Kate Maree Mulvany OAM (born 1977) is an Australian actress, playwright and screenwriter. She works in theatre, television and film, with roles in Hunters (2020–2023), The Great Gatsby (2013), Griff the Invisible (2010) and The Final Winter (2007). She has played lead roles with Australian theatre companies as well as appearing on television and in film.
Kate Mulvany | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1977 (age 46–47) |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts, Curtin University |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, playwright, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse | |
She has won several awards, including the Philip Parsons Young Playwrights Award for The Seed in 2004 and the Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Play for her role in Richard 3 in 2017.
Early life and education
editKate Maree Mulvany was born in 1977[1] and grew up in Geraldton, Western Australia. Her father, Danny, had migrated to Australia as a "ten-pound Pom" from Nottingham in England. He was called up to fight in the Vietnam War when he was 22, despite not being an Australian citizen at that time, and developed PTSD from his experiences there.[2][3] Her mother, Glenys,[4] is a schoolteacher.[5] She has a sister, Tegan, who is seven years younger than her.[6]
Mulvany was diagnosed with a Wilms's tumor (renal cancer) at age two and spent much of her childhood in hospital. Her cancer may be linked to her father's exposure to Agent Orange (dioxin) during his service in the Vietnam War, although this has not been proven.[7][2] After having to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy and a radical nephrectomy, she was declared in remission. However, the treatment and cancer had affected her body as she grew, and caused infertility.[2]
In 1994 she moved to Perth for university, accompanied by her family. She earned a double major degree in script writing and theatre, and was tutored by Elizabeth Jolley.[6] In 1997, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Curtin University,[8] and moved to Sydney in 1998.[6]
Career
editMulvany has played lead roles with Australian theatre companies as well as appearing on television and in film.[9]
She played Cassius,[10] Lady Macbeth, and was lauded for her performance as Richard III in which she revealed her real-life spinal disability.[11][12] Her adaptation of Craig Silvey's novel Jasper Jones has been performed in Perth by Barking Gecko Theatre Company,[13] in Sydney by Belvoir St Theatre,[14] and in Melbourne by the Melbourne Theatre Company.[15] In 2015 it was shortlisted for the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting in the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards.[16]
In 2018, Mulvany adapted Ruth Park's The Harp in the South trilogy as a two-part play for Sydney Theatre Company.[17] In 2019, she followed this with an adaptation of the Schiller play Mary Stuart - the first to be undertaken by a woman[18] - again for Sydney Theatre Company.[19] One review said, "Mulvany’s bold adaptation recentres the queens, shearing away nearly every male soliloquy and interaction held exclusively between men, of which there are an abundance in Schiller’s text",[20] while others called it "dazzlingly different",[18] and a "feminist"[21] reimagining of a classic.[22]
In April 2019, Deadline announced that Mulvany had been cast as a series regular in Amazon Prime Video's new 10-episode[23] Nazi-hunting series Hunters, created by David Weil and produced by Jordan Peele.[24] She played one of the Hunters, Sister Harriet.[24]
In August 2023 Mulvany narrated the three-part ABC Television series Our Vietnam War.[2]
Other activities
editMulvany is an ambassador for MiVAC (Mines, Victims and Clearance), a landmine advocacy and support group.[25]
Personal life
editMulvany was partner to actor Mark Priestley, who died by suicide when she was 30 years old.[6]
In 2015 she wed fellow actor Hamish Michael in New York.[4][26]
Recognition and awards
editGeneral
edit- 2017: Honorary doctorate from Curtin University for her services to the arts in Australia[8]
- 2017: Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award[27]
- 2020: Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2020 Australia Day Honours, for service to the performing arts[28]
- 2018: Named patron of the Hayman Theatre at Curtin, along with its theatre company and the Curtin Theatre Arts Program for a term of three years[29]
- 2020: Mona Brand Award, worth $35,000, "presented to a woman who has a body of outstanding work which displays broad array and which has been widely performed or screened to critical acclaim"[30]
