Helen Thomson | |
---|---|
Education | University of Southern Queensland (USQ) |
Years active | 1990–present |
Known for | Elvis (2022) Colin from Accounts |
Spouse | David Roberts (m. 2000) |
Children | 2 |
Helen Thomson is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Gladys Presley in the biographical film Elvis (2022).
Thomson grew up on a farm outside Thangool in central Queensland, as one of five children. [1]
At the age of 14, her mother took her to see a stage production of Steaming at Rockhampton's Pilbeam Theatre, in which Genevieve Lemon’s performance inspired her to become an actor. She went on to study drama at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). [2]
When Thomson began her acting career, she was cast as Abigail Williams in a 1991 Queensland Theatre Company production of The Crucible , which she credits with helping launch her career. [1]
Her early stage roles include playing Desdemona in Othello and appearing opposite Geoffery Rush in The Dutch Courtesan , both at the Melbourne Theatre Company, after which time she relocated to Sydney. [2] She went on to appear in numerous productions for the Sydney Theatre Company including Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia , a Judy Davis-directed production of The School for Scandal , God of Carnage . She also featured in Measure for Measure for Belvoir Theatre Company and Ray Lawler’s Summer of the Seventeenth Doll in Melbourne. [2]
Thomson received a Helpmann Awards nomination for her performance in In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) . [2] In 2024, she appeared in Belvoir Street Theatre’s production of August: Osage County. [3]
She has been a frequent collaborator with her husband David Roberts. [4]
Thomson has appeared in numerous television shows including A Country Practice , Water Rats , Blue Heelers , Stupid Stupid Man , Bad Mothers . Other credits include Jane Campion's Top of the Lake: China Girl , Fires and playing Prime Minister Angela Sway in season 5 of Rake . [5] opposite Richard Roxburgh.
She plays Ashley's mother Lynelle, in award-winning Australian dramedy television series Colin from Accounts . In 2025 she appeared in Foxtel series The Last Anniversary , [6] [7] executive produced by Nicole Kidman and based on the hit novel by Liane Moriarty.
Thomson's film credits include comedy drama La Spagnola (2002) and A Man's Gotta Do (2004). She received an Australian Film Institute Awards nomination for her role in 2003 comedy crime thriller Gettin' Square , in which she starred opposite Timothy Spall [2] and Sam Worthington.
She portrayed the role of Gladys Presley, the mother of Elvis Presley (played by Austin Butler), in the 2022 Baz Luhrmann biographical film Elvis , [8] scoring the role after Maggie Gyllenhaal was unable to take part. [9]
In 2025, she appeared in comedy film Spit , [10] a spin-off of Gettin' Square .
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Bloodmoon | Mary Huston | ||
1997 | Thank God He Met Lizzie (aka The Wedding Party) | Emma | ||
1999 | Strange Planet | Lulu | ||
2001 | La Spagnola | Wendy | [2] | |
2003 | Kangaroo Jack | TV Announcer | ||
Gettin' Square | Marion Barrington | [2] | ||
The Rage in Placid Lake | Teacher 1 | |||
Redskin | Short film | [11] | ||
2004 | A Man's Gotta Do | Tina | [2] | |
2022 | Elvis | Gladys Presley | [8] | |
2023 | The Rooster | Lorraine | [12] | |
A Savage Christmas | Brenda Savage | [13] | ||
2025 | Spit | Marion Barrington | [10] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | A Country Practice | Charlotte O'Neill | 2 episodes: "Floating on Air: Parts 1 & 2" | |
1994 | G.P. | Janine | Episode: "Breaking Out" | |
1996 | Water Rats | Anne Harvey | Episode: "Pay Back" | |
1997 | Home and Away | Claudia Miles | Episode #1.2137 | |
Big Sky | Tessa Coburn | Episode: "You Must Remember This" | ||
1998 | Murder Call | Chyna Gold | Episode: "Dared to Death" | |
2000 | Nowhere to Land | Claire Munson | TV film | |
2001 | Water Rats | Nerida | Episode: "Another Man's Poison" | |
2002 | White Collar Blue | Rita Calliope | Episode #1.4 | |
2002–2003 | Bad Cop, Bad Cop | Tracy Lafever | 8 episodes | [14] |
2003 | Blue Heelers | Dr. Tatiana Zylinski | 6 episodes | |
Stingers | Selma Katsonis | Episode: "Conversations with the Dead" | ||
MDA | Nerida Bailey | 2 episodes | ||
Kath & Kim | Receptionist | Episode: "The Moon" | ||
2005 | BlackJack: In the Money | Sandra Miller | TV film | |
2008 | The Informant | Lucy Norris | TV film | |
2006–2008 | Stupid, Stupid Man | Carol Van Dyke | 9 episodes | |
2007 | All Saints | Sharon Cox | Episode: "Smoke and Mirrors" | |
Bastard Boys | Valerie Corrigan | Miniseries, 4 episodes | [15] | |
2009 | The Jesters | Harriet | Episode: "Hard Time Getting Soft Time" | |
30 Seconds | Faith O'Callaghan | Episode: "A Matter of Trust" | ||
2012 | Nick & Seaton's Palace of Sexy Secrets | Various | 2 episodes | |
2013 | Mr & Mrs Murder | Olivia Patterson | Episode: "The Art of Murder" | |
2014 | Wonderland | Jackie Page | Episode: "Monogamy" | |
2014 | Rake | Margot | Episode #3.2 | [5] |
2015 | Catching Milat | Dr. Miriam Bentley | Miniseries, episode #1.1 | |
2016 | Love Child | Eleanor | Episode #3.4 | |
2016–2017 | Doctor Doctor | Nora | 4 episodes | |
2017 | Top of the Lake | Felicity | 3 episodes | |
Pulse | Lorraine Walsh | 2 episodes | ||
A Place to Call Home | Gerda Davis | 2 episodes | ||
2018 | Rake | PM Angela Way | 3 episodes | |
2019 | Bad Mothers | Liz | 7 episodes | |
2021 | Fires | Yvonne Webber | 2 episodes | |
2022 | Irreverent | Antoinette | 4 episodes | |
2022–2024 | Colin from Accounts | Lynelle | 9 episodes | [16] |
2023 | One Night | Lindy | 3 episodes | |
Wolf Like Me | Jackie | Episode #2.1 | ||
2025 | The Last Anniversary | Enigma | 6 episodes | [17] [6] [7] |