Deborra-Lee Furness | |
---|---|
Born |
Annandale, New South Wales, Australia | 30 November 1955
Years active | 1975–present |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Deborra-Lee Furness Jackman, AO (born 30 November 1955) [1] [2] is an Australian actress and producer.
Furness was born in Annandale, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, and raised in Melbourne, Victoria. [3] At the age of 18, Furness attended secretarial school to learn shorthand and typing after her mother advised her to have a back-up career if her acting ambitions didn't eventuate to anything. [4] She then got a job as the assistant to John Sorell, the news director at Channel 9. [4] Despite describing herself as "such a bog secretary", Furness has said she thoroughly enjoyed the urgency, the fast action and the high energy of the newsroom. [4] After working in the newsroom for a year, Furness was asked to work on No Man's Land, the station's daytime current affairs program which was produced exclusively by women and hosted by Mickie de Stoop. [4] Furness started working on the show as a researcher before becoming an on-air reporter. [4] After her work at Channel 9, Furness then travelled through Europe for one year. [4]
She studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, where she graduated in either 1981 [5] or 1982. [3] She performed on the stage in New York and played Kathleen, [6] the Australian wife of Cole Gioberti ( Billy Moses) on the television series Falcon Crest before returning to Australia to continue her acting career. [3]
Furness rose to fame in 1988 when she starred in the movie Shame, for which she won Best Actor awards from the Film Critics Circle of Australia and the Golden Space Needle Award from the Seattle International Film Festival. Other roles included an episode of Halifax f.p. and The Flying Doctors. [7] In 1993, Furness appeared as Chrissy in the television mini-series Stark starring Ben Elton and Jacqueline McKenzie. [8] In 1995 she featured in the film Angel Baby directed by Michael Rymer and starring Jacqueline McKenzie and John Lynch. [9] The film followed the story of two schizophrenic people who met during therapy and fell passionately in love. [9]
In 1995, she starred in the title role in the television series Correlli, where she met her future husband, Hugh Jackman. From 1995 to 1996, Furness starred in television series Fire alongside Andy Anderson and Wayne Pygram. Furness played the role of Dolores Kennedy. [10]
An adoptive mother of two, Furness is known for her work assisting orphans globally and streamlining international adoptions, especially in her native Australia where she is a patron, and one of the creators, of National Adoption Awareness Week. [7] [11] [12] She has addressed the National Press Club of Australia on the subject of adoption laws in Australia. [13] [14] Furness is a patron of the Lighthouse Foundation for displaced children and International Adoption Families for Queensland. [15] [16] She is also a World Vision ambassador and serves on the Advisory Committee for Film Aid International, working with refugees throughout the world. [17] [18]
Furness met actor Hugh Jackman on the set of Australian TV show Correlli in 1995. [19] Their wedding ceremony took place on 11 April 1996 at St. John's in Toorak, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne. [20] After going through two miscarriages, [19] she adopted two children with Jackman: a boy born in 2000 [21] and a girl born in 2005. [22] A portrait of Furness and Jackman by Paul Newton was a finalist in the 2022 Archibald Prize. [23] In September 2023, the couple announced their separation. [24] [25]
In 2014, Deborra-Lee Furness was named as the New South Wales Australian of the Year for her work in adoption campaigning. [26] [27] [28]
Year | Film | Role | Type |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | Crossover Dreams | Statue of Liberty | Feature film |
1985 | Jenny Kissed Me | Lea role: Carol Grey | Feature film |
1985 | Cool Change | Lee | Feature film |
1986 | The Humpty Dumpty Man | Carmel DeVries | Feature film |
1987 | The Bit Part | Acting Teacher | Feature film |
1988 | Shame | Asta Cadell | Feature film |
1988 | Evil Angels | Magazine Reporter | Feature film |
1988 | Two Brothers Running | Silver's Secretary | Feature film |
1988 | Celia | Miss Greenaway | Feature film |
