Anna Skellern

Anna Skellern (born 27 April 1985)[1] is a United Kingdom-based Australian actress, best known as the first female member of The Chaser's television programme CNNNN.[1]

Anna Skellern
Born (1985-04-27) 27 April 1985
Sydney, Australia
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
OccupationActress
Years active2002–present

Biography

Skellern attended the University of Sydney, where she was a prominent student activist.[2] In the first season of The Chaser's CNNNN, an Australian television show satirising American news channels CNN and Fox News, she played her namesake Anna Skellern, a no-nonsense war correspondent noted for the frequent loss of her cameramen and dubbed 'the perfumed abattoir'.[3] In 2004, CNNNN shared the Logie Award for 'Most Outstanding Comedy' with Kath & Kim.

After relocating to London, in July 2007 Skellern graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.[4] That same month she made her professional stage debut in the successful West End production The Vegemite Tales, playing the role of Maddie.[5]

Skellern was cast as the new Sapphire in the Big Finish Productions radio show Sapphire and Steel – beginning with "Second Sight".[6]

Skellern was cast in the sequel to Neil Marshall's critically acclaimed horror film The Descent, The Descent Part 2, which was released in late 2009.[7] The script sees a survivor from The Descent forced back into the system of caves she battled her way out of in the first film, in a bid to locate the rest of her group.[8] Skellern played one of the members of the new search team that accompanies the survivor back into the caves.[9]

In 2009, Skellern filmed Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Clocks. She also filmed the new role of restaurant worker, babysitter, and Jake's crush, Kelly, for BBC1's award-winning, partly improvised comedy Outnumbered.

In 2010, Skellern spent time in Africa filming the lead role in the thriller Siren. She also played Jo in the British miniseries, A Passionate Woman.

She played the role of Lexy Price in series 2 of Lip Service broadcast on BBC Three in April 2012. In October 2012 Skellern played Elaine White in series 2 episode 2 of the Sky 1 comedy drama series Spy.

Filmography
Year Title Character Production Notes
2002–2003CNNNNAnna
2009The BillStephanie LewisITV
2009The Descent: Part 2Cath
2009Agatha Christie's PoirotFiona HanburyITV
2010A Passionate WomanJo
2010OutnumberedKellyBBC
2010Half HeartedSvetlana
2010SirenRachel
2011CamelotArwenStarz
2011A Night in the WoodsKerry Hastings
2011W.E.Daphne
2011The IncidentLynn
2011FingersCarrie
20117livesFelicity
2012Lip ServiceLexy PriceBBC Three
2012Parade's EndBobbie PelhamBBC Two
2012SpyElaineSky1
2012GambitSecretary Fiona
2013I Give It a YearClaudia
2013JoVanessa SerfatyTF1
2013Heading OutSophieBBC Two
2013PlebsIrinaITV2Season 1, Episode 5: "Bananae"
2013DriftersEllieE4
2014The MusketeersMaria BonnaireEpisode 3: "Commodities"
2014Blood MoonMarie
2015The InterceptorKim
2016HumansEmma
2018OriginJennifer MooreEpisode: "Bright Star"

Personal life

In 2007, Skellern was at the centre of a public spat between two of her former boyfriends, singer-songwriter Tim Freedman and comedian Chris Taylor. On 7 October 2007, Freedman posted a message on the official website of his band The Whitlams, citing a parody of him that was written by Taylor, and was broadcast on the 3 October 2007 episode of The Chaser's War on Everything.[10] The song was performed by fellow Chaser Andrew Hansen, and the lyrics implied that Freedman was obsessed with the Sydney suburb of Newtown, and that he continually referred to the area of Newtown in his own songs. In his message, Freedman alluded that the lyrics were indeed written by Taylor, and that the parody had been motivated by jealousy over Skellern.[11]

Taylor denied this, and said that the song had nothing to do with Skellern. "He [Freedman] was speculating that the song was written out of some sort of jealous rage or payback which isn't the case at all," he said. "My relationship with Anna didn't end badly... we're still good friends and see each other quite a bit."[12]

References
  1. Anna Skellern at IMDb
  2. "Big Brother, The Whitlams and The Chaser caught up on one girl" Archived 13 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine, LIVENEWS.com.au, 12 November 2007, retrieved 1 December 2007.
  3. Program Summary, CNNNN – The Chaser NoNstop News Network at Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 19 June 2008.
  4. Anna Skellern Archived 5 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Guildhall School of Music and Drama website, retrieved 4 June 2008.
  5. Cast Biographies Archived 22 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine, The Vegemite Tales, 26 June 2007; retrieved 4 June 2008.
  6. Sapphire & Steel – Second Sight Archived 13 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine, 26 May 2008; retrieved 4 June 2008.
  7. The Descent 2 at the Internet Movie Database, retrieved 23 January 2011.
  8. "Celador exploring 'Descent' sequel", The Hollywood Reporter, 1 May 2008; retrieved 19 June 2008.
  9. Alan Jones, "The Darker Depths of THE DESCENT 2" Archived 22 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Fangoria – America's Horror Magazine, 1 May 2008, retrieved 19 June 2008.
  10. I Love The Chaser Archived 13 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine, The Whitlams, 7 October 2007; retrieved 1 December 2007.
  11. "Tim Freedman hits back at Chaser", NineMSN, 10 October 2007; retrieved 1 December 2007.
  12. "Whitlams' Chaser love twist", News.com.au, 9 October 2007, retrieved 1 December 2007.
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