Nadia Townsend

Last updated

Nadia Townsend
Born (1979-11-27) 27 November 1979 (age 44)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupations
Years active1999–current
Height174 cm (5.7 ft)
Parent
Website nadiatownsend.com

Nadia Townsend (born 27 November 1979) is an Australian actress and film dramaturge. She portrayed Allie Kingston in the Channel 7 police drama, City Homicide , from 2009 to 2011. In 2009 she appeared in the United States produced science fiction thriller film, Knowing , playing Grace Koestler, alongside Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne. She was assistant dramaturge on George Miller's film, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

Contents

Biography

Nadia Townsend was born in Sydney on 27 November 1979 and lived in Gladesville, the younger daughter of television presenter, producer and print journalist, Simon Townsend (born 1945) and his second wife Rosanna (c. 1950–2003). [1] [2] She grew up with an elder brother (born 1978). [2] Their elder half-sister Lisbeth Kennelly (born c. 1968), had been put up for adoption soon after she was born: her parents (Simon and a former girlfriend) had already separated. [2] [3] The Townsend family were reunited with Kennelly in 1992, she had also become an actress. [3] [4]

As a child, Towsend began ballet lessons but was removed for talking too much. [1] For secondary education she attended Hunters Hill High School, [1] where she befriended fellow future actress, Rose Byrne, in a year 9 Science class. [5] Townsend studied at the Australian Theatre for Young People, Sydney. [1] After meeting visiting United States film and theatre actor, producer and director, Robert Bella, at age 18, she was accepted as a student at his Atlantic Theater Company, New York. [1] [6]

Her first television role was playing Clare Gormley in the ABC drama series, Head Start (2001) for 18 episodes. [7] Townsend took the role of Bec in Matt Bird-directed horror thriller film, Blue Neon (2001). [8] She appeared in Fireflies (February–June 2004) as Fiona "Fifi" Sharp, a rural fire-fighter, for ABC-TV, which was produced by John Edwards. [9] Townsend and her half-sister, Kennelly both acted in a theatre drama, Loss and Gloss (December 2004), co-written by mother-daughter writers, Helen and Sophie Townsend. [10] [11] [12] She took the lead role of Liz, an abductee, in the black comedy feature film, Puppy (2005), alongside Bernard Curry as her abductor. [13]

In 2008, Townsend relocated to Melbourne to study at the Victorian College of the Arts gaining her post-graduate degree in theatre directing. [12] In 2009, Townsend appeared in the US-produced film, Knowing , playing Grace Koestler, opposite Hollywood star Nicolas Cage and Byrne. From August 2009, she portrayed a detective, Allie Kingston, in the Channel 7 police drama, City Homicide , starting in its third season in the episode, "Meet and Greet". [14] She continued the role in season four (2010) and its mini-series continuation, City Homicide: No Greater Honour (2011). [15] [16]

In June 2013, she appeared in the theatre production of Neil LaBute's Helter Skelter at Old 505 Theatre, Surry Hills. [17] She is also a film dramaturge, a rare job in Australia; she had been mentored by Nico Lathouris. [18] In 2015, she was assistant dramaturge to Lathouris on George Miller's latest instalment of the Mad Max franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road . [18] She is a co-founding member of Turtle Lab, a performance laboratory. [18] In 2016, she appeared in the TV sci-fi thriller film, Restoration , playing Emma Laws. [19]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001Blue NeonBec
2001Neophytes and Neon LightsAtari
2003 Danny Deckchair Linda Craig
2005 Puppy LizLead role
2007What They Don't KnowLucyShort
2007MonkeynautAble (voice)Short
2009 Knowing Grace Koestler
2010The Zombie MonologuesAnnieShort
2012Forget the NoiseFlorenceShort
2013Ten Forty-FiveGunslingerShort
2016 Restoration Emma Laws
2017ConcealedSallie
2019 Little Monsters Sara

