Rebecca Smart

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Rebecca Smart
Born
Rebecca Elizabeth Smart

(1976-01-30) 30 January 1976 (age 49)
OccupationActor
Years active1984–present
Known for The Shiralee (1987)
Elly & Jools (1990)
Heartbreak High (1997–1998)
Water Rats (2000–2001)
Website leeleslie.com/artist/rebecca-smart

Rebecca Elizabeth Smart (born 30 January 1976) is an Australian actor, known for her role in the 1987 television film The Shiralee . [1] [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Smart was born in Tamworth, New South Wales on 30 January 1976. She was educated at St Catherine's School, Waverley, an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, located in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. [3]

Career

Smart began acting for television at the age of eight, appearing in the 1984 miniseries The Cowra Breakout as Shirley Murphy. [4] Her first movie role came one year later, alongside Eric Roberts and Greta Scacchi in the 1985 romantic comedy The Coca-Cola Kid . [4]

She gained recognition playing the co-lead role as Buster (opposite Bryan Brown), in the 1987 television film The Shiralee , based on the 1955 novel of the same name. The role won her the Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actress in a Miniseries/Telemovie. [2] She also played the title character in the 1988 horror drama film Celia . [4]

Smart went on to feature in regular roles in several television series, including playing Eleanor "Elly" Lockett in 1990 children's series Elly & Jools , [4] Zoe Rose in 1991 sitcom Eggshells , student Melanie Black in high school drama Heartbreak High (1997–1998), and Constable Donna Janevski in police procedural crime drama Water Rats (2000–2001). She also featured in several miniseries including Spit MacPhee (1988), Come in Spinner (1990) and Clowning Around (1991)

She has had guest roles in numerous series including Winners (1985), The Comedy Company (1989), Rafferty's Rules (1989), [4] More Winners (1990), English at Work (1992), G.P. (1994), Home and Away (1996), House Gang (1996), Murder Call (1998), All Saints (1999) and Blue Heelers (2004).

Smart starred in the 1997 thriller Blackrock , alongside Heath Ledger, which saw her nominated for Best Supporting Actor at both the Film Critics Circle of Australia and Australian Film Institute Awards. [2]

Her other film credits include Echoes of Paradise (1987), Say a Little Prayer (1993), Violet's Visit (1997), Tom's Funeral (1999), Savages Crossing (2011) and Skin Deep (2014). She also featured in the made-for-TV films Doom Runners (1997) and Corn Devils (1998).

Smart has also acted for the stage, her credits including The Crucible , Blackrock , and Del Del for Sydney Theatre Company and Hollow Ground for NIDA / Belvoir St Theatre. [2] [1]

Personal life

Smart started studying a Bachelor of Education degree at University of Sydney in her early 20s, when acting opportunities weren't as forthcoming.

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
1987 Logie Awards Most Popular Actress in a Miniseries/Telemovie The Shiralee Won
1997 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Supporting Actress Blackrock Nominated
1997 Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Supporting Actress Blackrock Nominated

[2]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1985 The Coca-Cola Kid DMZFeature film
1985 The Empty Beach Little GirlFeature film
1987 Echoes of Paradise (aka Shadow of the Peacock)TessaFeature film
1989 Celia Celia CarmichaelFeature film
1993 Say a Little Prayer LynneFeature film
1997 Blackrock Cherie MilenkoFeature film
1997Violet's VisitScooterFeature film
1999Tom's FuneralRebeccaFeature film
2004Industrial Love Dwarf Number 7FriendFilm short
2005OedipusMotherFilm short
2011Savages CrossingMickeyFeature film
2014Skin DeepNinaFeature film
2016HighwayMarleneFilm short

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 The Cowra Breakout Shirley MurphyMiniseries, 4 episodes
1985 Winners Jennie NelsonAnthology series, 1 episode: "Top Kid"
1987 The Shiralee BusterMiniseries, 2 episodes
1988 Spit MacPhee (aka The True Story of Spit MacPhee)Sadie TreeMiniseries, 4 episodes
1989 The Comedy Company Herself1 episode
1989 Rafferty's Rules Jackie Rogan1 episode
1990 Elly & Jools Eleanor 'Elly' Lockett
1990 Come in Spinner LuenMiniseries, 2 episodes
1990 More Winners: Mr Edmund CherryAnthology series, 1 episode: "Mr Edmund"
1991 Eggshells Zoe Rose13 episodes
1992 Clowning Around Linda CrealyMiniseries, 2 episodes
1992English at WorkHerself1 episode: "Assurance of Support"
1994 G.P. Cassandra 'Caz' Koffel1 episode: "Sugar & Spice"
1996 Home and Away TV series
1996 House Gang V.J.2 episodes: "Sex", "Truth or Dare"
1997 Doom Runners LizzieTV film
1997–1998 Heartbreak High Melanie Black42 episodes
1998Corn DevilsBeckyTV film
1998 Murder Call Claudine Kent1 episode: "Fatal Charm"
1999 All Saints Charlotte 'Charlie' Wilde1 episode: "Outside the Square"
2000–2001 Water Rats Constable Donna Janevski60 episodes
2004 Blue Heelers Amy RoseSeason 12, 1 episode: "Secrets & Lies"

Theatre

YearTitleRoleType
1994 The Crucible Susanna Walcott Monash University, Melbourne, Riverside Theatres Parramatta, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth
1995 Blackrock Cherie Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC
1998Del DelBeth Glen St Theatre, Sydney with STC [5]
2000Hollow GroundShelley Belvoir St Theatre with NIDA [6]
2000Beyond the DoorTunks Productions [7]

[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Rebecca Smart". leeleslie.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rebecca Smart". www.leanartistscollective.com.au.
  3. "Profile Rebecca Smart". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Archived from the original on 14 October 1999. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Brown, David (2 June 1990). "Rebecca's ghost of a chance!". TV Week . p. 7.
  5. "Del Del". The Australian Jewish News. 29 May 1998.
  6. "Hollow Ground". Variety. 10 April 2000.
  7. "Meet Wayne Tunks". www.tunks.com.au.
  8. "Rebecca Smart theatre credits". AusStage.