Australian actress
Catherine McClements is an Australian stage, film, and television actress, and television presenter . She is known for her TV roles in Water Rats and Tangle , for which she won Logie Awards , and has performed in stage productions for theatre companies such as Belvoir St Theatre , the Melbourne Theatre Company , the Sydney Theatre Company and the State Theatre Company of South Australia .
Early life and education
Catherine McClements was born in Melbourne , Victoria ,[citation needed ] the daughter of Frank, a high school teacher, and Pamela.[ 1]
She attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), graduating in 1985, alongside Baz Luhrmann , Sonia Todd , and Justin Monjo .[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] In 1988, McClements, along with a number of other people including Baz Luhrmann , set up an experimental theatre ensemble called Six Years Old and worked on expanding the play Strictly Ballroom , which was first produced in their second year of NIDA in 1984.[ 5]
Career
Screen
In 1993, McClements had a role in The Girl from Tomorrow Part II: Tomorrow's End .[citation needed ] She is best known, however, for her starring role as Rachel Goldstein in the Australian police drama Water Rats from 1996 to 1999.[citation needed ] She followed this up with a recurring guest role on The Secret Life of Us in 2001, for which she won the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama .[citation needed ]
She starred as Rosie in the 2003 drama series CrashBurn and appeared in the Network Ten telemovie Mary Bryant in 2005.[citation needed ]
From 2008 she played Inspector/Superintendent Kerry Vincent in the Australian police drama Rush , and psychologist Christine Williams in the Showcase drama Tangle . A second and third season of Tangle and Rush respectively were announced in 2009 and both aired in 2010.[ 6] [ 7] Tangle and Rush were commissioned for new seasons, both to start filming in mid-2011.[ 8] [ 9] In 2010, McClements won an AFI Award for her role in Tangle .[citation needed ] She has also won ASTRA Awards for her role in Tangle in 2011 and 2013.[ 10]
In 2011, McClements guest starred in a YouTube and Facebook -only show called Queer as F**k , playing Mel, a friend of main character Aaron (Gary Abrahams).[citation needed ]
In 2012, McClements was cast as Meg Jackson in Wentworth , a contemporary reimagining of the Australian classic Prisoner . She was cast in a leading role for Season One of Wentworth , but her character did not appear beyond episode one.[citation needed ]
Earlier in 2013, McClements was cast in new ABC telemovie The Broken Shore , alongside Don Hany , Dan Wyllie and Claudia Karvan . It premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2013 and aired on the ABC in early 2014.[ 11]
In September 2013, McClements was cast in the film The Menkoff Method , directed by David Parker .[ 12]
In 2019 she starred in Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries as Birdie Birnside.[ 13]
In August 2022 she played the part of a teacher in the State Theatre Company South Australia and Sydney Theatre Company co-production Chalkface , written by Angela Betzien . The play opened at the Dunstan Playhouse in Adelaide .[ 14]
In 2023, McClements was announced as part of the cast for SBS series Erotic Stories .[ 15] She was also announced as part of the cast of the third and final season of ABC drama Total Control ,[ 16] as well as ABC drama Return to Paradise .[ 17] On 21 November 2024, it was announced that McClements was a part of the cast for ABC drama The Family Next Door. [ 18] McClements was also named for Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar .[ 19]
Stage
McClements has also appeared in stage productions for many theatre companies, including Belvoir St Theatre , the Melbourne Theatre Company , the Sydney Theatre Company , Bell Shakespeare , State Theatre Company of South Australia , and the Malthouse Theatre .[ 20]
In 2013, McClements returned to the stage in Sharr White 's play The Other Place for Melbourne Theatre Company [ 1] and Phèdre for Bell Shakespeare .[ 21]
Awards
Personal life
McClements' husband is actor Jacek Koman , who also guest-starred in The Secret Life of Us as Dominic, though they were not on the show at the same time.[ 22] They have two children.[ 1]
McClements' brother is Brendan McClements, who as of 2013[update] was the CEO of Victorian Major Events Company, who is 18 months older than her and her "best friend growing up".[ 1]
McClements is good friends with fellow actress Claudia Karvan , whom she met at the AFI Awards in 1990 and starred with in the film Redheads in 1992.[ 23]
Filmography
Film
Television
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1986
My Brother Tom
Margaret 'Peggy' McGibbon
Miniseries
1993
The Girl from Tomorrow: Tomorrow's End
Lorien
Miniseries
1993
G.P.
