Jacki Weaver
Jacqueline Ruth Weaver AO (born 1947) is an Australian theatre, film, and television actress. She is known internationally for her performances in Animal Kingdom (2010) and Silver Linings Playbook (2012), both of which earned her nominations for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Not to be confused with Jackie Weaver
Jacki Weaver | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Weaver in December 2012 | |
| Born | Jacqueline Ruth Weaver 1947 (age 73–74) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Education | Hornsby Girls' High School |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Spouse(s) | David Price
(m. 1966; div. 1970)Max Hensser
(m. 1975; div. 1977)
(m. 1997; div. 1998)Sean Taylor
(m. 2003) |
| Partner(s) | John Walters (esp. 1969; sep. 1970) Richard Wherrett (esp. 1971; sep. 1974) Phil Davis (esp. 1977; sep. 1981) |
| Children | 1 |
Weaver emerged in the 1970s as a symbol of the Australian New Wave through her work in Ozploitation films such as Stork (1971), Alvin Purple (1973), and Petersen (1974). Weaver's other films include Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Magic in the Moonlight (2014), The Disaster Artist (2017), Bird Box (2018), and Poms (2019). In 2005, she released her autobiography, Much Love, Jac.[1]
Early life
Weaver was born in Sydney, Australia. Her mother, Edith (née Simpson), was a migrant from England, and her father, Arthur Weaver, was a Sydney solicitor.[2] She attended Hornsby Girls' High School and was Dux of her school. She won a scholarship to study sociology at university, but instead embarked upon an acting career.[3][4]
Career
Weaver has been working in Australian film, stage and television since the 1960s. The turning point in her career came in 1965 just before she was about to go to university and was cast in the Australian TV series Wandjina![5]
Singing and stage
In 1963, at the age of 16, Weaver mimed the role of Gretel to the great soprano, Marilyn Richardson, in an ABC production of Weber's Hansel and Gretel, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. In 1964 at the Palace Theatre in Sydney, Weaver and a number of other Australian singers such as The Delltones and her then-boyfriend Bryan Davies performed a satire on the Gidget movies, in which Weaver performed as "Gadget".
In the mid-1960s, she appeared on the Australian music show Bandstand. In one appearance, she sang a 1920s-style pastiche, the novelty song "I Love Onions".
Contrary to popular belief, Weaver has never appeared in a soap opera. She has performed in more than 80 plays, including her stage work in Chekov's The Cherry Orchard and Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, in which she played Stella. Her stage abilities were recognised with a "Mo" award. In 1980 she appeared in a television production of Sumner Locke Elliot's Water Under the Bridge.
Film
Weaver's film debut came with 1971's Stork for which she won her first Australian Film Institute Award. Other notable films during this time include a small role in Peter Weir's critically acclaimed film version of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), and a more substantial appearance in Caddie (1976) for which she won her second Australian Film Institute Award.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Weaver found it increasingly difficult to gain roles on screen or television and she devoted much of her energy to the Australian stage, starring in plays including A Streetcar Named Desire, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Death of a Salesman, Reg Cribb's Last Cab to Darwin, and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya alongside Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh in 2010–11.
In 2010, Weaver starred in the Melbourne-set crime thriller Animal Kingdom playing a gang family matriarch. Her performance earned her an Academy Award nomination as well as winning the Australian Film Institute Award, the National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award and a Satellite Award.