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001 Head Start Clare GormleyRegular role, 18 episodes
2002 My Hero Episode: "Zero Tolerance"
2002 Farscape Kim KuppersteinEpisode: "Kansas"
2004 Fireflies Fiona "Fifi" SharpMain role, telemovie + 20 episodes
2005LifeNina PinkTV film
2005–06 headLand MJ FinneganRegular role
2007 Sea Patrol Clair WattsEpisode: "Rescue Me"
2007 Chandon Pictures ZoeEpisodes: "Champion Charles", "White Ants"
2009–2011 City Homicide Allie KingstonMain role, 47 episodes
2011 Rush SarahEpisode: "4.13"
2013 Home and Away Dr. Peta BradleyRecurring role
2014 Old School RebeccaEpisode: "Smash Repairs"
2015 Love Child EleanorEpisodes: "2.5", "2.6"
2015Fresh Blood Pilot SeasonEpisode: "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am"
2016 Brock Pauline Moffat/Sue McCureTV miniseries

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigrid Thornton</span> Australian actress

Sigrid Madeline Thornton is an Australian film and television actress. Her television work includes Prisoner (1979–80), All the Rivers Run (1983), SeaChange (1998–2019) and Wentworth (2016–2018). She also starred in the American Western series Paradise (1988–91). Her film appearances include Snapshot (1979), The Man from Snowy River (1982), Street Hero (1984) and Face to Face (2011). She won the AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama for the 2015 miniseries Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Byrne</span> Australian actress (born 1979)

Mary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut in the film Dallas Doll (1994), and continued to act in Australian film and television throughout the 1990s. She obtained her first leading film role in The Goddess of 1967 (2000), which brought her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, and made the transition to American cinema in the small role of Dormé in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), followed by parts in Hollywood productions of Troy (2004), 28 Weeks Later (2007) and Knowing (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasma Walton</span> Australian actress

Tasma Walton is an Australian television and film actress.

Simon Townsend is an Australian journalist who became a popular television host during the 1980s. He is now retired.

Simon Townsend's Wonder World! is an Australian children's television show that aired on Network Ten from 1979 until 1987. It was created and hosted by journalist Simon Townsend. In 1993, the show was relaunched on the Nine Network as Wonder World!, hosted by Pascall Fox.

Anita Hegh is an Australian actress, known for starring in the television series Stingers, Janet King, and the ABC drama Total Control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudia Karvan</span> Australian actress (born 1972)

Claudia Karvan is an Australian actress and producer. As a child actor, she first appeared in the film Molly (1983) and followed with an adolescent role in High Tide (1987). She portrayed a teacher in The Heartbreak Kid (1993) – the film was spun off into a TV series, Heartbreak High (1994–1999), with her character taken over by Sarah Lambert. Karvan's roles in television series include The Secret Life of Us (2001–2005), Love My Way (2004–2007), Newton's Law (2017) and Halifax: Retribution (2020). She won Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama at the AFI Awards for her appearance in G.P. (1996). She won two similar AFI Awards for her role in Love My Way and in 2014 for her work in The Time of Our Lives (2013–2014). As a co-producer and co-writer on Love My Way, she won three further AFI Awards for Best Drama Series in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Karvan was inducted into the Australian Film Walk of Fame in 2007 in acknowledgment of her contributions to the Australian film and television industry. From 2010 to 2011, she starred in the drama series Spirited, which she co-created and was executive producer. She appeared as Judy Vickers in Puberty Blues. Karvan has co-produced House of Hancock and Doctor Doctor (2016–2021). In 2021 she co-created, co-produced and starred in the TV drama series, Bump.

John Adam is an Australian television and theatre actor. He has had three roles in the soap opera Home and Away as Dave Porter (1990), Luke Cunningham (1993–94) and Senior Detective Atticus Decker (2016). From 2009 until the series' cancellation, Adam starred as Detective Senior Constable Nick Buchanan in City Homicide. He has also appeared in Water Rats, All Saints and Neighbours, as well as various theatre productions.

Nadia Tass is an Australian theatre director and film director and producer. She is known for the films Malcolm (1986) and The Big Steal (1990), as well as an extensive body of work in the theatre, both in Australia and internationally.

Esme Melville was an Australian theatre, television and film actress. At the Tropfest awards for 2003 she won Best Actor – Female for her role of Granma in the short film, Forbidden. At the 2007 Australian Film Institute Awards she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Miss Collard in Romulus, My Father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nadine Garner</span> Australian actress (born 1970)

Nadine Lynette Garner is an Australian actress who started her career as a teen performer.

<i>City Homicide</i> Australian television series

City Homicide is an Australian television drama series that aired on the Seven Network between 27 August 2007 and 30 March 2011. The series was set on the Homicide floor of a metropolitan police headquarters in Melbourne. The main characters were six detectives, who solve the murder cases, and their three superior officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lara Robinson</span> Australian actress (born 1998)

Lara Robinson is an Australian actress who has appeared in films, television series, and theatre productions.

