Jillian Nguyen

Last updated

Jillian Nguyen
Born
Nguyen Tran Huyen Dieu

1992or1993(age 32–33)
Sungai Besi, Malaysia
NationalityAustralian
OccupationActress
Notable credits

Jillian Nguyen (born 1992or1993) is an Australian actress. She has played main roles in the 2022 film Loveland , the 2022 ABC television series Barons , and the 2023 animated film Scarygirl , as well as supporting roles in the 2020 SBS ensemble drama Hungry Ghosts , the 2021 film Millie Lies Low , and the 2023 mystery drama One Night .

Contents

Early life and education

Nguyen was born Nguyen Tran Huyen Dieu in a camp for Vietnamese refugees in Sungai Besi, Malaysia, in 1992or1993. [1] [2] Her parents had fled Vietnam separately, met in the camp in 1990 and were married, then stayed in the camp until the family was granted refugee status in Australia in 1994. Nguyen was 14 months old when the family arrived in Australia. [3]

She grew up in Melbourne, graduated from the University of Melbourne, and pursued additional acting training at Melbourne's 16th Street Actors Studio. [1] She trained with Philippe Gaulier at École Philippe Gaulier in France. [4]

Career

After acting on stage in a 2018 production of the Daniel Keene play The Serpent's Teeth, [5] Nguyen began her screen career with a brief appearance in the 2019 film True History of the Kelly Gang . [1] In 2020 she appeared as Sophie Tran in Hungry Ghosts , a four-episode ensemble drama about the lives of Vietnamese families in Australia that was written by Vietnamese-Australian screenwriters and starred several Vietnamese-Australian actors. [6] Nguyen played Carolyn, the duplicitous best friend of Ana Scotney's main character Millie, in the Michelle Savill-directed 2021 film Millie Lies Low . In a review for Screen Daily , Tara Judah noted that Nguyen was "tasked with playing a two-faced bestie in too little screen time" and criticized the director for focusing too much on the main character rather than the supporting cast. [7]

Her first larger roles came in 2022. In the science-fiction film Loveland , Nguyen played April, a nightclub singer who forms a mysterious relationship with the protagonist Jack. [8] The New York Times called Loveland, which was released under the title Expired in the US, "an art-house fugue disguised as a genre flick". [9] In the ABC television series Barons , about the early days of a fictional Australian surfwear company modeled after Quiksilver, Nguyen played Tracy Dwyer, the fiancée, and later wife, of the company's founder. [10] Louise Rugendyke of the Sydney Morning Herald noted that in comparison to the rest of the main characters, Tracy is "smarter than all of them". [11]

Nguyen joined the voice cast of the animated film Scarygirl in the lead role of Arkie. [12] She also joined the cast of Shayda , directed by Noora Niasari, [13] with whom Nguyen had previously worked on the short film Tâm. [14] A supporting role as a journalist in the 2023 Emily Ballou-written Paramount+ mystery drama One Night followed. [15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2019 True History of the Kelly Gang ,Molly Kane [1]
2020Hook UpLucyShort
TâmTâmShort
The Story of Lee PingLee PingShort
2021 Millie Lies Low Caroyln [7]
2022ExpiredAprilFilm
2023 Shayda Vi [16]
Scarygirl Arkle (voice) [17]
2024Me & Mazzy MelancholySuitcaseShort
2024Light Can't EscapeHarrietShort


Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
2020 Hungry Ghosts Sophie Tran4 episodes [6]
2021ClickbaitAlison1 episode
2022 Barons Tracy8 episodes [10]
2023 The Clearing Sylvie Lee3 episodes
2023 One Night Eden4 episodes [15]
2024White FeverKai2 episodes
2025 Apple Cider Vinegar Poh4 episodes
2025 Warm Props [18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Quigley, Genevieve (24 April 2022). "From refugee camp to television star: The inspiring life of Barons' Jillian Nguyen". The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  2. ↑ Nguyen, Jillian (26 September 2018). "Meet the Asian-Australian filmmakers here to change the narrative, part one". i-D . Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  3. ↑ Albert, Jane (20 January 2021). "An actor's remarkable family journey leads to making movie history". Australian Financial Review . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Grievson, Tom. "Shayda" (PDF). miff industry.com. Miff Industry. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  5. ↑ Blake, Jason (16 November 2018). "The Serpent's Teeth". Audrey Journal. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  6. 1 2 Quinn, Karl (13 August 2020). "Chapter and diverse: SBS's Hungry Ghosts goes all out for authenticity". The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  7. 1 2 Judah, Tara (13 March 2022). "'Millie Lies Low': SXSW Review". Screen Daily . Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  8. ↑ Buckmaster, Luke (21 March 2022). "Loveland review – Hugo Weaving sci-fi flick is big, bold and ponderous". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  9. ↑ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (18 March 2022). "Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  10. 1 2 Buckmaster, Luke (24 April 2022). "Barons review – sunkissed 70s surfing series is all about aesthetics". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  11. ↑ Rugendyke, Louise (16 April 2022). "Best mates turned bitter rivals: ABC's Barons takes on '70s surf culture". The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  12. ↑ Slatter, Sean (16 August 2022). "Jillian Nguyen, Sam Neill, Anna Torv lead voice cast of 'Scarygirl'". IF Magazine . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  13. ↑ Ritman, Alex (21 May 2022). "'Holy Spider' Star Zar Amir-Ebrahimi to Lead Noora Niasari's 'Shayda' for Origma 45, Cate Blanchett's Dirty Films (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  14. ↑ Barraclough, Leo (13 July 2021). "Krasnoff/Foster, Sister Partner on 'Raya,' Noora Niasari to Adapt Novel, Direct". Variety . Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  15. 1 2 Buckmaster, Luke (31 August 2023). "One Night review – Jodie Whittaker is a highlight in this lacklustre series". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  16. ↑ Linden, Sheri (19 January 2023). "'Shayda' Review: An Iranian-Australian Filmmaker's Affecting Drama of Maternal Strength". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  17. ↑ Buckmaster, Luke (25 October 2023). "Scarygirl review – Tim Minchin, Deborah Mailman and Sam Neill add star power to tedious animation". The Guardian . Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  18. ↑ Knox, David (22 May 2025). "Airdate: SBS Digital Originals: Moonbird, Warm Props, Moni. | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
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