Heather Ryan
TV series, 1 episode: "Close Encounters"
1996–99
Water Rats
Rachel Goldstein
TV series, 109 episodes
2001–02
The Secret Life of Us
Carmen
TV series, 10 episodes. Won AFI award for episode: "Love Sucks"
2003
CrashBurn
Rosie Denton Harfield
TV series
2006
Real Stories
Jillian
TV series, episode 8
2008–11
Rush
Kerry Vincent
TV series, all 70 episodes
2009–12
Tangle
Christine Williams
Foxtel series
2010
The Pacific
Catherine Leckie
TV series, 1 episode: "Home"
2013
Wentworth
Meg Jackson
Foxtel series, 4 episodes
2014
The Time of Our Lives
Diana Southey
TV series, season 2
2015
The Beautiful Lie
Tess du Pont
TV series
2016
Rake
Julie
TV series, season 4
2017
Sisters
Genevieve
TV series, 7 episodes
2019
Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries
Birdie Birnside
TV series
2022
Pieces of Her
Grace Juno
Netflix series, 6 episodes
2023
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
Sarah
TV miniseries, 2 episodes
Erotic Stories
Sam
Anthology TV series, 1 episode: "Philia"
2024
Total Control
Marion Beaumont
TV series, season 3, 4 episodes
Return to Paradise
Senior Sergeant Philomena Strong
TV series, 6 episodes
Bump
Gaby
TV series: 1 episode
2025
Apple Cider Vinegar
TBA
TV series
The Family Next Door
TBA
In production
Self appearances
Theatre work
McClements' work on stage includes:[ 20]
Name
Year
Character
Venue
1984
Holiday Makers
Sasha
NIDA
1984
Impromptu at Versai (part of Three French Farces )
Mrs Molière
NIDA
1984
All's Well That Ends Well
Helena
NIDA
1984; 1986
Strictly Ballroom
Barbara Pierce
NIDA , Bratislava
1985
Dreamplay
NIDA
1985
The Unseen Hand (part of Hallucinogenics? 3 plays from the 60s )
NIDA
1985
The War (from The Greeks trilogy)
Iphigenia
NIDA & St Martins Youth Arts Centre
1985
Once in a Lifetime
NIDA
1986
And a Nightingale Sang
Joyce
Sydney Opera House with Gary Penny Productions
1987
Much Ado About Nothing
Hero
Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987
Shepherd on the Rocks
Rhonda Moffat / News team member / Female whale saver
Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987
The Winter's Tale
Perdita ; Servant
Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987
Les Liaisons dangereuses
Cecile de Volanges
Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987
Away
Meg
Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1988
Molière (aka The Cabal of Hypocrites )
Armando
Key Studios, Melbourne with Australian Nouveau Theatre for Spoleto Melbourne Festival of the Arts
1989; 1990
The Imaginary Invalid
Angelique
New Fortune Theatre for Perth Festival , Anthill Theatre, Melbourne , Universal Theatre, Melbourne , Armoury Lawns for Adelaide Festival with Australian Nouveau Theatre
1990
Crystal Clear
Thomasina
Universal Theatre
1991
The Crucible
Abigail Williams
Sydney Opera House with STC
1993; 1994
Angels in America
Harper Amity Pitt
Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne & Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC , Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1994
Seeing Violet (part of Unsettled trilogy)
Isabel Hope
Napier Street Theatre, Melbourne with $5 Theatre Company
1994
No Family (part of Unsettled trilogy)
Doris
Napier Street Theatre, Melbourne with $5 Theatre Company
1994
At Dusk (part of Unsettled trilogy)
Lily
Napier Street Theatre, Melbourne with $5 Theatre Company
1995
The Blind Giant Is Dancing
Louise
Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2000
Suddenly Last Summer
Catharine
Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2000
Emma Celebrazione!
