Asher Keddie (born 31 July 1974) is an Australian actress. Beginning her career in the television series Five Mile Creek in the mid 1980s, Keddie received wide recognition for her role in the television series Offspring. Her significant repertoire in television has led to her being dubbed as the 'Golden Girl of Australian Television'.[1] Keddie also had a small role in the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as Dr. Carol Frost. Aside from television and film work, she has several theatre credits, including in the Melbourne Theatre Company production of Les Liaisons dangereuses as Madame de Tourvel.

Asher Keddie
Keddie in May 2012
Born (1974-07-31) 31 July 1974 (age 50)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
EducationSt Michael's Grammar School
OccupationActress
Years active1984–present
Spouses
Jay Bowen
(m. 2007; div. 2011)
(m. 2014)
Children1

She won the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress five times in a row between 2011 and 2015.[2] Keddie won the 2013 Gold Logie award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, for her role as Dr Nina Proudman in the Network Ten drama Offspring. She had previously been nominated twice for the award. Keddie has a total of seven Logie Awards.

Early life

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Keddie was born to Robi and James Keddie, both school teachers.[3] As a child, she took dancing lessons for nine years and at age 14, she dislocated her knee prior to an audition at the Australian Ballet School. Despite her initial misfortune, she landed an acting gig in a dance wear ad while at ballet school and subsequently landed an agent.[4] Keddie completed her secondary education at St Michael's Grammar School, St Kilda. In 2000 she scored a starring role as dancer in the music video, “Since I Left You” by the Avalanches, which by 2024 had been viewed 16 million times. [5]

Entertainment career

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Television and film career

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Keddie had guest roles early in her career in various television dramas, including her first roles in Five Mile Creek (1985), Fortress (1986) and Janus (1994). She played the role of Marriane Sheridan in Blue Heelers (season 3, episode 21) airing on 18 June 1996 and Good Guys, Bad Guys (1997). From 1997 to 1998, she came to the attention of senior network television producers, appearing in State Coroner. Following this, she had a recurring role in Stingers from 2000 to 2004.

Keddie's big break came in 2004, where she had a leading role in Love My Way, a drama series airing on Foxtel. The series ended in late 2007. This role led to Keddie being nominated for various awards for playing the part of Julia Jackson, a woman who struggles to cope with her own identity in the midst of family tragedy. Keddie's award win came at the end of Love My Way's third series in 2006.

In 2009, Keddie appeared in three different roles. She portrayed police officer Liz Cruickshank in the television drama Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and journalist Jacinta Burns, in the TV series Rush, as well as Dr Carol Frost in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

In 2010, Keddie depicted author Blanche d'Alpuget in Hawke, a telemovie about the premiership of Bob Hawke (the Prime Minister of Australia, 1983–91). She also became the star of the drama series Offspring, which began airing in August 2010. In April 2011, she had the leading role of Ita Buttrose in ABC1's telemovie Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, the story of Buttrose's rise to success as the editor of Cleo magazine.

In 2014, Keddie starred in Party Tricks as Premier Kate Ballard. Ballard faces an election campaign alongside newly announced Opposition candidate David McLeod (Rodger Corser), with whom she once had a tumultuous affair.

In 2019, Keddie starred in the ABC1 acclaimed series "The Cry". In March 2020, she starred in a 6 part series on ABC1, "Stateless". The series also stars and is produced by Australian actress, Cate Blanchett and is set in a detention centre in the middle of the Australian outback.

In 2021, Keddie played Heather Marconi in the Nicole Kidman led Hulu series, Nine Perfect Strangers alongside Melissa McCarthy, Samara Weaving and Bobby Cannavale.[6][7][8]

In August 2024, Keddie would return for the second season of Strife.[9] On 31 August, Keddie was named in the cast of ABC series Plum.[10] In 2024, Keddie was nominated for a Gold Logie during the 2024 Logie awards.[11]

Stage

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Making her theatre debut for the Melbourne Theatre Company in 1998 in Patrick Marber's Closer, Keddie went on to appear in Cyrano de Bergerac, Les Liaisons dangereuses, Birthrights, Great Expectations, The Seagull and Hannie Rayson's Life After George. Her performances in the 2005 Melbourne Theatre Company production of Les Liaisons dangereuses, and the Playbox's The Ishmael Club, both earned her Green Room Award nominations.[12]

In 2007 Keddie starred alongside Jay Bowen in the Melbourne Theatre Company's play The Glass Soldier written by Hannie Rayson.[13]