As actor
edit| Year | Organisation | Award | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Helpmann Awards | Best Female Actor in a Play | Every Brilliant Thing | Won |
| 2018 | Green Room Awards | Best Female Performer | Richard III | Won |
| 2018 | AACTA Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film | The Merger | Nominated |
| 2017 | Helpmann Awards | Best Female Actor in a Play | Richard III | Won[31] |
| 2017 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production | Richard III | Won |
| 2015 | AACTA Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film | The Little Death | Nominated |
| 2014 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Mainstage Production | Tartuffe | Won |
| 2011 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production | Julius Caesar | Nominated |
| 2007 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Actress in a Lead Role | The Seed | Nominated |
| 1998 | Green Room Awards | Best Female Performer | Killer Joe | Nominated |
As writer
edit| Year | Organisation | Award | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | David Williamson Prize | For Excellence in Writing for Australian Theatre[32] | The Harp in the South | Won |
| 2018 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Mainstage Production | The Harp in the South | Won |
| 2018 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best New Australian Work | The Harp in the South | Won |
| 2018 | AWGIE Awards | Best Theatre: Stage | The Rasputin Affair | Nominated |
| 2017 | Helpmann Awards | Best Play | Jasper Jones | Nominated |
| 2017 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program | Beat Bugs | Won |
| 2016 | Helpmann Awards | Best New Australian Work | Jasper Jones | Won |
| 2015-2016 | Intersticia Foundation | Bell Shakespeare Writers' Fellowship | Won | |
| 2014 | Sydney Theatre Company | Patrick White Playwrights Fellowship | Won | |
| 2012 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Mainstage Production | Medea | Won |
| 2012 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best New Australian Work | Medea | Won |
| 2007 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Independent Production | The Seed | Won |
| 2007 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best New Australian Work | The Seed | Nominated |
| 2004 | Belvoir | Philip Parsons Young Playwrights Award | The Seed | Won[33] |
| 2004 | Sydney Theatre Company | Patrick White Playwrights Award | The Danger Age | Nominated |
| 2002 | Naked Theatre Company | Write Now! Playwrighting Competition | Blood & Bone | Won |
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Better Man | Janet | |
| 2022 | Elvis | Marion Keisker | |
| 2018 | The Merger | Angie Barlow | |
| 2014 | The Little Death | Evie | |
| 2013 | The Turning | Gail Lang | |
| 2013 | The Great Gatsby | Mrs McKee | |
| 2012 | Scratch | Vet | Short |
| 2010 | Connection | Natalie | Short |
| 2010 | Griff the Invisible | Cecila | |
| 2009 | Into My Arms | Anna | Short |
| 2007 | The Final Winter | Kate | |
| 2024 | How to Make Gravy | Stella |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | The Clearing (TV series) | Tasmin Latham | 6 episodes | [34] |
| 2020-23 | Hunters | Sister Harriet | 18 episodes | [35][36] |
| 2022 | The Twelve (Australian TV series) | Kate Lawson | 10 episodes | [37] |
| 2021 | RFDS (TV series) | Rhiannon Emerson | 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | Lambs of God | Frankie Jones | 3 episodes | [38] |
| 2019 | Get Krack!n | Skye | 1 episode | |
| 2018 | Fighting Season | Captain Kim Nordenfelt | 6 episodes | |
| 2016 | Secret City (TV series) | Ronnie | 6 episodes | |
| 2015 | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Eva/Millie | 1 episode | |
| 2010-15 | Winter | Lauren McIntrye | 4 episodes | |
| 2011-12 | The Hamster Wheel | Additional Cast | 8 episodes | |
| 2011 | My Place | Mrs Owen | 3 episodes | |
| 2011 | Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away | Kate Mariner | TV Movie | |
| 2009 | Chasers War on Everything | 1 episode | ||
| 2007 | Chandon Pictures | Maggie | 1 episode | |
| 2007 | The Chaser Decides | 1 episode | ||
| 2000 | All Saints (TV series) | Hayley McMasters | 1 episode |
Writing
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Summer Love (TV series) | Writer | 1 episode | |
| 2019-20 | Upright | Writer | 8 episodes | [39] |
| 2016-18 | Beat Bugs | Writer | 3 episodes | |
| 2013 | Chicom | Writer | Short |
References
edit- ^ "Mulvany, Kate (Kate Maree), 1977". Fryer Manuscripts. University of Queensland.
