Julie Forsyth

Julie Forsyth
Born
OccupationActress
Years active1984–present

Julie Forsyth is an Australian actress best known for her stage performances, and Lotis, the talking lift from Lift Off.

Early life

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In 1976, Forsyth left home to attend Monash University in Melbourne. She enrolled to do a BA with the intention of going on to study education and become a teacher of French and English. After watching student plays however, she auditioned and was cast in Brecht’s A Man’s a Man.

Forsyth started going to see shows at the Pram Factory, and after auditioning, was cast in the one-woman show A Banquet of Vipers. When the Pram Factory closed its doors a year later, she became a member of the Australian Nouveau Theatre in 1981, and decided not to continue her university studies. [1]

Career

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Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Forsythe worked closely with director Jean Pierre Mignon at the Anthill theatre company in Melbourne. Her solo performance as a schoolboy in Kids' Stuff for Anthill, (first performed in 1984), toured Australia and festivals in Europe and Singapore.[2]

Her more recent work at Belvoir, Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre and other major Australian theatre companies has included roles in Patrick White’s The Ham Funeral and Night on Bald Mountain, Eugène Ionesco’s Exit the King, the stage adaptation of Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet, and Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days and Endgame.[3]

Forsyth has also appeared in many tv series and films. In 2010, she appeared in Dead Gorgeous in the main role as Haiwyn Sinclaire (a.k.a. Miss Sinclair). In 2013 she appeared in an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (S2:E2), "Death Comes Knocking". More recently she appeared in the miniseries Joe vs Carole, based on Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin from the hit documentary Tiger King.

She co-starred alongside Paul Chubb in Stan and George's New Life as George (1992). More recently, she appeared in Academy Award-winning film The Power of the Dog (2021).

She has received multiple awards, including the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award and Helpmann Awards as both leading and supporting female actor in a play.

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1984 Strikebound Women’s Auxilary Feature film
1987 Feathers Olila
1988 Pleasure Domes Voiceover
1990 Catch of the Day Jane Animated short film
1990 Aya Mandy Feature film
1992 Stan and George's New Life George
1994 Babe Sheep (voice)
1994 Trapped Lead Short film
1995 What I Have Written Doctor Feature film
1996 Caleopy's Lorikeet Laurie
1996 The Sound of One Hand Clapping Mrs Heaney
1998 Edithvale Edith
2003 Harvie Krumpet Lilliana Krumpetzki / Baby Harvie / Church singer Animated short film
2004 Tom White Tania Feature film
2006 Three Dollars Tailor.
2007 Romulus, My Father Nurse
2009 Piñata Funeral Director. Short film
2009 Mary and Max Additional voices Animated feature film
2010 Seamstress Enid Feature film
2012 Kath & Kimderella Queen Christina
2015 Holding the Man Aunty Gae
2021 The Power of the Dog Mrs Mueller
2023 Foe Junior’s Mum

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1990 One Summer Again Annie McCubbin TV miniseries
1990 Waterfront Miss Hipple
1991–94 Lift Off Lotis (voice) TV series
1994 The Damnation of Harvey McHugh Yvonne TV miniseries
1995 Gettin' On Prue TV series
1995–96 Mercury Tess MacDonald
1996 Hospital Narrator Documentary
1997 Li'l Monsters Morbidda
1998 Small Tales & True Sara Donovan
2000 Eugénie Sandler P.I. Desk Officer TV series
2003 Fat Cow Motel Penny
2003 Kath & Kim Sheila TV series, season 2
2003 MDA Karen Rees TV series
2004 The Brush Off Bernice Kaufman TV movie
2007 Real Stories Janice TV series
2010 Dead Gorgeous Haiwyn Sinclaire
2012 Winners & Losers Mrs Judy Faine
2013 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Mrs Bolkonsky TV series, season 2, episode 2: "Death Comes Knocking"
2014 Wentworth Lorraine Evelyn TV series, season 2
2021 Joe vs. Carole Anne McQueen TV miniseries

