Kate Box
Kate Box (born 28 October 1979) is an Australian stage, film, and television actress. She is known for her roles as Nicole Vargas in Rake, Lou Kelly in Wentworth, and as Dulcie Collins in Deadloch.
Kate Box | |
|---|---|
 Box at event | |
| Born | 28 October 1979 Australia |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Notable work | |
| Height | 6[1] ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Partner | Jada Alberts (2009–?) |
| Children | 3 |
Kate Box (born 28 October 1979) is an Australian stage, film, and television actress. She is known for her roles as Nicole Vargas in Rake, Lou Kelly in Wentworth, and as Dulcie Collins in Deadloch.
Early life and education
[edit]Kate Box grew up in Adelaide, South Australia.[2] She lived with her parents, social workers Greg and Lorraine, and sister Sally in Colonel Light Gardens, and attended the local primary school.[3]
She did her secondary education at Annesley College. At the age of 13 she started classes at Unley Youth Theatre (now Urban Myth), where she met filmmakers Sophie Hyde and Matthew Cormack, who went on to form Closer Productions, and screenwriter Drew Proffitt.[3]
Box started a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Adelaide aged 17, intending to major in psychology, but changed her mind and graduated with politics and Australian studies as her major subjects. She then auditioned for the Victorian College of the Arts and National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). She was accepted into NIDA course and, at the age of 22, moved to Sydney.[3] She graduated from NIDA in 2003.[4]
Career
[edit]Stage
[edit]Her first stage performance was in 2004 as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Bell Shakespeare Company.[5][3] Her role in the Sydney Theatre Company presentation of Top Girls earned her a Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play nomination in 2018.[6][3] Other stage credits include Dolores (Old Fitzroy Theatre), Macbeth (Sydney Theatre Company) and A Christmas Carol (Belvoir).[7]
Screen
[edit]She went on to make her screen debut with a role in the 2005 television film sequel Small Claims: White Wedding. Following this, she made her film debut in 2008 with The Black Balloon and she received guest spots on television shows such as the medical drama series All Saints and the children's drama series My Place.[3]
Her performance in the 2014 comedy film The Little Death earned her a nomination for best actress in a leading role in the AACTA Awards.[3]
She came to prominence with her role as Nicole Vargas in the ABC comedy-drama series Rake for which she appeared throughout its entire run.[8] During her run on Rake, Box was cast in popular television series including Offspring,[9] Old School, and the six-part Closer Productions comedy drama mini-series Fucking Adelaide (2018).[10] The story follows three siblings who reunite back in Adelaide after some time, when their mother decides to sell the family home.[3]
Box played Marg McMann in the 2018 television film Riot, a film focusing on the LGBTI rights movement and the origins of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in the 1970s,[11][3] a role which won her the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama,[12] and the role of which she is most proud, saying "I was so grateful to walk with that character for a bit because the courage that she displayed definitely helped me to live my life with more truth and courage". Winning the AACTA for the performance was especially meaningful for her, because it gave her the opportunity to stand "front and centre" of issues relating to gay rights and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ people.[3]
In 2019 Box appeared in Upright, with Tim Minchin, and in Les Norton.[3]
In 2019, it was announced Box was cast in the role of "legacy" character Lou Kelly in the Foxtel prison drama series Wentworth for its eighth and final season.[13] Also in 2019, Box was announced as a cast member in the Cate Blanchett-produced Matchbox Pictures series, Stateless,[14] released in 2020.[3]
Box played a leading role in the "Tasmanian noir crime comedy" TV series, Deadloch, written by Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan. The eight-part series by Australian Amazon Original was released in 2023 to positive reviews.[15] Box revealed in an interview in August 2024 that she had originally auditioned for the part of Eddie Redcliffe.[16]
Box appears in the SBS anthology series Erotic Stories (2023), in the episode "The Deluge", as Cara.[17][18]
In November 2023 Box was announced for the upcoming ABC television series Ladies in Black.[19][20]
Box plays Dr Brennan[21] in the seven-part Netflix adaptation of Trent Dalton's novel Boy Swallows Universe, aired in January 2024.[22]
Box during the 2024 AACTA awards won the award for Best Acting in a Narrative Comedy for her role in Amazon series Deadloch, Box also delivered a rousing speech for her award win and also said "we are the stories we tell and the one's we don't." Box also used her speech to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and her speech went viral over the following days.[23]
