British-Australian actress and director (born 1967)
Frances Ann O'Connor (born 12 June 1967) is a British-Australian actress and director. She appears in roles in the films Mansfield Park , Bedazzled , A.I. Artificial Intelligence , The Importance of Being Earnest , and Timeline . O'Connor won an AACTA Award for her performance in Blessed , and also earned two Golden Globe Award nominations for her performances in Madame Bovary and The Missing . In 2022, her debut feature as writer and director, Emily , was released.
Early life
O'Connor was born in Wantage , at the time part of Berkshire , England, to a pianist mother and nuclear physicist father;[citation needed ] her family moved to Perth , Western Australia, when she was two years old.[ 3] She is the middle of five children, with one older brother, one older sister, and two younger sisters.[citation needed ] O'Connor was raised Roman Catholic ,[ 4] and attended the Mercedes College in Perth. She then went on to attend the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from Curtin University in Western Australia.
Career
O'Connor made her film debut in Emma-Kate Croghan 's critically acclaimed independent romantic comedy Love and Other Catastrophes (1996).[ 5] She received her first AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination for her performance in the film. In 1997, she had the leading role in Kiss or Kill ,[ 6] and starred opposite Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh in Thank God He Met Lizzie .[ 5] In 1999, O'Connor starred as Fanny Price in the British romantic comedy-drama Mansfield Park . The film also received favourable reviews from critics.[ 7] The following year, O'Connor earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance as Emma Bovary in the film Madame Bovary .[ 8]
In 2000, O'Connor began her Hollywood career with a role in the remake with Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley of the 1967 British film Bedazzled .[ 9] The following year, she had a leading role in the Steven Spielberg science fiction drama A.I. Artificial Intelligence , earning her a nomination for a Saturn Award for Best Actress . In 2002, she starred alongside Rupert Everett , Colin Firth and Judi Dench in the romantic comedy-drama The Importance of Being Earnest , directed by Oliver Parker and based on Oscar Wilde 's classic play . In 2003, O'Connor starred opposite Paul Walker in the science fiction film Timeline , which bombed at the box office.[ 10] [ 11]
In 2004, O'Connor returned to independent films and starred in Book of Love opposite Simon Baker , and Iron Jawed Angels with Hilary Swank , Julia Ormond and Anjelica Huston . In 2008, she starred in the short-lived ABC comedy-drama series Cashmere Mafia alongside Lucy Liu , Miranda Otto and Bonnie Somerville .[ 8] In 2009, she won an AACTA Award for Best Actress for her performance in Blessed . She later appeared in Jayne Mansfield's Car , Little Red Wagon and The Truth About Emanuel ; and received two more AACTA Award for Best Actress nominations for Three Dollars (2005) and The Hunter (2011). In 2011, O'Connor was cast in the ABC drama pilot Hallelujah , created by Marc Cherry , but the show was not picked up to series.[ 12] [ 13] From 2013 to 2014, she starred as Rose Selfridge in the British period drama Mr Selfridge .[ 14] [ 15]
In 2014, O'Connor was cast as the lead in the British drama The Missing .[ 16] She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for her performance in the series.[ 17] She then appeared as Belle's mother Colette in the fourth season of the American series Once Upon a Time .[ 18] In 2016, O'Connor co-starred in the horror film The Conjuring 2 , alongside Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson ,[ 19] and in Cleverman , opposite Iain Glen .[ 20]
In 2022, O'Connor made her directorial debut with Emily , a biographical drama she also wrote, about the life of English writer Emily Brontë (portrayed by Emma Mackey ).
Personal life
O'Connor and her long-term partner, Gerald Lepkowski , had a son in 2005. The couple married in 2011 at O'Connor's mother's residence in Australia.[citation needed ]
Filmography
Film
Television
Year
Title
Role
Notes
Ref
1993
Law of the Land
Regular role: Marissa Green
TV series, 13 episodes
1994
The Damnation of Harvey McHugh
Guest role: Georgina
ABC TV series, 1 episode: "Heaven Knows Mr. McHugh"
1995
The Man from Snowy River
Recurring role: Rachel McAlister
TV series, season 2, 2 episodes
1995
Halifax f.p. - The Feeding
Lead Guest role: Frances
TV film series, 1 episode 3: "The Feeding"
1996
Blue Heelers
Recurring Guest role: Gabe Greenway
TV series, 3 episodes
1996
G.P.