1990 | Blue Heat aka 'The Last of the Finest' | Linda Daly | Feature film, US |
1991 | Voyager aka 'Homo Faber' | Ivy | Feature film, Germany/France/Greece |
1991 | Waiting | Diane | Feature film |
1992 | Newsies | Esther Jacobs | Feature film, US |
1995 | Angel Baby | Louise Goodman | Feature film |
1995 | When Harry Coached Sally | Sally | Film short |
1998 | The Real Macaw | Beth Girdis | Feature film |
2006 | Jindabyne | Jude | Feature film |
2008 | Sleepwalking | Danni | Feature film, USA/Canada |
2009 | Beautiful | Mrs. Thomson | Feature film |
2009 | Blessed | Tanya | Feature film |
2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Barran (Voice) | Animated Feature film - USA/Australia |
2014 | Dukale's Dream | Herself | Feature film documentary |
2023 | Force of Nature: The Dry 2 | Jill Bailey | Feature film |
Year | Film | Role | Type |
---|---|---|---|
1975 | The Box | Recurring role: Office Girl | TV series, 6 episodes |
1975 | Division 4 | Junior 1 | TV series, 1 episode: "The Human Factor" |
1979 | Prisoner | Recurring role: Connie (uncredited) | TV series, 3 episodes |
1980 | Cop Shop | Guest role: Trisha Clarke | TV series, 1 episode |
1983 | All the Rivers Run | Recurring role | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
1983-1984 | Kings | Regular role: Frances Dalton | TV series, 16 episodes |
1984 | Carson's Law | Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
1984 | Special Squad | Guest role: Liz Jenkins | TV series, episode 6: "The Long Secret" |
1985 | Neighbours | Recurring role: Linda Fielding | TV series, 5 episodes |
1985 | The Flying Doctors | Recurring role: Fran | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
1985 | Glass Babies | Recurring role: Joan Simpson | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
1986 | The Fast Lane | Guest role: Stella | TV series, 1 episode |
1987 | Falcon Crest | Guest role: Kathleen Gioberti | TV series US, 1 episode: "The New Faces" |
1987 | A Matter of Convenience | Lead role: Valma | TV film |
1988 | Sentiments | Guest role: Valma | TV series, FRANCE |
1988 | The Flying Doctors | Guest role: Sapphire | TV series, season 3, episode 2: "Sapphire" |
1988 | Act of Betrayal | Support role: Kathy | TV film |
1988 | Fields of Fire II | Recurring role: Cloris | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
1993 | Stark | Recurring role: Chrissie | TV miniseries, 3 episodes |
1993 | Singapore Sling | Lead role: Annie | TV film / TV pilot |
1994 | G.P. | Guest role: Kate Morrison | TV series, 1 episode: "All of Me" |
1995 | Halifax f.p. | Brigit Grant | TV series, episode: "The Feeding" |
1995 | Correlli | Lead regular role: Louisa Correlli | TV series, 10 episodes |
1995 | Populate or Perish | Narrator | TV film documentary |
1995–1996 | Fire | Recurring role: Dolores Kennedy | TV series, 17 episodes |
1997 | Roar | Guest role: Agrona | TV series US, 1 episode: "The Cage" |
2000 | SeaChange | Guest role: Vicki Drury | TV series, 1 episode: "Hungi Jury" |
2007 | Raising Children: A Guide to Parenting From Birth to Five | Narrator | Video documentary |
2009 | The Beautiful Vision | Herself | Video short documentary |
2013 | Phineas and Ferb | Additional voices | TV series, 1 episode: "Primal Perry" |
2016 | Hyde & Seek | Lead role: Claudia Rossini | TV miniseries, 4 episodes |
2020 | Misunderstandings of Miscarriage | Herself | Film video documentary |
Year | Film | Role | Type |
---|---|---|---|
1974 | No Man's Land | Herself - Reporter | TV series |
1989 | The Media Show | Guest | TV series UK, 1 episode |
1991; 1992 | Tonight Live with Steve Vizard | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
1992 | The Morning Show | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
1992 | In Sydney Today | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
1994 | Level 23 | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
1994-2005 | Good Morning Australia | Guest | TV series |
1994 | Sale of the Century | Contestant | TV series, 2 episodes "Cinema" |
1994; 1995; 1998 | Hey Hey It's Saturday | Guest | TV series, 3 episodes |
1994; 1995 | TVTV | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
1995 | Ernie and Denise | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
1995; 1997 | Midday | Guest (1997 episode with Hugh Jackman) | TV series, 2 episodes |
1995 | The Australia Remembers Tribute Gala | Herself | TV special |
1995 | World Vision Appeal: Vision For a Better World | Herself | TV special |
