacherSeason 1 (Episode: "Fate Steps In")
1999–2005 All Saints Regina Butcher Seasons 2–8 (144 episodes)
2003Seaside HotelMrs. Simms (voice)Seasons 1 & 2
2006 Supernova ShirlSeason 2 (5 episodes)
2008 Monster House Karen WebbSeason 1 (2 episodes)
2011 Laid Brendan's MumSeason 1 (1 episode)
Me and My Monsters Pauline TravisSeason 2 (Episode: "The Monster-Sitter")
2013–14 Home and Away Connie CallahanSeasons 26–27 (9 episodes)
2013 Packed to the Rafters Colleen BourkeSeason 5 (2 episodes)
2013–2019 Wentworth Liz BirdsworthSeasons 1–7 (80 episodes)
2013 Redfern Now Nurse EdwardsSeason 2 (Episode: "Where the Heart Is")
2014 Rake Cop 1Season 3 (1 episode)
2019 Five Bedrooms Rhonda HibbertSeason 1 (2 episodes)
Total Control TracySeason 1 (6 episodes)
2024-present Return to Paradise Reggie RoccoTV series: 6 episodes [13]

Other appearances

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
2020Wentworth; Behind the Bars 2SelfNarrator TV Special
2021Wentworth Reunion EventSelfSpecial [14]
2019Wentworth: Behind The BarsSelfTV Special
2017Screen: Celia IrelandSelf1 episode [15]
Wentworth: Interrogation RoomSelfQ and A Video [16]
2016Thinkergirls PodSelfPodcast 1 episode [17]
An Audience with the Cast of Wentworth (TV series) SelfTV Special [18]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2002 AFI Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Australian Rules Nominated [19] [a]
FCCA Awards Best Actress – Supporting RoleWon [20] [b]
2015 ASTRA Awards Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor Wentworth Nominated [21] [c]
2016 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Supporting Actress Won [22] [d]
2018 AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama Nominated [23] [e]
Logie AwardsMost Outstanding Supporting ActressNominated [24] [f]
2019Most Outstanding Supporting ActressNominated [25] [g]

Notes

  1. The AFI Awards (now the AACTA Awards) are presented by the Australian Film Institute.
  2. The FCCA Awards are presented by the Film Critics Circle of Australia.
  3. Nominated for Season 2 of Wentworth.
  4. Won for Season 3 of Wentworth.
  5. Nominated for Season 6 of Wentworth.
  6. Nominated for Season 5 of Wentworth.
  7. Nominated for Season 6 of Wentworth.

References

  1. 1 2 Brygel, Jackie (25 July 2018). "Wentworth star Celia breaks silence: 'It hasn't been easy'". New Idea . Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  2. "Australian Television: All Saints: cast". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  3. Richards, Holly (17 July 2014). "Birdsworth's fear of freedom". au.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  4. "Wentworth star Celia breaks silence: 'It hasn't been easy'". 25 July 2018.
  5. "The Wentworth season finale will reveal Kaz Proctor's killer". 30 July 2019.
  6. Pobjie, Ben (22 July 2020). "Wentworth's most beloved inmate prepares for the show's last hurrah". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  7. (Cooper, Lorna - 27 August 2013) "Wentworth: Prisoner Cell Block H's gritty update". MSN . Retrieved 14 September 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. Knox, David (20 September 2022). ""The Wentworth community is very strong" | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  9. Wild, Stephi. "Sydney Theatre Company Presents HUBRIS & HUMILIATION". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  10. Slatter, Sean (9 April 2024). "Anna Samson to lead ABC's 'Return to Paradise' as production commences on NSW South Coast". IF Magazine. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  11. Sellers, Josie Rozenberg-Clarke, Wade (3 December 2024). "Wentworth star Celia discusses her new role on Return To Paradise". Now to Love - New Zealand. Retrieved 5 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. Knox, David (17 April 2025). "Filming begins on Return to Paradise S2 | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  13. Knox, David (9 April 2024). "Return to Paradise filming in Illawarra | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  14. Wentworth | The Reunion Special, 26 October 2021, retrieved 1 December 2023
  15. Stage & Screen S3E5 with Celia Ireland Cut Version, 31 March 2017, retrieved 1 December 2023
  16. Wentworth S5; Celia Ireland (Liz Birdsworth) Interviews, 25 June 2017, retrieved 1 December 2023
  17. "OLDIE EP 159: Celia Ireland joins Thinkergirl: The Podcast". 20 December 2016.
  18. Knox, David (27 April 2016). "Airdate: An Audience with the cast of Wentworth | TV Tonight". TV Tonight.
  19. "AACTA Awards 2002". aacta.org. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  20. Groves, Don (31 October 2002). "'Tracker' jumps Oz 'Fence'". Variety . Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  21. Knox, David (8 May 2016). "ASTRA Awards 2015: nominees". TV Tonight . Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  22. Knox, David (10 February 2015). "2016 Logie Awards: winners". TV Tonight . Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  23. "2018 AACTA Awards". aacta.org. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  24. Knox, David (27 May 2018). "Logie Awards 2018: nominees". TV Tonight . Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  25. Knox, David (30 June 2019). "Logie Awards 2019: winners". TV Tonight . Retrieved 14 June 2022.