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Essie Davis

Actor

Essie Davis

Born January 19, 1970 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia34 films

Essie Davis is an Australian actress. Born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, she is the daughter of locally famed artist George Davis. She emerged from the Old Nick Company at the University of Tasmania in the late 1980s and has gone on to appear in Hollywood movies. She is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney.

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Her career started after her role in the all Australian movie Dad and Dave: On Our Selection (1995), also starring other prestigious actors such as Geoffrey Rush, Leo McKern, and Joan Sutherland. Her most famous movie roles are in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, Richard Flanagan's 1998 Tasmanian film The Sound of One Hand Clapping, and Girl with a Pearl Earring.

In 2003 she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her UK performance in the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire. In 2004 she starred in a Broadway production of Tom Stoppard's Jumpers, for which she earned a Tony nomination. In 2005 she appeared as Mrs. Nellie Lovett in the BBC production of Sweeney Todd with Ray Winstone. In the 2008 film Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger she plays Esther's controlling mother.

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The best way into Essie Davis's work
The Matrix Reloaded posterFirst watchThe Matrix Reloaded20037.1as MaggieThe Resistance builds in numbers as humans are freed from the Matrix and brought to the city of Zion. Neo discovers his superpowers, including the ability to see the code inside the…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
The Matrix Revolutions poster6.8The Matrix Revolutions2003The Babadook poster6.5The Babadook2014Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole poster6.8Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole2010Australia poster6.6Australia2008Assassin's Creed poster5.4Assassin's Creed2016Girl with a Pearl Earring poster6.6Girl with a Pearl Earring2003Charlotte's Web poster6.2Charlotte's Web2006Babyteeth poster6.9Babyteeth2020

Filmography

34 films as actor
  1. TBAUnspeakableJudith
  2. 2021NitramHelen
  3. 2021The Justice of Bunny KingBunny King
  4. 2020BabyteethAnna
  5. 2020Miss Fisher and the Crypt of TearsPhryne Fisher
  6. 2019True History of the Kelly GangEllen Kelly
  7. 2016Assassin's CreedMary Lynch
  8. 2016MindhornPatricia Deville
  9. 2014The BabadookAmelia Vanek
  10. 2014A Poet in New YorkCaitlin Thomas
  11. 2011Burning ManKaren
  12. 2010South SolitaryAlma Stanley
  13. 2010Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'HooleMarella (voice)
  14. 2010The Wedding PartyJane
  15. 2008AustraliaKatherine
  16. 2008Hey Hey It's Esther BlueburgerGrace Blueburger
  17. 2006Charlotte's WebMrs. Arable
  18. 2006The SilenceJuliet Moore
  19. 2006Sweeney ToddMrs Lovett
  20. 2005IsolationOrla
  21. 2003Girl with a Pearl EarringCatharina Bolnes Vermeer
  22. 2003The Matrix RevolutionsMaggie
  23. 2003Code 46Doctor
  24. 2003After the DelugeBeth
  25. 2003The Matrix ReloadedMaggie
  26. 2003The PactHelene Davis
  27. 1998The Sound of One Hand ClappingJean
  28. 1997The RipperEvelyn Bookman
  29. 1997River StreetWendy Davis
  30. 1997The Two-Wheeled Time MachineYoung alice
  31. 1997BlackrockDet. Gilhooley
  32. 1996Lilian's StoryZara
  33. 1995Dad and Dave: On Our Selection
  34. 1994The CustodianJilly