1996 | Witness | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1996 | This Is Your Life | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
1997 | Mouthing Off | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
1998 | The Making of 'The Real Macaw' | Herself | TV special |
1998 | Saturday Night Fever | Herself | TV special, UK |
1998 | Carols in the Domain | Herself | TV special |
1999 | Fox Studios Australia: The Grand Opening | Guest (with Hugh Jackman) | TV special |
2003 | Australian Story | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2003 | Rove Live | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
2004 | Enough Rope with Andrew Denton | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
2006 | At the Movies | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2006 | Jindabyne: The Process | Herself | Video short documentary |
2006; 2024 | Sunrise | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
2006; 2024 | Today | Guest (2024 episode with Eric Bana) | TV series, 2 episodes |
2006; 2008 | Mornings with Kerri-Anne | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
2007 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2007 | The 2007 Australian Film Institute Awards | Presenter | TV special |
2007 | The Directors' Series | Herself | TV series |
2008 | 9am with David & Kim | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
2009 | Australia Unites: The Victorian Bushfire Appeal | Herself | TV special |
2009 | 20 to 1 | Herself | TV series, 2 episodes |
2009; 2021; 2024 | The Project | Guest | TV series, 3 episodes |
2009 | Artscape | Herself - Interviewee | TV series, 1 episode |
2010 | Seeds of Hope | Herself | TV short documentary |
2010 | This Is Your Life | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2011; 2012 | The Circle | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
2011 | Mornings | Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
2011 | Kimchi Chronicles | Herself | TV documentary series US, 3 episodes |
2012 | The 66th Annual Tony Awards | Presenter | TV special, US |
2012 | Can of Worms | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2012 | The Living Room | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2012 | 60 Minutes | Herself (segment "Hugh Jackman") | TV series, 1 episode |
2013 | The Tonight Show With Jay Leno | Herself (at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party) | TV series US, 1 episode |
2013 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Guest | TV series US, 1 episode |
2013 | The View | Guest Co-hostess | TV series US, 1 episode |
2013 | Oprah's Next Chapter | Herself | TV series US, 1 episode |
2013; 2016; 2018; 2019 | Global Citizen Festival | Herself (2018 as host) | TV special, US |
2014 | Family Confidential | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2014; 2018 | NBC Today Show | Guest | TV series US, 2 episodes |
2014 | The Talk | Guest Co-hostess | TV series US, 2 episodes |
2015 | CBS This Morning | Herself – Co-Founder, Global Citizen | TV series US, 1 episode |
2017; 2021; 2022; 2023 | Studio 10 | Guest (2022 episode with Hugh Jackman) | TV series, 4 episodes |
2018 | E Live from the Red Carpet | Herself | TV special, US |
2018 | Entertainment Tonight Canada | Herself | TV series CANADA, 1 episode |
2018 | Entertainment Tonight | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
2020 | Anh's Brush with Fame | Interviewee | TV series, 1 episode |
2021; 2024 | The Project | Guest | TV series, 2 episodes |
2022 | This Is Your Life: Rebecca Gibney | Herself (with Hugh Jackman) | TV series, 1 episode |
2024 | Sunrise | Guest (with Eric Bana) | TV series, 1 episode |
2024 | News Breakfast | Guest (with Jacqueline McKenzie) | TV series, 1 episode |
2024 | Weekend Today | Guest (with Eric Bana) | TV series, 1 episode |
By the way, it's her birthday tomorrow
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Furness serves as a board member of the Worldwide Orphan Foundation to help create a National Adoption Awareness Week, "to shine a light on the fact that there are 153 million orphans in the world," she says: "If that were a country, it would be the ninth-largest in the world, just ahead of Russia."
Deborra-Lee Furness is an internationally acclaimed actress as well as a passionate supporter of children and defender of their human rights across the globe.
...Oscar's 10th birthday, which was yesterday.