Penny McNamee

Last updated

Penny McNamee
Born
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)Actress, Model
Years active1993–present
Spouse
Matt Tooker
​
(m. 2009)​
Children2
Family Jessica McNamee (sister)
Teagan Croft (niece)

Penny McNamee (born 17 March 1983) is an Australian actress, screenwriter and author, best known for originating the role of Nessarose in the Australian premier of Wicked, playing Dr. Tori Morgan in Home and Away and writing the Stage Stars book series for Scholastic. [1]

Contents

It was recently announced that Mcnamee will be starring as MTV reporter Rachel in the Australian premiere production of MJ the Musical. [2]


Early and personal life

Penny McNamee was born in Sydney to Peter and Helen McNamee. She has three sisters, including actress Jessica McNamee, and a younger brother. [3] [4] Through her sister Rebecca, she is the aunt of actress Teagan Croft. Her cousin, Madelaine Collignon, is a news presenter for Prime7.

McNamee married Matt Tooker, director of a marketing agency, in 2009. They have a son. [3] [5] McNamee gave birth to their second child, a daughter, in March 2019. [6] [7]

Career

Theatre

In 2025, McNamee will star as MTV reporter Rachel in MJ the Musical. The show will open at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney in March 2025. [8]

McNamee starred opposite Lucy Durack, Todd McKenney and Shane Jacobson in the critcally acclaimed Neil Simon play, the Odd Couple at both the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne and the Theatre Royal in Sydney. [9]

McNamee is perhaps best known on stage for her portrayal of Nessarose in the original Australian cast of Wicked [10] for which she won the 2009 Green Room Award for Best Female in a Featured Role. [11] The show opened on 12 July 2008, in Melbourne, where it ran for 13 months, closing on 9 August 2009. It then transferred to Sydney from 12 September 2009. McNamee played her final performance at the Capitol Theatre on 12 March 2010.

McNamee originated the role of Jennifer Gabriel in Cameron Mackintosh's production of The Witches of Eastwick . [12] The show opened at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne and McNamee was nominated for a Mo Award for Best New Talent.

McNamee played the lead role of Jerusha Abbott in John Caird and Paul Gordon's musical Daddy Long Legs . Based on the book of the same name, Daddy Long Legs played at the Florida Studio Theater. [13]

McNamee portrayed Donna in the Australian premier of Hurlyburly for the Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney. McNamee starred alongside Alex Dimitriades. [14]

McNamee has performed in Carols in the Domain for Channel 7, [15] Carols by Candlelight for Channel 9 and on Good Morning Australia.

Film

McNamee completed filming on John Duigan's Australian feature film Careless Love , in which she played the role of Carol. The film was in postproduction in 2011 and was released in 2012. [16]

In 2006, McNamee starred as Melissa in the Lionsgate US feature film See No Evil . [17]

Television

Her guest roles on various US and Australian series including Blue Bloods (CBS), Elementary (CBS), Political Animals (USA), All Saints , White Collar Blue and Satisfaction . [18]

in 2010, McNamee played the role of Hope in Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's HBO miniseries The Pacific . McNamee and Isabel Lucas play best friends who fell in love with American soldiers during World War II.

McNamee was cast in the supporting role of Ruth Crockett in the Warner Bros. miniseries Salem's Lot starring Rob Lowe. The series was aired on TNT in the USA.

In November 2015, McNamee was announced to have joined the cast of Seven Network soap opera Home and Away , as Tori Morgan, a doctor at the Northern Districts Hospital. [19] She was introduced on 5 May 2016 during the Caravan Park explosion storyline. [20] McNamee was nominated for the Best New Talent Logie Award for her role as Tori. She made her final appearance on 27 September 2021, after more than five years in the series. [21] McNamee reprised the role for a guest appearance in April 2024. [22]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
2003FuelHitchhikerShort film
2006 See No Evil Melissa BeudrouxFeature film
2007 Hammer Bay Alice BlakelyShort TV film
2008The TouristGirl from Back HomeShort film
2012 Careless Love CarolFeature film
2013MonkeywrenchVanessaShort film
2014 See No Evil 2 Melissa Beudroux (uncredited)Feature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
2003 White Collar Blue Alicia Moore (guest role)TV series, season 2, 1 episode
All Saints Susie ChambersTV series
2004 Salem's Lot Ruth CrockettTV miniseries
2006 headLand Charlie Cooper (recurring role)TV series, 8 episodes
2010 Satisfaction Shop Assistant (guest role)TV series, season 3, 1 episode
The Pacific Hope (guest role)TV miniseries, 1 episode
2012 Political Animals TV miniseries
2013 Elementary Vivian Tully (guest role)TV series, season 1, 1 episode
Blue Bloods Marie Grasso (guest role)TV series, season 3, 1 episode
The HarringtonsTV series
2016–2021, 2024 Home and Away Tori Morgan Seasons 29–34 (main cast), Season 37 (guest)

Podcast

YearTitleRoleType
2022The Younger ManPodcast Series

Writer

YearTitleRoleType
2023– Home and Away WriterTV series, 4 episodes

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References

  1. ↑ "Penny McNamee | Scholastic Australia".
  2. ↑ "Australian Cast of Broadway Sensation MJ Revealed Ahead of February Premiere". 17 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 "McNamee Sisters: Packed with Talent". New Idea . 17 July 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ "Jess McNamee". Yahoo!7 . Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "Penny McNamee reveals Home And Away is her dream job". TV Week . 5 May 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Houghton, Rianne (21 September 2018). "Home and Away star Penny McNamee is expecting her second child". Digital Spy . Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  7. ↑ Burke, Tina (6 March 2019). "Home and Away's Penny McNamee just welcomed a beautiful baby girl". TV Week . Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "Australian Cast of Broadway Sensation MJ Revealed Ahead of February Premiere". 17 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "Penny McNamee: From 'Home and Away' to 'Oscar and Todd'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 12 July 2024.
  10. ↑ Blake, Jason. , "Sydney Morning Herald", 14 September 2009, Accessed 29 August 2011.
  11. ↑ , "Green Room Awards", Accessed 29 August 2011.
  12. ↑ Thomson, Helen. "McDermott Leads a Devilish Dance", "The Age", 26 August 2002, Accessed 29 August 2011.
  13. ↑ "Intimate musical 'Daddy Long Legs' brings classic story to FST | February 1, 2014 | Jay Handelman | Arts Sarasota". Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  14. ↑ Higgins. Jo. "Hurlyburly" [ permanent dead link ], "State of the Arts", 16 May 2005, Accessed 3 September 2011.
  15. ↑ "Carols in the Domain". 19 December 2009, Accessed 2 September 2011.
  16. ↑ Archived 17 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine "Screen Hub", Accessed 15 September 2011
  17. ↑ "New York Times" Accessed 2 September 2011.
  18. ↑ "Penny McNamee". IMDb .
  19. ↑ "Penny McNamee joins the cast of Home and Away". Herald Sun . 22 November 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  20. ↑ Dunk, Tiffany (30 April 2016). "Home and Away: Penny McNamee holds the fate of Summer Bay favourites in her hands". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  21. ↑ Walters, Kylie (23 September 2021). "Exclusive: Why Penny McNamee is ready to say goodbye to Home & Away". Who . Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  22. ↑ Rigden, Clare (31 March 2024). "Justin and Leah finally walk down the aisle in a Home and Away wedding for the ages". The Sunday Times . Retrieved 3 April 2024.
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