Personal life

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Keddie married actor and musician Jay Bowen in January 2007.[14] The pair separated in December 2011.[14] In April 2014, she married artist Vincent Fantauzzo.[15] On 19 November 2014 she announced at the GQ Men's Award that she was pregnant. On 1 March 2015, their first child was born.[16][17]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 Fortress Sue Film based on a novel by Gabrielle Lord
1988 Two Brothers Running Ruthie Bornstein Film
1993 The Feds: Deadfall Susan Lehman TV film
1997 The Devil Game Karin TV film
1999 Redball Girl #2 Film
2003 Roy Hollsdotter Live Cate TV film
2006 The Society Murders Prue Reed TV film
Phase Ione TV film
2007 Curtin Elsie Curtin Jnr TV film
Murder in the Outback Anne Barnett TV film
2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Dr. Carol Frost Film
Possession(s) Selina Film
2010 Hawke Blanche d'Alpuget TV film
2018 Swinging Safari Gale Marsh Film
2019 Dark Whispers Vol 1 Zoe Film
2020 Rams Angela Film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
1985 Five Mile Creek Emma Episode: Possum
Glass Babies Anna Simpson Miniseries
Palace of Dreams Young Girl (uncredited) Miniseries
1986 The Last Frontier Emma Hannon Miniseries
1988 Dusty Miniseries
1993 Snowy Young Girl Episode: Dams, Schemes & Damn Schemes
1994 Janus Lisa Episodes: Without Prejudice, Burden of Proof, Improper Influences
1996 Law of the Land Shannon Rayner Episode: Leader of the Pack
1996–2003 Blue Heelers Marriane Sheridan/Kelly Lonsdale/Lee-Anne Rheinberger 4 episodes
1997 Good Guys, Bad Guys Aimee Episode: The Sound of One Hand Killing
Simone de Beauvoir's Babies Karla (aged 17) Miniseries
1997–1998 State Coroner Claire Ferrari Main cast (15 episodes)
2000–2004 Stingers Samantha Piper 7 episodes
2002 The Secret Life of Us Melissa Episode: “From Little Things Big Things Grow”
MDA Rachel O’Connor Episode: “1.6”
2004–2007 Love My Way Julia Jackson Main cast (30 episodes)
2005 Last Man Standing Jemima Episode: “1.6”
2006 Two Twisted Sarah Episode: “A Date with Doctor D”
2009 Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities Detective Liz Cruickshank Main cast (13 episodes)
Rush Jacinta Burns 7 episodes
2010–2017 Offspring Nina Proudman Main role (86 episodes)
2010 Satisfaction Ruby O’Kane Episode: “Bug Crush”
2011 Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo Ita Buttrose Miniseries
2013 It’s A Date Verity Episode: “1.3”
2014 Party Tricks Kate Ballard 6 episodes
2018 The Cry Alexandra Miniseries: 4 episodes
2019 The Hunting Simone Miniseries: 4 episodes
2020 Stateless Claire Kowitz 6 episodes
2021 Nine Perfect Strangers Heather Marconi Miniseries
2023 The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart Sally Miniseries
2023-present Strife Evelyn Jones 8 episodes [18]
2024 Fake Birdie Bell 8 episodes [19]
Plum Renee Lum TV series 5 episodes [20]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Result Work
2005 Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress[21] Nominated Love My Way
ASTRA Award Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female Nominated
2006 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Lead Actress in Television Drama[21] Nominated
Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress[21] Nominated
ASTRA Award Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female Nominated
2007 ASTRA Award Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female Won
Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress Nominated
2008 Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress Nominated
ASTRA Award Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female Nominated
2009 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Lead Actress in Television Drama Nominated Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
2010 Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress Nominated
Australian Film Institute Awards Best Supporting Actress in Television Drama Nominated Hawke
2011 Gold Logie Nominated Offspring and Hawke
Logie Award Most Popular Actress Won Offspring
Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress Nominated
Equity Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (Shared with castmates) Nominated
2012 Equity Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (Shared with castmates) Nominated
Equity Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Mini Series or Telemovie (Shared with castmates) Nominated Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo
AACTA Awards Audience Award for Best Performance Won
AACTA Awards Best Lead Actress in Television Drama Nominated
Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress Nominated
Gold Logie Most Popular Personality on Australian Television Nominated Offspring and Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo
Logie Award Most Popular Actress Won
2013 Gold Logie Won Offspring
Logie Award Most Popular Actress Won
Equity Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (Shared with castmates) Nominated
2014 Logie Award Most Popular Actress Won Offspring
Logie Award Most Outstanding Actress Won
2015 Gold Logie Most Popular Personality on Australian TV Nominated Offspring and Party Tricks
Logie Award Most Popular Actress Won
2017 Logie Award Best Actress Nominated Offspring
2018 Logie Award Most Popular Actress Nominated
2019 Logie Award Most Outstanding Supporting Actress

Most Popular Actress

Nominated The Cry
2024 Logie Awards Gold Logie Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Asher Keddie is Australian TV's Golden Girl". The Queensland Times. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Asher Keddie - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  3. ^ "The rise of Asher Keddie". The Australian. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  4. ^ "Keddie. We can't get enough". Mamamia. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  5. ^ It is in IMDB, saying this...Asher was the blonde dancer in the Avalanches music video titled Since I left you.
  6. ^ "Exclusive: Asher Keddie On Her Big Hollywood Break". Marie Claire. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Where You've Seen the Cast of Nine Perfect Strangers Before". E! Online. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  8. ^ Lawler, Kelly. "Review: Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy can't save Hulu's messy 'Nine Perfect Strangers'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  9. ^ Knox, David (8 August 2024). "Strife S2 production begins | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  10. ^ Ryan, Aaron (31 August 2024). "Plum on ABC with Brendan Cowell set for October". TV Central. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  11. ^ Writer, Staff. "Logie Awards 2024 nominees - AdNews". www.adnews.com.au. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Offspring". Network Ten. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  13. ^ "Rising star Asher Keddie". Herald Sun. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Asher's brush with love again". Herald Sun. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  15. ^ "Asher Keddie marries Vincent Fantauzzo in Fiji". 21 April 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  16. ^ "Asher Keddie and Vincent Fantauzzo welcome first child". 17 March 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  17. ^ "First pics: Asher Keddie's son Valentino".
  18. ^ Knox, David (27 March 2023). "Asher Keddie begins production on Strife". TV Tonight.
  19. ^ Knox, David (14 September 2023). "Paramount+ filming new thriller series, Fake". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  20. ^ Slatter, Sean (16 January 2024). "ABC to serve up 'Plum' with Brendan Cowell, Asher Keddie leading the cast". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  21. ^ a b c "Asher Keddie (Liz Cruickshank)". Ninemsn. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
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