SIGRID:THORNTON
Menu




​​

​LEADING LADY

A CAREER SPANNING DECADES, GENRES & ALL EXPECTATIONS






​







​
Sigrid Thornton
Photography by Jennifer Stenglein.
Sigrid Thornton Australian Actress

BIOGRAPHY

Over four decades Sigrid Thornton has held a unique position in the Australian film, television and theatre landscape over multiple genres and platforms on and off screen. She has starred in many films now regarded as classics of the Australian cinema including early box office hit THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER. Her early work brought her to the attention of HBO, leading to her starring role in the mini series ALL THE RIVERS RUN which became a huge popular success globally and earned her her first best actress Logie award. Sigrid became the first Australian actress to be offered a lead role in a US network prime time drama series - PARADISE for CBS, receiving a Western Heritage Cowboy Hall of Fame award in 1999.
 
In 2022, Sigrid stars with Charles Wu in Sydney Theatre Company’s THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT after returning to Australian TV screens in 2021 in Nine’s flagship drama, AMAZING GRACE. She commenced shooting on a new Australian feature film in March 2021 with details to be announced shortly. Sigrid narrates and appears in the ABC documentary on second wave Australian feminism, BRAZEN HUSSIES, screening on Easter Monday 2021. Her more recent television career highlights include a reboot of her hit series SEACHANGE which topped the 2019 ratings with its debut episode. She was a series regular on Netflix’s ratings winner WENTWORTH and played Rosyln Coulson in its forerunner, PRISONER. Her performance in the highly acclaimed 2016 mini series PETER ALLEN – NOT THE BOY NEXT DOOR won her the AACTA Best Supporting Actor award for her portrayal of Judy Garland. Other productions include Netflix’s THE CODE, the original SEACHANGE, LITTLE OBERON, UNDERBELLY – THE GOLDEN MILE, THE FAR COUNTRY opposite Michael York and THE BOY IN THE BUSH opposite Kenneth Branagh.
 
In late 2021 Sigrid will perform for the Sydney Theatre Company in a soon to be announced theatre production. Past theatre highlights include Best Actress for the sell out Australian tour of David Hare’s THE BLUE ROOM, a national tour co-starring with Brenda Blethyn in Alan Bennett’s TALKING HEADS and a critically acclaimed performance playing Blanche DuBois in Black Swan’s production of A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE. For the MTC ,Sigrid performed in Harold Pinter’s BETRAYAL and Lucy Prebble’s THE EFFECT. She completed two seasons of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC opposite Anthony Warlow and Robert Grubb for Opera Australia. Sigrid and Anthony played opposite one other again more recently in sell out seasons of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in Sydney and Melbourne. 
 
As a child of the sixties, Sigrid’s teenage life was steeped in political activism. One of her first screen roles was recently revealed in secretly filmed footage shot by ASIO when as a teenager she demonstrated against the Sth. African Springbok tour (as seen in the 2020 documentary feature BRAZEN HUSSIES). Throughout her career Sigrid has been an advocate to government and the private sector in support of Australian stories on our film and TV screens. Her work in this sector includes inaugural board member of the Australian Academy of Television and Cinema Arts, delivery of the NFSA Lotte Lyell lecture, board member of the Malthouse Theatre, the Australian Film Institute and Film Victoria as well as Patron for Women in Film and Television.  Sigrid was appointed to the Commercial Television Production Fund by the Keating government and was Chair of the Victorian Film & Television Taskforce, whose recommendations revitalised the Victorian film and television industries. She was an Executive Producer on the SEACHANGE reboot and Associate Producer on The ABC mini GREAT EXPECTATIONS – THE UNTOLD STORY.  Sigrid is currently serving a second term on the board of the National Institute of Dramatic Art.
 
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 1999 she received Peoples Choice Awards for most favourite actress and favourite TV star. In 2000 she received a Logie award for most outstanding actress for SEACHANGE. In 2002 Sigrid was awarded a Centenary medal. In 2003 the Variety Club honoured her as one of the Top 100 Australian Entertainers of the Century. In 2018 Sigrid was honoured with the Screen Legend Award by Cinefest Oz Film Festival and in 2019 she received the Chauvel Award at the Gold Coast Film Festival. In 2019 she was awarded an AO for her contribution to the performing arts.


"In some ways my own life is a bit paradoxical. I am sentimental and I can lean towards nostalgia. But really I'm quite a genuine optimist. "