Weaver made her Hollywood debut with the comedy The Five-Year Engagement, alongside Emily Blunt and Jason Segel, and starred in Park Chan-Wook's English-language debut, Stoker, alongside fellow Australian actors Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska, and British actor Matthew Goode.[6]
On 10 January 2012, Weaver was again nominated for an Academy Award for her role opposite Robert De Niro in the film Silver Linings Playbook. In April the same year, she was cast in the adaptation of Richard Alfieri's play Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks opposite Gena Rowlands.[7]
Personal life
Weaver had a relationship of many years with Richard Wherrett, director of the Sydney Theatre Company.[8] She was married to David Price from 1966 to 1970, before marrying Max Hensser in 1975. She lived with Phil Davis, a former Sydney crime reporter, Canberra Press Secretary, and executive producer for Mike Willesee, for five years until 1981, before she married the radio and television presenter Derryn Hinch in 1983. She and Hinch divorced in 1996 then remarried in 1997 before divorcing in 1998. She had a son, Dylan (b. 1970) with her partner at the time, John Walters.[9] She is currently married to actor Sean Taylor.[10]
Filmography
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Stork | Anna | |
| 1973 | Alvin Purple | Second Sugar Girl | |
| 1974 | Petersen | Susie Petersen | |
| 1975 | Picnic at Hanging Rock | Minnie | |
| The Removalists | Marilyn Carter | ||
| 1976 | Caddie | Josie | |
| 1982 | Squizzy Taylor | Dolly | |
| 1983 | Abra Cadabra | Primrose Buttercup | Voice |
| 1987 | The Perfectionist | Barbara Gunn | |
| 1996 | Cosi | Cherry | |
| 1997 | The Two-Wheeled Time Machine | Old Alice | Short film |
| 2008 | Three Blind Mice | Bernie Fisher | |
| 2009 | Early Checkout | Cleaner | Short |
| 2010 | Animal Kingdom | Janine "Smurf" Cody | |
| Summer Coda | Jen | ||
| 2011 | Lois | Lois | Short |
| 2012 | The Five-Year Engagement | Sylvia Dickerson-Barnes | |
| Silver Linings Playbook | Dolores Solitano | ||
| 2013 | Stoker | Aunt Gwendolyn "Gin" Stoker | |
| Parkland | Marguerite Oswald | ||
| Haunt | Janet Morello | ||
| 2014 | Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks | Irene Mossbecker | |
| Reclaim | Reigert | ||
| The Voices | Dr. Warren | ||
| Maya the Bee | Buzzlina Von Beena (voice) | ||
| Magic in the Moonlight | Grace | ||
| 2015 | Last Cab to Darwin | Dr. Farmer | |
| Equals | Bess | ||
| 2016 | Goldstone | The Mayor | |
| 2017 | The Polka King | Barb | |
| Small Crimes | Irma Denton | ||
| The Disaster Artist | Carolyn Minnott | ||
| 2018 | Irreplaceable You | Estelle | |
| Life of the Party[11] | Sandy Cook | ||
| Out of Blue | Miriam Rockwell | ||
| Widows | Agnieszka | ||
| Bird Box | Cheryl | ||
| 2019 | Poms | Sheryl | |
| Zeroville | Dotty | ||
| Elsewhere | Mom | ||
| 2020 | The Grudge | Lorna Moody | |
| Stage Mother | Maybelline Metcalf | ||
| Never Too Late | Norma McCarthy | ||
| Penguin Bloom | Jan | ||
| TBA | American Murderer | Jeanne | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Wandjina! | ||
| 1967 | The Schoolmistress | ||
| Homicide | Hettie / Anne Johnson / Sue Ryan | 9 episodes | |
| 1969 | Riptide | Liz | Episode: "Brethren Island" |
| 1969; 1973 | Division 4 | Val Smith / Thea Kemp | 2 episodes |
| 1970 | Woobinda, Animal Doctor | Episode: "Chocolate, Cherry or Pistachio" | |
| 1970–74 | Would You Believe? | As self | Panelist on ABC TV Game Show |
| 1971 | The Comedy Game | ABC series. In 2 episodes | |
| The Godfathers | Matilda Mathews | Nine Network. Episode: "Waltzing Matilda" | |
| Spyforce | Elaine Harrison | Episode: "The Volunteers: Part 1" | |
| 1972 | Catwalk | Rock Wilson | Episode: "A Life in the Day Of" |
| 1975 | Polly Me Love | Polly | TV film |
| 1976 | Alvin Purple | Emily | |
| Do I Have to Kill My Child? | TV film | ||
| Up the Convicts | |||
| Rush | Yvette Precot | Episode: "A Shilling a Day" | |
| 1977 | The Dick Emery Show in Australia | Various Characters | |
| 1980 | Trial by Marriage | Joan | |
| Water Under the Bridge | Maggie McGhee | 8 episodes | |
| 1981 | Tickled Pink | 2 episodes | |
| 1986 | The Challenge | Rasa Bertrand | Miniseries |
| 1988 | House Rules | Julie Buckley | Episode: "The Honourable Housewife" |
| 2007 | Hammer Bay | Aileen Blakely | TV film |
| 2009 | Satisfaction | Gillian | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | The McCarthys | Marjorie McCarthy | TV film |
| Super Fun Night | Pamela Boubier | Episode: "Engagement Party" | |