Theatre

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Year Title Role Type
1980 Banquet of Vipers Pram Factory, Melbourne, Parks Community Centre for Adelaide Festival
1981 Quick Death to Infinity The Woman La Mama, Melbourne, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1981 Pour en Finir avec le Jugement de Dieu (aka To Have Done with the Judgment of God) Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1981 Exiles Mrs Gower Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1982 Ruins The Old Woman Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1982 The Hamletmachine MC Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1982 The White Door Solo performance Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1982 The Condemned of Altona Leni Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1982 The Stranger in the House The Mother Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1983 Tartuffe Dorine Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, Universal Theatre, Melbourne
1983 Slow Love Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1983 Tengul Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1983 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Anthill Theatre, Melbourne
1984 Don Juan Charlotte Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA, St. Vincent de Paul's Girls' Orphanage, Melbourne
1984 Romeo and Juliet Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1984 The Time Is Not Yet Ripe Lady Pillsbury Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1984; 1985; 1987; 1988; 1989 Kids' Stuff Schoolboy Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, Brown's Mart Theatre, Darwin, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide Festival, Donmar Warehouse, London, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, Singapore Festival, Aarhus Denmark & Tasmania
1985 The Misanthrope Celimene Anthill Theatre, Wharf Theatre with STC
1985 Macbeth Lasy Macbeth Warehouse, South Melbourne with Australian Nouveau Theatre
1987 The Cherry Orchard Madame Ranevskaya Anthill Theatre
1987 Uncle Vanya Sonia Anthill Theatre
1987 The Thief / The Drought Anthill Theatre
1987 An Ordinary Dream about a Journey North Anthill Theatre
1987 Three Sisters Olga Anthill Theatre
1988 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Olive Melbourne Athenaeum, SLF Auditorium / Singapore Festival of the Arts
1989–90 The Imaginary Invalid Toinette New Fortune Theatre for Perth Festival, Anthill Theatre, Universal Theatre, Melbourne, Armoury Lawns, Adelaide
1989 Joan of Arc at the Stake Melbourne Concert Hall
1989 Happy Days Winnie Anthill Theatre
1990–91 The Wooden Child Voiceover artist Castlemaine Library Hall, Melbourne, Universal Theatre, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House
1990 Peer Gynt Universal Theatre
1991 In the Cold Cold Morning Light Bebe Anthill Theatre
1991 Endgame Anthill Theatre for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
1991 The Marriage of Figaro Suzanne Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
1992 The Crimson Island Metelkin / Passepartout / Parrot Royalty Theatre, Adelaide with Anthill Theatre for Adelaide Festival
1992 The Chairs Anthill Theatre
1992 Life is a Dream Gasworks Theatre for Melbourne International Arts Festival
1992 The School for Wives Georgette Gasworks Theatre
1993 The Stranger in the House The Mother Anthill Theatre
1993 Mother Courage and her Children Mother Courage Gasworks Theatre
1993 The Force of Habit Gasworks Theatre
1993 Kids' Stuff Victorian regional tour & Gasworks Theatre, Melbourne
1995 The Ham Funeral Mrs Lusty Budinskis Theatre of Exile, Melbourne
1995 Shorts Programme 1: Ned / The Flying Doctor / The Bear / Out at Sea Fairfax Studio with MTC
1995 Shorts Programme 2: This Property is Condemned / Love / Family Running For Mr Whippy / Like Whiskey on the Breath of a Drunk You Love Fairfax Studio with MTC
1995–96 Daze of Our Lives Housewife Fairfax Studio, Glen Street Theatre, Space Theatre, Adelaide with Handspan Theatre
1996 A Cheery Soul Mrs Watmuff / Little Girl #2 Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
1997 The Comedy of Errors Courtesan Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
1997 After Magritte and The Real Inspector Hound Mother / Felicity Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
1997 Mr September Old Courthouse Building, Geelong with Back to Back Theatre Company
1998 The Caucasian Chalk Circle Grusha Belvoir Street Theatre
1998-99 Cloudstreet Red Lamb / various roles Berth 9, Darling Harbour, Sydney with Company B Belvoir for Sydney Festival, Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA, Malthouse Theatre, Black Swan Theatre Company for Perth Festival, Zurich, London, Dublin
2000 The Chairs Old Woman Fairfax Studio with MTC
2000 The Ham Funeral The Landlady Belvoir Street Theatre
2000 The Small Poppies Mrs Walsh The Butter Factory Theatre, Playhouse, Melbourne for Melbourne International Arts Festival, Belvoir Street Theatre for Sydney Festival, Dublin Festival
2001 Man the Balloon Mayor Flummery / Dr Hindenburg Fairfax Studio with MTC
2001 The Tempest Trinculo Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC for

