Leah Purcell

Leah Purcell (born 1970)[1] is an Indigenous Australian actress, director and writer. She is a Helpmann Award and AACTA Award winner.

Not to be confused with Lee Purcell.

Leah Purcell
Purcell at the premiere of The Sapphires in 2012
Born1970 (age 50–51)
Murgon, Queensland, Australia
OccupationActress, film director

Biography

Leah Purcell was born in Murgon, Queensland, and she was the youngest of seven children of Aboriginal and white Australian descent.[1] Her father was a butcher and a boxing trainer.[2] After a difficult adolescence, looking after her sick mother who died while Leah was in her late teens, problems with alcohol and teenage motherhood, Leah left Murgon and moved to Brisbane and became involved with community theatre.[1]

In 1996 she moved to Sydney to become presenter on a music video cable television station, RED Music Channel.[3] This was followed by roles in a place called ABC television series Police Rescue and Fallen Angels.[4][5] She co-wrote and acted in a play called Box the Pony, which played at Sydney's Belvoir Street Theatre, the Sydney Opera House, the 1999 Edinburgh Festival and in 2000 at the Barbican Theatre in London.[6] She then wrote and directed the documentary Black Chicks Talking, which won a 2002 Inside Film award.[7] She appeared in the acclaimed Australian film Lantana and on stage in The Vagina Monologues.[8] She went on to appear in three 2004 films, Somersault, The Proposition and Jindabyne as well as playing the role of Condoleezza Rice in David Hare's play, Stuff Happens in Sydney and Melbourne.[9]

Purcell has joined the cast of Foxtel drama series Wentworth as Rita Connors, a role originally portrayed by Glenda Linscott in Prisoner. It was announced that she was one of three new leading cast members to join the series for its sixth season, alongside Susie Porter and Rarriwuy Hick. She first appeared in the first episode of season six, broadcast on 19 June 2018.[10] Following her appearances in seasons six and seven, it was announced in October 2018, that she would be reprising her role for the eighth season, which is set to premiere in 2020.[11]

Purcell wrote and starred in the play The Drover's Wife (2016)[12] and a penned novel of the same title (2019). A film adaptation scheduled for release in 2020. All were based on the short story by Henry Lawson.[13]

Personal life

Purcell's partner is Bain Stewart, who is also her business partner in Oombarra Productions. She has a daughter and two grandchildren[14]

Actor
Year Title Role Notes
1996 G.P. Lauren Episode: "Long Time Coming"
1997 Police Rescue Const. Tracey Davis 9
1997 Fallen Angels Sharon Walker 20
1998 Water Rats Sarah Lane Episode: "Let the Dead"
1999 Somewhere in the Darkness Lulu
2000–2001 BeastMaster The Black Apparition Recurring role (5 episodes)
2001 The Lost World Witch Doctor Episode: "The Visitor"
2001 Lantana Det. Claudia Wiss
2002 Bad Cop, Bad Cop Lorraine Simpson Episode: "Suit Yourself"
2004 Somersault Diane
2005 The Proposition Queenie
2006 Jindabyne Carmel
2007 Love My Way Caroline Syron Episodes: "I'm the King of the Castle", "Together Apart", "Say What You Mean"
2007 The Starter Wife Hannah Sprints TV miniseries
2008 McLeod's Daughters Terri Barker Season 8, Episode 9: "Dammed"
2009 Tomorrow Laura Short film
2009 My Place Ellen Episode: "2008 Laura"
2012 Redfern Now Grace Episode: "Family"
2013 Janet King Heather O'Connor
2018– Wentworth Rita Connors Main role; Season 6–

Other
Year Title Role Notes
2004 Black Chicks Talking Director Documentary
2009 Aunty Maggie and the Womba Wakgun Director Short film
2009 My Place Writer Episode: "2008 Laura"
2012 She Say Director / Writer Video short
2012 Redfern Now Director Episode: "Sweet Spot"
2016 The Secret Daughter Director Episode: "Flame Trees"[15]
2019 My Life Is Murder Director Episodes: "The Boyfriend Experience"; "Lividity in Lycra"

Awards and nominations
Year Ceremony Category Title Work
1997 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama Fallen Angels Nominated
1999 Deadly Awards 1999 Female Artist of the Year herself Won
1999 NSW Premier’s Literary Award Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting Box the Pony Won
2000 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Queensland Premier's Literary Award for Best Play Box the Pony Won
2001 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Box the Pony Nominated
2006 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Stuff Happens Nominated
2008 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play The Story of the Miracle at Cookie's Table Won
2013 AACTA Awards Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama Redfern Now Won
2013 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actress Redfern Now Nominated
2016 AACTA Awards Best Performance in a Television Comedy Black Comedy Nominated
2017 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play The Drover's Wife Nominated
2017 Helpmann Awards Best New Australian Work The Drover's Wife Won
2017 NSW Premier’s Literary Award Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting The Drover's Wife Won
2017 NSW Premier’s Literary Award Book of the Year The Drover's Wife Won
2017 NSW Premier’s Literary Award Indigenous Writers Prize The Drover's Wife Won
2018 AACTA Awards Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama Wentworth Nominated
2018 National Dreamtime Awards 2018[16] Female Actor of the Year Won
2019 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actress Wentworth Nominated
2020 Davitt Award[17] Best debut crime book The Drover's Wife Nominated

References
  1. Verghis, Sharon (17 August 2005), "Direct line to Washington", The Age, retrieved 20 January 2010
  2. Grasswill, Helen (17 June 2002). "Queen Leah". Australian Story. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  3. NEILSON, DEBBIE (9 July 1995). "A lesson of celebration". Sun Herald, The (Sydney, Australia). p. 26. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  4. Keenan, Catherine (27 August 2002), "Blood sisters", The Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 21 January 2010
  5. "Upstaging". Message Stick. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 5 March 2004. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  6. "Leah Purcell: profile". Claxton Speakers. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  7. "IF Award Winners". Inside Film Awards. Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  8. Keenan, Catherine (21 February 2003), "Monologues shift focus to the body beautiful — and battered", The Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 21 January 2010
  9. Verghis, Sharon (9 July 2005), "Channelling Condoleezza", The Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 21 January 2010
  10. "Wentworth season 6: date and new cast members Susie Porter, Leah Purcell and Rarriwuy Hick revealed". Foxtel. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  11. "Heritage Characters Join Siege Survivors on the Inside As Wentworth Season 8 Commences Production". foxshowcase.com.au. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  12. Hennessy, Kate (23 September 2016). "The Drover's Wife review – plot twist leaves Australian classic spinning on its axis". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  13. Daley, Paul (21 December 2019). "Leah Purcell on reinventing The Drover's Wife three times: 'I borrowed and stole from each'". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  14. O'Brien, Kerrie (17 January 2020). "'She was my hero': how her mum's struggle gave Leah Purcell her voice". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  15. Asciak, Libby (18 April 2016). "The secret is finally out: so excited to announce that I will be joining @jessicamauboy1 and the rest of the amazing cast in the new Channel Seven drama 'The Secret Daughter' playing the role of Rachel Rossi #thesecretdaughter #channel7 #comingsoon". Instagram. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  16. "Dream of love, and success will come (pp32-34)" (PDF). AIATSIS - The Koori Mail. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  17. "Davitt Awards 2020 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
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