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Natasha (15 August 2023). "Actor Kate Mulvany on the personal toll of the Vietnam War and why she's 'proudly disabled'". ABC News. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ "Courageous voice tackles themes of war". The Australian. 8 January 2008.
- ^ a b "Fighting Chance". thewest.com.au. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ "How Kate Mulvany overcame childhood cancer and her partner's death to become Australia's busiest playwright". stuff.co.nz. 16 June 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Walking With Kate Mulvany [Transcript]". Australian Story. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 June 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ "Walking with Kate Mulvany". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Australian Story. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
- ^ a b Kerr, Carole (4 September 2017). "Playwright Kate Mulvany recognised with Honorary Doctorate". News at Curtin. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ "Kate Mulvany - Currency Press". Currency Press. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ^ "Taking a Stab". smh.com.au. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ "'This woman is a man': Kate Mulvany on playing Shakespeare's greatest villain". smh.com.au. 31 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ Law, Benjamin (8 March 2019). "Dicey Topics: Kate Mulvany talks bodies, death and religion". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
- ^ "Jasper Jones: the stage adaptation of Craig Silvey's novel". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 December 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ^ Blake, Jason (6 January 2016). "Jasper Jones review: Kate Mulvany's adaptation stands tall despite slight falter at end". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ^ Galloway, Paul (18 July 2016). "Kate Mulvany on Jasper Jones". Melbourne Theatre Company. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ^ "New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards" (PDF). SL Magazine. 8 (4): 36. Summer 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ^ "The Harp in the South review | Roslyn Packer Theatre | Theatre in Sydney". 27 August 2018. Archived from the original on 19 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Review: Mary Stuart". Stage Noise. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ "Mary Stuart - Sydney Theatre Company". Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ "MARY STUART (SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY)". Limelight. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ "Mary Stuart review: Feminist take on a gripping game of thrones". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 February 2019. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ "Mary Stuart review". Time Out. 11 February 2019. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ "Amazon Nabs Jordan Peele's Nazi Hunters Drama With Series Order, Sonar Produces". Deadline. 17 May 2018. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ a b "'The Hunt' Adds Kate Mulvany As Series Regular, 5 More Join In Recurring Roles For Amazon Original". Deadline. 11 April 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ "My MiVAC Trip, by Kate Mulvany". MiVAC (Mines Victims and Clearance). Archived from the original on 20 September 2016.
Toward the end of last year [2012], my partner Hamish, my father Danny and myself joined a small group of travellers on a life-changing trip to Laos. I was there as ambassador to MiVAC (Mines Victims and Clearance) – an organisation that commits itself to providing care and assistance to those communities that continue to suffer the effects of mine warfare in SE Asia.
- ^ "Kate Mulvany's Next Big Challenge: Mary Stuart". Daily Telegraph. 19 February 2019.
- ^ "2017 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards". Australian Stage Online. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "Kate Mulvany". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ Rebeiro, Luke (2 March 2018). "Back to where it all began: Kate Mulvany is Hayman Theatre patron". News at Curtin. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "Mona Brand Award for Women Stage and Screen Writers". State Library of NSW. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ "Helpmann Award Winners 2017: Full List". Daily Review. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ "David Williamson Prize-supported play Jailbaby announced for Griffin's 2023 season". Australian Writers' Guild. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Philip Parsons Young Playwrights Award | AustralianPlays.org". australianplays.org. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (16 April 2023). "Airdate: The Clearing | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
- ^ Knox, David (16 November 2022). "Hunters confirms final season | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
- ^ Knox, David (4 August 2020). "Renewed: Hunters | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
- ^ Knox, David (25 November 2021). "Production to begin on The Twelve for Foxtel | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
- ^ Knox, David (21 July 2019). "Lambs of God | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
- ^ Knox, David (3 October 2019). "Airdate: Upright | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.