Melbourne International Arts Festival

2001 The Old Masters Dorotea Fromm Wharf Theatre with STC
2002 Great Expectations Mrs Jo / Miss Skiffins / various roles Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC, Sydney Opera House]] with STC
2003 The Visit Ottolie Schill / Frau Siementhofer Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
2003 Babes in the Wood Boingle Malthouse Theatre with Playbox, Melbourne
2004 The Miser Froisine Sydney Opera House with STC
2005 A Journal of the Plague Year Worgret Malthouse Theatre
2005 The Ham Funeral Landlady Malthouse Theatre
2005 The Metamorphosis Mrs Samsa Wharf Theatre, Malthouse Theatre with STC
2006; 2008 Babes in the Wood Boingle Malthouse Theatre, Sydney Opera House
2007 Exit the King Juliette Malthouse Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre
2007 The Madwoman of Chaillot Mademoiselle Gabrielle Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
2007 Dimboola Florence Delaney Malthouse Theatre (Rehearsed Reading)
2008 Moving Target Ensemble Odeon Theatre, Norwood, Malthouse Theatre with Adelaide Festival
2009 Happy Days Winnie Malthouse Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre
2010 Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman Elizabeth Malthouse Theatre
2009; 2012–13 The Book of Everything Mrs Van Amersfoort Belvoir Street Theatre, Seymour Centre, New Victory Theater, New York with MTC
2011 Return to Earth Wendy Waster Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
2013 Phèdre Oenone Malthouse Theatre, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare
2013 Romeo and Juliet Nurse Sydney Opera House with STC
2014 Private Lives Louise Southbank Theatre with MTC
2014 Night on Bald Mountain Miss Quodling Malthouse Theatre
2014 The Dream Puck Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Melbourne, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre with Bell Shakespeare
2015 The Unknown Man on Somerton Beach VCA Art Courtyard with MTC
2015 Endgame Nell Southbank Theatre with MTC
2015 Frogs Cry Wolf MTC
2016 ‘O’ The Play All Roles Big hART
2015–17 The Popular Mechanicals Robin Starveling Space Theatre, Adelaide & SA regional tour with STCSA, Wharf Theatre with STC, Canberra Theatre Centre
2017 The Real and Imagined History of the Elephant Man Ensemble Malthouse Theatre
2018 The House of Bernarda Alba Penelope Arts Centre Melbourne with MTC
2018 Accidental Death of an Anarchist Inspector Bertozzo Sydney Opera House with STC
2018 Bottomless Judith / various drunks Fortyfivedownstairs
2019 Escaped Alone Mrs Jarrett Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2020 Do Not Go Gentle... Malthouse Theatre
2024 The President Mrs Frolick The Gate Theatre with STC

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Awards and nominations

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
1993 Kids’ Stuff Green Room Awards Best Actress Won
1999 Cloudstreet Green Room Awards Best Ensemble Playing by a Cast of Actors Won
2000 The Chairs Green Room Awards Female Actor in a Lead Role Nominated
2001 The Tempest Green Room Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
2003 Great Expectations Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Nominated
2005 The Ham Funeral Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Nominated
2007 Exit the King Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated
2008 Moving Target Green Room Awards Best Ensemble Playing by a Cast of Actors Won
2008 Exit the King Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Won
2009 Julie Forsyth Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards Individual Award Won
2009 Happy Days Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actress in a Lead Role Nominated
2009 Happy Days Green Room Awards Best Female Performer Lead Role Nominated
2010 Happy Days Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Won
2013 The Book of Everything Green Room Awards Best Ensemble Playing by a Cast of Actors Won
2013 The Book of Everything Green Room Awards Best Female Actor Nominated
2015 Endgame Green Room Awards Best Female Actor for Endgame Nominated
2015 Endgame Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Nominated
2015 Night On Bald Mountain Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Nominated

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References

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  1. ^ https://rest.neptune-prod.its.unimelb.edu.au/server/api/core/bitstreams/49be8832-ff1c-5448-8353-9cf1b78b34dd/content
  2. ^ "ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 'Kids Stuff attains cult status". The Canberra Times. Vol. 69, no. 21, 644. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 20 July 1994. p. 26. Retrieved 13 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ Blundel, Graeme (13 March 2010). "Julie Forsyth, miracle worker". The Australian. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  4. ^ https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/2873
  5. ^ https://creativerep.com.au/artists/julie-forsyth/
  6. ^ https://creativerep.com.au/artists/julie-forsyth/
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