On 9 July 2024, Deadloch would be renewed for another season with Box to reprise the role of Dulcie Collins.[24] On 4 September, it was announced that Box was named as part of the cast for SBS drama series Four Years Later.[25] In 2025, Box would appear in the short film Date 3.[26] On 5 November 2025, Box was named in the cast for upcoming film Croak.[27] On 20 November during ABC's upfronts Box was named for the 2026 series Dustfall.[28]
On 13 April 2026, Box was announced in the cast for upcoming movie Runner.[29]
Personal life
[edit]Box is openly gay. Since meeting at a playwright's conference[3] in 2009, she had been in a relationship with writer and actor Jada Alberts, who also appeared in Wentworth from 2013 to 2014. They live with their three daughters[30] in a "really affectionate household" in Sydney. In October 2020, they were considering a move back to Adelaide[3] but, as of October 2023[update], were still in Sydney.[31] During an interview in 2024, Box said she had taken eight months away from acting to look after the kids.[32]
She is a close friend of director Sophie Hyde.[3]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Format | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Film | AACTA Award | Best Actress in a Leading Role | The Little Death | Nominated | [33] |
| 2018 | Theatre | Helpmann Awards | Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play | Top Girls | Nominated | [6] |
| Television | AACTA Award | Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama | Riot | Won | [12] | |
| Television | Logie Awards | Most Outstanding Actress | Nominated | [34] | ||
| 2019 | Television | Equity Awards | Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Miniseries[a] | Won | [35] | |
| Television | AACTA Awards | Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Les Norton | Nominated | [36] | |
| 2024 | Television | AACTA Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Drama | Erotic Stories | Nominated | |
| Best Acting in a Narrative Comedy | Deadloch | Won | [37] | |||
| 2024 | Television | Logie Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Comedy | Deadloch | Nominated | [38] |
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Black Balloon | Elizabeth | Feature film |
| 2010 | Oranges and Sunshine | Radio Studio Receptionist | Feature film |
| 2011 | Random 8 | Frances Austin | Feature film |
| 2011 | Hush | Kate | Short film |
| 2014 | The Little Death | Rowena | Feature film (also known as A Funny Kind of Love) |
| 2014 | You Cut, I Choose | Rosey (27 & 37 Years-Old) | Short film |
| 2015 | The Daughter | Julieanne | Feature film |
| 2016 | Here is Now | Rachel | Short film |
| 2017 | Three Summers | Linda | Feature film |
| 2019 | Back of the Net | Coach Smith | Feature film |
| 2019 | Way Out Assistance | Rose | Short film |
| 2022 | Monolith | Laura (voice) | Feature film |
| 2025 | Jimpa | Emily | Feature film |
| Date 3 | Ella | Short | |
| 2026 | Runner | TBA | Film |
| TBA | Croak | TBA | Feature |
Television
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Small Claims: White Wedding | Nicole | Television film |
| 2006 | Tripping Over | Melinda | Season 1 (3 episodes) |
| 2007 | All Saints | Mia | Season 10 (1 episode) |
| 2008 | Scorched | Annie | Television film |
| 2009 | False Witness | Rona Hennessy | Television film (also known as The Diplomat) |
| My Place | Kath | Season 1 (2 episodes) | |
| 2010 | Offspring | Alice Havel | Season 1 (6 episodes) |
| 2011 | Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo | Germaine Greer | Miniseries (1 episode) |
| 2014 | Old School | Cath Khoury | Season 1 (8 episodes) |
| Soul Mates | Aunty Hazel | Season 1 (2 episodes) | |
| 2015 | Australia: The Story of Us | Dr. Ella Stack | Documentary series; Season 1 (1 episode) |
| 2017 | Fucking Adelaide | Emma | Miniseries (6 episodes) |
| 2018 | Riot | Marg McMann | Television film |
| Picnic at Hanging Rock | Mrs. Bumpher | Miniseries (3 episodes) | |
| Sheilas | Mina Smith | Miniseries | |
| 2010–2018 | Rake | Nicole Vargas | Seasons 1–5 (40 episodes) |
| 2018 | Wanted | Maxine Middleton | Season 3 (6 episodes) |
| 2019 | The Letdown | Nadia | Season 2 (1 episode) |
| The Unlisted | Emma Ainsworth | Season 1 (6 episodes) | |
| Lucy and DiC | Paige | Animated series; Season 1 (8 episodes) | |
| Les Norton | Lauren "Lozza" Johnson | Season 1 (10 episodes) | |
| Upright | Esme | Miniseries (2 episodes) | |
| 2020 | Stateless | Janice | Miniseries (6 episodes) |
| 2020–2021 | Wentworth | Lou Kelly | Season 8(20 episodes) |
| 2021 | The Moth Effect | Various roles | 5 episodes |
| Fires | Ruth | Episode 5 | |
| 2023–present | Deadloch | Dulcie Collins | 14 episodes |
| 2023 | Erotic Stories | Cara | 1 episode (The Deluge) |
| Paper Dolls | Helena | 3 episodes | |
| 2024 | Boy Swallows Universe | Dr. Brennan | 2 episodes |
| Ladies in Black | Cheri St Clair | 3 episodes | |
| Four Years Later | Gabs | TV series: 6 episodes | |
| Bump | Dr. Maryanne Brant | TV series: 1 episode | |
| 2026 | Dustfall | TBA | TV series |
Other appearances
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Wentworth: Unlocked | Self | TV Special |
| 2020 | Wentworth Behind the Bars 2 | Self | TV Special |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Award shared with Damon Herriman, Xavier Samuel, Jessica De Gouw and Josh Quong Tart.
