Sigrid Thornton

Notes

Biography - Sigrid Thornton An icon of the Australian screen, Sigrid Thornton has starred in many of the films now regarded as classics of the Australian cinema. They include George Miller's box office hit THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER (Fox Classics), THE LIGHTHORSEMEN, (RKO), directed by Simon Wincer, SLATE WYN AND ME (Hemdale) and THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER 11 (Disney – Touchstone). Her stellar television career highlights include the Australian landmark series SEACHANGE for ABC TV, THE BOY IN THE BUSH for UK’s Channel Four opposite Kenneth Brannagh, BBC / ABC Co Pro THE FAR COUNTRY opposite Micheal York. Sigrid’s miniseries 1915 for BBC / ABC was followed by HBO’s highly acclaimed ALL THE RIVERS RUN and PARADISE / GUNS OF PARADISE for CBS in the US. Ratings winner LITTLE OBERON and Nine’s smash hit UNDERBELLY – THE GOLDEN MILE continue to consolidate her unique position in the Australian film and television landscape. ALL THE RIVERS RUN proved a hugely popular mini series throughout Europe, China and the Soviet Bloc countries. (Sigrid was awarded top foreign personality in Sweden). Veteran producer of DALLAS and KNOTS LANDING David Jacobs created the female lead Amelia Lawson in his CBS series PARADISE / GUNS OF PARADISE specifically for Sigrid. She was the first Australian actress in a starring role in a US network series. The show ran for several seasons and Sigrid was awarded the highly prestigious Cowboy Hall of Fame award for best T.V. contribution to Western Heritage. Sigrid has received multiple awards, award nominations, honours and medals for her work in front and behind the cameras as well as onstage. Recent awards include best actress for the sell out Australian tour of THE BLUE ROOM. Sigrid toured nationally co-starring with Oscar winner Brenda Blethyn in Alan Bennett’s TALKING HEADS. Her most recent stage performance as Desiree in Sondheim’s A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at the Sydney Opera House garnered rave reviews. The comedy drama SEACHANGE, with Sigrid in the central role as Laura, became an Australian sociological phenomenon and an unprecedented ratings success for the National broadcaster. The term SeaChange became part of the cultural vernacular and the show’s content and characters were dissected around the water cooler and in the national press. Sigrid received numerous awards and nominations for her performance. Australian audiences recently discovered Sigrid’s pioneering roots in the highly regarded bio series, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? Sigrid appeared in Nine’s smash hit drama UNDERBELLY - THE GOLDEN MILE playing “hardball” federal investigator, Gerry Lloyd. Michael Rymer’s FACE TO FACE won 17 International festival awards and was recently distributed in the US by Mousetrap. Sigrid received an acting nomination for her role and toured the US with the film. From the outset of her career, Sigrid has been warmly embraced by audiences and critics. They have supported her forays into an unusually diverse range of formats and genres with the national press coining the phrase, “The Sigrid Factor”. Sigrid has acted as MC for Australian appearances by international luminaries including Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama and was MC for the Centenary of Federation joint sittings of the Australian Parliament. In 2003 Sigrid was honoured as one of the top 100 Australian Entertainers of the century by the Variety Club and she is depicted in an honorary mural in central Melbourne’s “Walk of the Stars”. Sigrid has also worked extensively behind the cameras on behalf of the film and television industry, the arts and various charities. She has served several terms as a member of the board of the Australian Film Institute, Film Victoria as well as serving as the patron for Women in Film and Television. Sigrid was appointed to the Commercial Television Production Fund in 1995. In 1999 she was invited by the Premier of Victoria to chair the Victorian Film & Television Taskforce whose recommendations revitalised the Victorian film and television industry. In 2011 the National Film and Sound Archive honoured Sigrid as the first actor to deliver the Longford Lyell lecture. Sigrid is a board member of the Malthouse Theatre, the Australian Film Institute and a foundation member of the new Australian Academy of . Sigrid continues her extensive work with charities including World Vision, Reach Foundation, Olivia Newton John’s Cancer & Wellness Centre and Vision Australia’s Braille reading program for children. Sigrid is currently shooting the feature BFF’s in LA directed by Andrew Putschoegl due for release in 2013.