<i>Wrong World</i> 1985 film by Ian Pringle

Wrong World is a 1985 Australian drama film directed by Ian Pringle and starring Richard Moir, Jo Kennedy, Nick Lathouris, Robbie McGregor, and Esben Storm. It was filmed in Nhill and Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, with additional scenes in La Paz, Bolivia and New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christie Whelan Browne</span> Australian actress

Christine Whelan Browne is an Australian performer who has worked extensively in musical theatre as an actress, dancer and singer. She has also appeared on television shows and in films. In March 2012, she married fellow performer, Rohan Browne.

Michele Fawdon (1947–2011) was an English-born Australian actress and singer. She is known for her roles in TV serials Matlock Police (1971–1974), The Unisexers (1975) and A Country Practice. In 1979 she won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Cathy's Child (1979) and Australian Film Institute Award for Best Lead Actress for a Telefeature for The Fish Are Safe (1986) in 1987. She died of an unspecified cancer.

Chloé Boreham, is a Franco-Australian actress. She is best known for the leading role as detective Bridget Anderson on the Channel 7 television drama The Killing Field.

Geraldine Hakewill is an Australian-raised actress, who as Geri is also a singer and songwriter. She acted as Chelsea Babbage in the Australian TV series Wanted for three seasons from 2016 to 2018 and Peregrine Fisher the titular character in Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries for two seasons from 2019 to 2021.

<i>Harrow</i> (TV series) 2018 Australian medical drama/mystery TV series

Harrow is an Australian television drama series, which ran for three series of ten episodes each. The first series premiered on ABC on 9 March 2018. The second began on 12 May 2019, while the third started on 7 February 2021. The series was created by Stephen M. Irwin and Leigh McGrath, who are also its scriptwriters, and stars Ioan Gruffudd. Gruffudd made his directorial debut during the third series in February 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgina Naidu</span>

Georgina Naidu is an Australian actress, stage writer and university lecturer. From Melbourne, she began acting from an early age and completed her professional training with the Victorian College of the Arts in 1994. She began her film career taking small roles, such as Mary in the 1998 film Dead Letter Office. Her television career has also been formed of many guest roles in Australian drama series. Her role as Phrani Gupta in the 1998 Australian Broadcasting Corporation drama SeaChange heightened her profile. The actress continued to play numerous roles in film and television over the two decades that followed. She also studied law and became a university lecturer.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Shearer, Geoff (5 August 2009). "Simon Townsend's daughter Nadia Townsend enjoys drama". The Courier Mail . Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Life's a wonder in Simon's world". The Australian Women's Weekly. TV World. Vol. 48, no. 39. 4 March 1981. p. 51. Retrieved 3 March 2021– via National Library of Australia.
  3. 1 2 "Simon Townsend's Wonder World! | About". Simon Townsend Journalism. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Bondfield, Mel. "Simon before Wonder World". National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA). Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2021– via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ Wood, Stephanie (4 September 2015). "Rose Byrne to star in Sydney Theatre Company's 2016 Speed-the-Plow" . The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2021– via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "Event: Chambres". AusStage. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Zuk, Tim. "Head Start". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Big screen 2004: Blue Neon + Stuffed Bunny". ScreenSound. 9 September 2004. Archived from the original on 18 July 2005. Retrieved 2 March 2021– via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ Zuk, Tim. "Fireflies". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Event: Loss and Gloss". AusStage . Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  11. ↑ Fottrell, Quentin (31 October 2009). "A letter from America - and a bum note from the backbenches". The Irish Times. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  12. 1 2 "City Homicide: Nadia Townsend". Yahoo7. Archived from the original on 20 August 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "Puppy". Puppy The Movie Official Site. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  14. ↑ Zuk, Tim. "City Homicide: Episode Guide Series 3". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  15. ↑ Zuk, Tim. "City Homicide: Episode Guide Series 4". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  16. ↑ Zuk, Tim. "City Homicide". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  17. ↑ Blake, Jason (24 June 2013). "Cosy night descends into wild ride" . The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  18. 1 2 3 "Tutor: Nadia Townsend". Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS). Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2021– via National Library of Australia.
  19. ↑ "Nadia turns to Restoration"
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.