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Kate Mulvany

Kate Mulvany
Born1977 (age 46–47)
EducationBachelor of Arts, Curtin University
Occupation(s)Actress, playwright, screenwriter
Years active1998–present
Spouse
(m. 2015)

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.

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

Kate 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

Mulvany 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

Mulvany is an ambassador for MiVAC (Mines, Victims and Clearance), a landmine advocacy and support group.[25]

Personal life

Mulvany 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

General

As actor

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

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

Film

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

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

  1. ^ "Mulvany, Kate (Kate Maree), 1977". Fryer Manuscripts. University of Queensland.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "Courageous voice tackles themes of war". The Australian. 8 January 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Fighting Chance". thewest.com.au. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Walking with Kate Mulvany". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Australian Story. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "Kate Mulvany - Currency Press". Currency Press. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  10. ^ "Taking a Stab". smh.com.au. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  11. ^ "'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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ a b "Review: Mary Stuart". Stage Noise. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  19. ^ "Mary Stuart - Sydney Theatre Company". Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  20. ^ "MARY STUART (SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY)". Limelight. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  21. ^ "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.
  22. ^ "Mary Stuart review". Time Out. 11 February 2019. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  23. ^ "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.
  24. ^ 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.
  25. ^ "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.
  26. ^ "Kate Mulvany's Next Big Challenge: Mary Stuart". Daily Telegraph. 19 February 2019.
  27. ^ "2017 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards". Australian Stage Online. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Kate Mulvany". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  29. ^ Rebeiro, Luke (2 March 2018). "Back to where it all began: Kate Mulvany is Hayman Theatre patron". News at Curtin. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Mona Brand Award for Women Stage and Screen Writers". State Library of NSW. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  31. ^ "Helpmann Award Winners 2017: Full List". Daily Review. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  32. ^ "David Williamson Prize-supported play Jailbaby announced for Griffin's 2023 season". Australian Writers' Guild. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  33. ^ "Philip Parsons Young Playwrights Award | AustralianPlays.org". australianplays.org. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  34. ^ Knox, David (16 April 2023). "Airdate: The Clearing | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
  35. ^ Knox, David (16 November 2022). "Hunters confirms final season | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
  36. ^ Knox, David (4 August 2020). "Renewed: Hunters | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
  37. ^ Knox, David (25 November 2021). "Production to begin on The Twelve for Foxtel | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
  38. ^ Knox, David (21 July 2019). "Lambs of God | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
  39. ^ Knox, David (3 October 2019). "Airdate: Upright | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.