Deborra-Lee Furness AO (born 30 November 1955)[1][2] is an Australian actress and producer. She is married to actor Hugh Jackman.
Deborra-Lee Furness AO | |
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![]() Furness in 2018 | |
Born | (1955-11-30) 30 November 1955 (age 66) Annandale, New South Wales, Australia |
Years active | 1975–present |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Furness was born in Annandale, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, and raised in Melbourne, Victoria.[3] She studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, where she graduated in either 1981[4] or 1982.[3] She performed on the stage in New York and played Kathleen,[5] the Australian wife of Cole Gioberti (Billy Moses) on the television series Falcon Crest before returning to Australia to continue her acting career.[3]
Furness rose to fame in 1988 when she starred in the movie Shame, for which she won Best Actor awards from the Film Critics Circle of Australia and Golden Space Needle. Other roles included an episode of Halifax f.p. and The Flying Doctors.[6] In 1993, Furness appeared as Chrissy in the television mini-series Stark starring Ben Elton and Jacqueline McKenzie.[7] In 1995 she featured in the film Angel Baby directed by Michael Rymer and starring Jacqueline McKenzie and John Lynch.[8] The film followed the story of two schizophrenic people who met during therapy and fell passionately in love.[8]
In 1995, she starred in the title role in the television series Correlli, where she met her future husband, Hugh Jackman.
From 1995 to 1996, Furness starred in television series Fire alongside Andy Anderson and Wayne Pygram. Furness played the role of Dolores Kennedy.[9]
An adoptive mother of two, Furness is known for her work assisting orphans globally and streamlining international adoptions, especially in her native Australia where she is a patron, and one of the creators, of National Adoption Awareness Week.[6][10][11] She has addressed the National Press Club of Australia on the subject of adoption laws in Australia.[12][13] Furness is a patron of the Lighthouse Foundation for displaced children and International Adoption Families for Queensland.[14][15] She is also a World Vision ambassador and serves on the Advisory Committee for Film Aid International, working with refugees throughout the world.[16][17]
Furness is married to actor Hugh Jackman. They met on the set of Australian TV show Correlli in 1995.[18] The ceremony took place on 11 April 1996 at St. John's in Toorak, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne.[19] After going through two miscarriages,[18] she adopted two children with Jackman: a son born in 2000[20] and a daughter born in 2005.[21]
A portrait of Furness and Jackman by Paul Newton was a finalist in the 2022 Archibald Prize.[22]
In 2014, Deborra-Lee Furness was named as the New South Wales Australian of the Year for her work in adoption campaigning.[23][24][25]
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | Crossover Dreams | Statue of Liberty | |
1986 | Jenny Kissed Me | Carol Grey | |
1986 | Cool Change | Lee | |
1986 | The Humpty Dumpty Man | Carmel DeVries | |
1987 | The Bit Part | Acting Teacher | |
1988 | Shame | Asta Cadell | |
1988 | Evil Angels | Magazine Reporter | |
1988 | Two Brothers Running | Silver's Secretary | |
1988 | Celia | Miss Greenaway | |
1990 | The Last of the Finest | Linda Daly | |
1991 | Voyager | Ivy | Also known as Homo Faber |
1991 | Waiting | Diane | |
1992 | Newsies | Esther Jacobs | |
1995 | Angel Baby | Louise Goodman | |
1998 | The Real Macaw | Beth Girdis | |
2006 | Jindabyne | Jude | |
2008 | Sleepwalking | Danni | |
2009 | Beautiful | Mrs. Thomson | |
2009 | Blessed | Tanya | |
2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Barran | Voice role |
2014 | Dukale's Dream | Herself | Documentary |
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1975 | Division 4 | Junior 1 | Episode: "The Human Factor" |
1979 | Prisoner | Connie | 3 episodes; one uncredited role |
1983 | Kings | Unknown role | |
1985 | Neighbours | Linda Fielding | 5 episodes |
1985 | The Flying Doctors | Fran | TV miniseries |
1985 | Glass Babies | Joan Simpson | Television film |
1987 | Falcon Crest | Kathleen | Episode: "The New Faces" |
1987 | The Flying Doctors | Sapphire | Episode: "Sapphire" |
1987 | A Matter of Convenience | Valma | Television film |
1988 | Act of Betrayal | Kathy | Television film |
1993 | Stark | Chrissie | 3 episodes |
1993 | Singapore Sling | Annie | Television film |
1994 | G.P. | Kate Morrison | Episode: "All of Me" |
1995 | Halifax f.p. | Brigit Grant | Episode: "The Feeding" |
1995 | Correlli | Louisa Correlli | 5 episodes |
1995–1996 | Fire | Dolores Kennedy | 17 episodes |
1997 | Roar | Agrona | Episode: "The Cage" |
2000 | SeaChange | Vicki Drury | Episode: "Hungi Jury" |
2010 | This Is Your Life | Herself | |
2011 | Kimchi Chronicles | Herself | |
2013 | Phineas and Ferb | Additional Voices | Episode: "Primal Perry" |
2016 | Hyde & Seek | Claudia Rossini | Main Cast |
By the way, it's her birthday tomorrow
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: CS1 maint: others (link)Furness serves as a board member of the Worldwide Orphan Foundation to help create a National Adoption Awareness Week, "to shine a light on the fact that there are 153 million orphans in the world," she says: "If that were a country, it would be the ninth-largest in the world, just ahead of Russia."
Deborra-Lee Furness is an internationally acclaimed actress as well as a passionate supporter of children and defender of their human rights across the globe.
...Oscar's 10th birthday, which was yesterday.
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