Gasworks Arts Park, Melbourne
2003
Macbeth
Lady Macbeth
Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2005
Cruel and Tender
Amelia
Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
2006
It Just Stopped
Beth
Malthouse Theatre & Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2007
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Martha
Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2008
Appetite
Louise
Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide , Sydney Opera House , Fairfax Studio, Melbourne
2011
Happy Ending (part of the Cybec Readings )
Louise
Lawler Studio, Melbourne
2012
8 – The Play
Sandy Stier
Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne & Sydney Town Hall
2012
Never Did Me Any Harm
Southbank Theatre Force Majeure & STC for Melbourne Festival
2013
The Other Place
Juliana Smithton
Arts Centre Melbourne with MTC
2013
Phèdre
Phèdre
Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne & Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare
2013
White Rabbit, Red Rabbit
Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2016; 2018
The Events
Claire
Granville Town Hall , Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA for Adelaide Festival , Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Festival , Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne , Studio Underground, Perth, IMB Theatre, Wollongong
2017
Three Little Words
Tess
Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
2018
Antony and Cleopatra
Cleopatra
Sydney Opera House , Canberra Theatre Centre , Arts Centre Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare
2022
The Sound Inside
Bella Baird
Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
2022
Chalkface
Pat Novitsky
Dunstan Playhouse with STCSA & Sydney Opera House with STC [ 14]
References
^ a b c d Connolly, Paul (9 February 2013). "What I know about men" . The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 22 November 2024 .
^ Alumni Archived 14 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine National Institute of Dramatic Art
^ Morgan, Joyce (14 June 2003). "Good cop, bad cop" . The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 10 May 2010 .
^ Bone, Pamela (15 May 1986). "Chiltern lives again – just for television" . The Age . Retrieved 10 May 2010 .
^ Albert, Jane (2010). House of Hits: The great untold story of Australia's first family of music . Prahran,VIC: Hardie Grant Books.
^ Second season for Tangle TV Tonight
^ Rush wins third season on Ten TV Tonight
^ Renewed: Tangle TV Tonight
^ Renewed: Rush TV Tonight
^ 2011 Winners Archived 22 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Astra awards
^ ABC announced the top cast for The Broken Shore TV Tonight , 2 April 2013
^ Cast is set for The Menkoff Method Inside Film
^ "Ms Fisher's MODern Murder Mysteries Announces Cast - Every Cloud Productions" .
^ a b Keen, Suzie (29 July 2022). "Catherine McClements goes back to school in Chalkface" . InDaily . Retrieved 31 July 2022 .
^ "Seductive SBS Original drama series 'Erotic Stories' premieres 26 October" .
^ Knox, David (June 2023). "Total Control filming third and final series | TV Tonight" . TV Tonight .
^ Slatter, Sean (9 April 2024). "Anna Samson to lead ABC's 'Return to Paradise' as production commences on NSW South Coast" . IF Magazine . Retrieved 9 April 2024 .
^ Staff Writer. "NEW DRAMA SERIES THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR MOVES INTO BAYSIDE MELBOURNE" . VicScreen . Retrieved 21 November 2024 .
^ Staff Writer (19 November 2024). "Apple Cider Vinegar Cast Plot" . Netflix.com . Retrieved 23 November 2024 .
^ a b "Catherine McClements" . AusStage . Retrieved 22 November 2024 .
^ "Phèdre" . AusStage . 6 June 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2024 .
^ Rose, Colin (8 June 2003). "Double Trouble" . The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 10 May 2010 .
^ Cool Cat The Age , 31 October 2008
External links
Key : (a)= Winner of Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series (b)= Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy
International National People