| 2014 | Gracepoint | Susan Wright | 10 episodes |
| Who Do You Think You Are? | As Self | Season 6, episode 3 | |
| 2015–16 | Blunt Talk | Rosalie Winter | Series regular; 20 episodes |
| 2016 | Sister Cities | Mary Baxter | TV film |
| 2016–18 | Secret City | Senator Catriona Bailey | 6 episodes (season 1) TBC (Season 2) |
| 2019–20 | Bloom | Gwendolyn "Gwen" Reed | Main role |
| 2019 | Perpetual Grace, LTD | Lillian | Main role |
Stage
| Year | Film | Role | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | A Wish is a Dream | Phillip Theatre, Sydney | |
| 1963 | Once Upon a Surfie | Palace Theatre, Sydney | |
| 1974 | Love's Labour's Lost[12] | Drama Theatre, Sydney (6 December 1974 – 18 January 1975) | |
| The Seagull | Nimrod Upstairs, Surry Hills | ||
| 1976 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Drama Theatre, Sydney | |
| Bedroom Farce | Theatre Royal (1976-5 October 1978) | ||
| 1980 | They're Playing Our Song | Sonia Walsk | Comedy Theatre, Melbourne (23 August 1980 - January 1981) |
| 1985 | The Real Thing | Drama Theatre, Sydney | |
| 1986 | Blithe Spirit | Playhouse, Melbourne | |
| 1987 | Emerald City | Playhouse, Melbourne (18 March & 11 November 1987) | |
| 1993 | Away | Riverside Theatres, Parramatta | |
| 1995 | Reunion | Comedy Club, Carlton, 13 May - 3 June 1995 | |
| 1997 | After the Ball | Sydney Theatre Company | |
| Navigating | Katherine Thompson | Queensland and Melbourne Theatre companies | |
| 1999 | Fred[13] | Sydney Theatre Company | |
| 2000 | The Falls | Griffin Theatre Company & Stables Theatre, Darlinghurst | |
| Girl Talk | Australia wide October 2000 - June 2001 | ||
| 2002 | The Blonde, The Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead | Stables Theatre, Darlinghurst | |
| Soulmates | Civic Theatre, Newcastle (13 April - 28 August 2002) | ||
| Three Sisters | |||
| 2003 | Last of the Red Hot Lovers | 3 June 2003 – 13 July 2004 | |
| Six Degrees of Separation | |||
| 2004 | Last Cab to Darwin | 7 August - 10 November 2004 | |
| The Blonde, The Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead | 24 February 2004 – 23 October 2006, 1 June 2007 | ||
| 2006 | A Hard God | Sydney Theatre Company | |
| 2010 | Entertaining Mr Sloane | State Theatre Company of South Australia | |
| Uncle Vanya[14] | Nana | Sydney Theatre Company |
Awards and nominations
Other awards
- Best Actress Awards for Joy Gresham in Shadowlands and Dr Georgeous in The Sisters Rosensweig
- Variety Club Award for They're Playing Our Song
- 2013 Australians in Film Breakthrough Award [15]
- 2014 AACTA Longford Lyell Award for lifetime achievement[16]
Further reading
- Jane Cadzow, "All or nothing", The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend, 5 December 1998
- Deborah Blashki-Marks, "What I've Learnt: Jacki Weaver", The Age, 8 May 2004
References
- Much Love Jac accessed 1-9-2016
- Weaver, Jacki (2007). Much Love, Jac. Allen & Unwin. pp. 2–7. ISBN 978-1741750560.
- Jacki Weaver (2005). Much Love, Jac. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74114-618-6.
- "Jacki Weaver actress" by Jennie Curtin, The Age (11 April 1986)
- Tom Ryan, "Jacki Weaver", Cinema Papers, April 1982 pp. 121–124, 185
- Craig Dunning "Jacki Weaver has landed another blockbuster role alongside Nicole Kidman in Stoker" The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) (29 July 2011)
- "Jacki Weaver To Star In Indie '6 Dance Lessons In 6 Weeks" Deadline Hollywood (4 April 2013)
- Tranter, Kirsten (2 November 2013). "Jacki Weaver: Hooray for Hollywood". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
- Jones, Caroline (2 June 2003). "Secret Life of Jacki". ABC. abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
- https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jul/24/jacki-weaver-michael-powell-said-i-was-headed-for-great-things-he-didnt-tell-me-it-would-take-50-years
- Galuppo, Mia (2 August 2016). "Jacki Weaver to Play Melissa McCarthy's Mom in 'Life of the Party' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- "Love's Labour's Lost". AusStage.edu.au. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- "Fred by Beatrix Christian". AustralianPlays.org. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- Uncle Vanya Archived 24 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine at the Sydney Theatre Company
- (26 August 2013), Jacki Weaver and Sullivan Stapleton tapped for top award from Australians in Film. "Variety", Los Angeles
- "Jacki Weaver wins AACTA lifetime achievement award", Sydney Morning Herald, 27 January 2014. Retrieved 2014-01-27
