Nicky Whelan is an Australian actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Laurie Mitchell in Chosen (2013), and Pepper Steiger in Australian soap opera Neighbours (2006–2007).
Career
Before Neighbours, Whelan hosted a number of shows, including Coxy's Big Break (Seven Network), Beyond the Boundary (Network Ten), and Melbourne Woman (Seven Network), and played the fictional celebrity "Chrissie Grant" on Russell Coight's Celebrity Challenge, a spin-off of All Aussie Adventures.[citation needed] Whelan is also known as the face of the rural Victorian city, Shepparton, and she hosted the night racing at Moonee Valley for eight years.[citation needed] Whelan has also posed for a number of Australian magazines, including FHM (in October 2007), Ralph (in November 2005) and Inside Sport.[citation needed] In November 2007, Whelan made a special appearance in Harrow, London, to promote sustainable transport and initiatives that benefit the environment. She also shot some photos for Harrow's 'It's Up to All of Us' campaign.[1][2]
After leaving Neighbours, Whelan moved to Los Angeles. She made guest appearances in episodes of Entourage and Melrose Place,[3] before securing a role in the final season of Scrubs as Maya, an Australian medical-school student.[3][4] Whelan also stars in the 2010 film Hollywood & Wine alongside David Spade.[5] In November 2010, Whelan appeared in a viral advertisement for Rökk Vodka alongside The Lonely Island.[6] Whelan got her "big break" in the 2011 film Hall Pass, in which she played Leigh, the love interest of Owen Wilson's character.[3][7] In October 2011, Whelan guest-starred as an attractive telemarketing temp in the episode "Temp-Tress" of the American sitcom Workaholics.[citation needed]
In 2014, Whelan starred in the short-lived action drama series Matador, as well as the apocalyptic thriller film Left Behind as Hattie Durham.[3] The following year, she appeared in comedy film The Wedding Ringer and Terrence Malick's drama film Knight of Cups.[3] In 2017, Whelan appeared in the horror film Tragedy Girls. She also filmed the 2020 mystery drama film Love by Drowning in which she plays the lead.[8]
Whelan starred in betting advertisements on Australian television for BetEasy.
In 2016, Whelan became engaged to American football player Kerry Rhodes.[9] Whelan and Rhodes were married in Los Angeles on 15 April 2017.[10] In October 2017, Whelan confirmed that she had left Rhodes and the couple had separated.[11] They divorced that same year.[12]