References
[edit]- ^ Green, Tanya (3 February 2021). "Kate Box: Don't box me in".
- ^ Debelle, Penelope (23 February 2018), "Role call – a gay rights drama too good to miss", The Advertiser
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Green, Tanya (3 February 2021). "Kate Box: Don't box me in". SALIFE. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
This story first appeared in the October 2020 issue of SALIFE magazine.
- ^ "NIDA congratulates alumni at AACTA Awards". NIDA. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
- ^ "Shakespeare in Performance: Stage Production". internetshakespeare.uvic.ca. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ a b Nguyen, Justine (18 June 2018), "2018 Helpmann Awards nominations announced", Limelight
- ^ Blake, Elissa (23 April 2015). "Kate Box and Janine Watson's Dolores shines light on domestic violence". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Russell, Stephen A. (2 August 2019). "Les Norton star Kate Box on how Rake made her a 'bold' type". The New Daily. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Offspring: Cast". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Howard, Jane (14 June 2018). "F*!#ing Adelaide review – Pamela Rabe and Brendan Maclean in love letter to a city". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Debelle, Penelope (23 February 2018). "Role call – a gay rights drama too good to miss". Adelaide Now. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ a b Maddox, Gerry (5 December 2018), "Sweet Country dominates AACTA Awards, with a surprise best actor win", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Burke, Tina (28 October 2019). "Jane Hall, Kate Box and Zoe Terakes join Wentworth ahead of final seasons". nowtolove.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (14 May 2019). "Cate Blanchett, Yvonne Strahovski, Dominic West to Star in TV Series 'Stateless'". Variety. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Filming commences on new Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan comedy series Deadloch". TV Blackbox. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
- ^ Ward, Sarah (16 August 2024). "Getting Cracking in a Killer Mystery-Comedy (and Getting Excited About Season Two): Kate Box Talks 'Deadloch'". Concrete Playground. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ Nguyen, Giselle Au-Nhien (26 October 2023). "Erotic Stories review – explicit SBS series incites more reflection than arousal". the Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (27 April 2023). "Production begins on Erotic Stories for SBS". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (13 November 2023). "Cast announced for Ladies in Black". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ "SA lands new ABC series Ladies in Black with all-star cast". SAFC. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ H-B, Khaled (13 January 2024). "Boy Swallows Universe Season 2: What Release date?". TheCinemalic.com. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ Knox, David (10 January 2024). "Boy Swallows Universe". TV Tonight. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ Knox, David (10 February 2024). "AACTA Awards 2024: winners | TV Tonight". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse; Clarke, Stewart (8 July 2024). "Madeleine Sami & Kate Box Return For 'Deadloch' Season 2 On Prime Video". Deadline. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Staff Writer. "Love conquers all in SBS Original romantic drama series 'Four Years Later'". SBS What's On. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
- ^ "DATE 3". DATE 3. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Bankside boards the Van Vuuren Bros' mutant toad sci-fi 'Croak'". Screen. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
- ^ "Anna Torv leads ABC's new crime drama Dustfall". FilmInk. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ McPherson, Chris (13 April 2026). "'Reacher's Alan Ritchson Is About to Deliver One of 2026's Most Relentless Action Movies". Collider. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
- ^ Northover, Kylie (4 September 2020). "Queer actors playing queer roles is a rare thing: lunch with Kate Box". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ Gray, Lorna (29 October 2023). "Deadloch actor Kate Box on queer representation on Australian TV". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ Dunk, Tiffany (8 October 2024). "Kate Box on love and family". The Australian Women's Weekly. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "AACTA Awards 2014: All the nominees". SBS. 4 December 2014.
- ^ Coy, Bronte (27 May 2018). "Logies nominations 2018: Channel 10 stars snubbed in Gold category". news.com.au. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (18 June 2019). "Equity Ensemble Awards 2019: winners". TV Tonight. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ "Nominees Revealed for the 2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel". aacta.org. 23 October 2019. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (9 December 2023). "AACTA Awards 2024: nominees". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (23 June 2024). "Logie Awards 2024: nominations | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 23 June 2024.