Guest role: Karen Papadopoulos
TV series, 1 episode: "Someone to Turn To"
1996
Shark Bay
Regular role: Dr. Jane
TV series
1997
Frontline
Guest role: Kristy
ABC TV series, 1 episode: "I Get the Big Names"
1997
Thank God He Met Lizzie: Cast and Crew Interviews
Herself - Actress
Short Video
1997
Thank God He Met Lizzie: B-Roll
Herself - Actress
Short Video
2000
The Movie Show
Herself
SBS TV series, 1 episode
2000
Madame Bovary
Emma Bovary
TV film
2000
The Panel
Herself
TV series, 1 episode
2002
Kiss Or Kill: Matt and Frances Talk About Working with Bill Bennett
Herself - Actress
Short Video documentary
2002
Kiss Or Kill: Matt, Frances, Andy, Chris and Bill Describing 'Kiss Or Kill'
Herself - Actress (as Frances)
Short Video documentary
2002
Kiss Or Kill: Behind the Scenes / the Making of 'Kiss Or Kill'
Herself - Actress
Short Video documentary
2002
Acting A.I.: A Portrait of David
Herself
Short Video, US
2002
The Hollywood Machine
Herself
TV series US, 1 episode
2002
Dressing 'A.I.'
Herself
Short Video documentary, US
2004
Journey Through 'Timeline'
Herself
Video documentary, US
2004
The Textures of 'Timeline'
Herself
Video documentary
2008
Cashmere Mafia
Regular role: Zoe Burden
TV series US, 7 episodes
2009
Nova
Recurring role: Emma Darwin
TV documentary series US, 1 episode: "Darwin's Darkest Hour "
2011
Ice
Lead role: Sarah Fitch
TV miniseries UK/NZ; 2 episodes
2011
Hallelujah
Ruth Turner
Unsold pilot, US
2012
The Making of 'The Hunter'
Herself (as Steven Kennedy)
Short Video documentary
2013
Vegas
Guest role: Barbara Kent
TV series US, 1 episode: "From This Day Forward"
2013–2014
Mr Selfridge
Regular role: Rose Selfridge
TV series UK, 20 episodes
2014
Loose Women
Herself
TV series UK, 1 episode
2014
The Missing
Regular role: Emily Hughes
TV miniseries US/UK/France/Belgium, 8 episodes
2014
Once Upon a Time
Guest role: Colette
TV series US, 1 episode: "Family Business "
2015
72nd Golden Globe Awards
Herself - Nominee
TV special, US
2015
FansTang Live from the Red Carpet
Herself
TV series US, 1 episode
2016
Made in Hollywood
Herself
TV series US, 1 episode
2016
Crafting The Conjuring 2
Herself - 'Peggy Hodgson'
Short film Video documentary
2016
Cleverman
Regular role: Charlotte Cleary
ABC TV series, 12 episodes
2017
Locke & Key
Nina
unsold pilot
2018
Troy: Fall of a City
Regular role: Hecuba
TV series UK/US/AUSTRALIA/South Africa, 7 episodes
2020
The End
Lead regular role: Dr. Kate Brennan
TV series, 10 episodes
2023
Erotic Stories
Annabel
SBS TV series, 1 episode: "Come As You Are"
[ 21]
2024
The Twelve
Meredith Nelson-Moore QC
TV series: 8 episodes
[ 22]
2025
Wednesday
TBA
Season 2; guest role
Awards and nominations
References
^ Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005. ; at Ancestry.com
^ "Today in History" . ABC News . 12 June 2014. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020 .
^ "The earnest gypsy" . The Age . 17 June 2002. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2008 .
^ "O'Connor Frances: Bedazzled" . Urban Cinefile . Archived from the original on 3 February 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2008 .
^ a b "Frances O'Connor; Movies and Biography" . Yahoo! Movies . Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ "Kiss or Kill" . Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ "Mansfield Park" . Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ a b "Frances O'Connor Biography" . Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ Ojumu, Akin (2 April 2000). "Australia's latest export, Frances O'Connor" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019 .
^ "Timeline (2003)" . Box Office Mojo . Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ "Timeline (2003) – Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast" . AllMovie . 26 November 2003. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ Andreeva, Nellie (25 February 2011). "Several Actors Join Broadcast Pilots" . Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2020 .
^ "Frances O'Connor boards ABC pilot" . Digital Spy . 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ Lazarus, Suzanna (2 January 2013). "Meet the cast of Mr Selfridge" . Radio Times . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2015 .
^ "Playing the Mrs. to 'Mr. Selfridge' " . Usnews.com . 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013 .
^ Jeffery, Morgan (6 March 2014). "James Nesbitt, Frances O'Connor to star in BBC One's The Missing" . Digital Spy . Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2015 .
^ "Golden Globe Awards Nominations: The Complete List" . The Hollywood Reporter . 12 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020 .
^ " 'Once Upon a Time' casts Frances O'Connor as Belle's mom" . Entertainment Weekly . 9 April 2014. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2014 .
^ Kit, Borys (15 September 2015). "Frances O'Connor Joins 'The Conjuring 2' (Exclusive)" . The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2020 .
^ Friedlander, Whitney (3 September 2015). "Iain Glen, Frances O'Connor's 'Cleverman' Series to Air on SundanceTV" . Variety . Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020 .
^ Knox, David (27 April 2023). "Production begins on Erotic Stories for SBS | TV Tonight" . TV Tonight . Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ Knox, David (31 August 2023). "Production underway on The Twelve S2 | TV Tonight" . tvtonight.com.au . Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
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