OFFICIAL TITLES & HONORARY POSITIONS

  • 2007 Appointed to the Malthouse Theatre Board
  • 2003 Appointed as an Ambassador for World Vision International
  • 2003 Appointed as an Ambassador for Melbourne Zoo
  • 2002 Appointed as Ambassador for the National Gallery of Victoria
  • 2002 Appointed to the board of Film Victoria
  • 2001 Appointed patron of The Feelix Foundation, Royal Institute of the Blind’s Braille reading program
  • 2000 Appointed to Chair a taskforce, appointed by the Bracks government to look into reinforcing the Victorian Film Industry.
  • 1996-9 Re elected to the board of the Australian Film Institute
  • 1995-8 Elected to the Commercial Television Production Fund
  • 1994 Keynote speaker at ARTS ANGELS launch for the Vic. Arts center
  • 1993-6 Elected to the board of the Australian Film Institute
  • 1993 No. 1 ticket holder for the North Melbourne Football club
  • 1993-9 Appointed Patron of Women in Film (Victoria)
  • 1990 Voted Australia's Most Beautiful Eyes by Womans Day
  • 1989 Voted Australia's Most Beautiful Face by Womans Day readers
  • 1988 Representative on official Australian film delegation to China
  • 1987 Keynote personality to promote Australian Child Safety Campaign
  • 1987 Appointed Patron of Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation
  • 1987 Ambassador to Australia's Expo '88
  • 1987 Official Sponsor of World Vision 40 Day Famine
  • 1986-89 Appointed Board member of Film Victoria
  • 1984 Keynote address for Australian Women of the Year luncheon

AWARDS NOMINATIONS & PRESENTER ROLES


  • 2018 CinefestOz Screen Legend 2018 
  • 2008  IF Awards  SBS Network, Presenter
  • 2007 Helpman Awards, Presenter
  • 2006 IF Awards  SBS Network, Presenter
  • 2005 IF Awards  SBS Network, Presenter
  • 2005 Australian Film Awards  Best actress nomination- Television for Nine Network Telemovie, Little Oberon
  • 2004 IF Awards  SBS Network, Presenter 
  • 2004 Mo Award for best actress in a play for The Blue Room
  • 2003 Centenary Medal for Acting and Services to the Media
  • 2003 IF Awards  SBS Network, Presenter
  • 2003 Helpman Awards Nominated Best Actress in a play for The Blue Room.
  • 2001 Australian Film Awards Co Host
  • 2000 Herald Sun Home Entertainment Guide Voted as the Best Australian Female Actor.
  • 2000 Logie Awards Most outstanding actress in a series. "Seachange".
  • 1999 Peoples Choice Awards Favourite Actress and Favourite TV star awards with Seachange  & also received the Favourite Television drama award
  • 1999 Cinema Owners Association of Australia COOEE Award – Outstanding contribution to Australian Film Entertainment
  • 1999 Australian Caption Centre Nominated Personality of the year
  • 1998 Moet & Chandon Contemporary Art Award at the National Gallery Keynote speech and award presenter
  • 1998 George Fairfax Inaugural Victorian College of the Arts Memorial Scholarship Speaker
  • 1998 Australian Film Awards Presenter best TV Actress
  • 1997 Australian Stock Exchange (Sydney) Co host
  • 1996 Australian Film Awards Co host
  • 1995 Australian Film Awards Presenter best TV Production
  • 1994 Peoples Choice Awards Presenter with Ernie Dingo of best Australian Comedy
  • 1994 Australian Film Awards Presenter Best Director Award, nominated for best TV actress for GP
  • 1994 Australian Fashion Awards Co Compeer
  • 1994 Australian Writers Guild Awards Presented best TV script
  • 1993 Australian Film Awards Co-Presenter of the Best Australian Film Award with the Prime Minister
  • 1993 M.C. for the 90th International Parliamentary Conference Gala Concert - Canberra, Australia
  • 1993 Australian Film Awards Appointed to the awards committee and subsequently elected to the board
  • 1989 Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Centre (Oklahoma, USA) Best T.V. contribution to Western Heritage for "Paradise"
  • 1987 Australian Film Awards Co-presenter of Best Director Award with Sam Neill
  • 1984 Logie Awards Best Leading Actress in a Mini Series,"All the Rivers Run"
  • 1984 Australian Film Awards Presented Best Supporting Actor Award
  • 1983 Australian Film Awards Co-Presenter of the Best Australian Film Award with the Prime Minister
  • 1979 Logie Awards Nomination for Best Actress in a Mini Series,"1915"
  • 1979 Australian Film Awards Nomination for Best Actress in a Feature Film"Snapshot"
  • 1975 Sammy Award Best Television Juvenile Performance,"Homicide"
  • 1974 Logie Awards Best Episode in a Television Series,"Division Four" "Little Raver"



“We are in a period of quite important transition and we need to be very vigilant and we need to be very resilient and responsive.”



​

READ SIGRID THORNTON'S LONGFORD LYLLE'S LECTURE :

Picture
Picture
GO TO STAGE TELEVISION, FILM ROLES & AWARDS
Picture
THE OFFICIAL ONLINE HOME OF SIGRID THORNTON
www.sigridthornton.com
Picture

HOME     BIO     ROLES    PRESS     IMAGE GALLERY     VIDEO LIBRARY     LINKS      CONTACT 

JOIN @SIGRIDTHORNTON ON SOCIAL
DISCLAIMER: Management thanks fans for sending in their favourite clips and pics. To query uncredited articles and images, please contact the Web Master.
Website Design By PICTUREBOOK COMMUNICATIONS
(c) 2015 Sigrid Thornton + All Rights Reserved
  • [ HOME ]
  • [ RECENT NEWS }
  • [ BIOGRAPHY ]
  • [ ROLES ]
  • [ PRESS GALLERY ]
  • [ IMAGE GALLERY ]
  • [ VIDEO LIBRARY ]
  • [ LINKS ]
  • [ CONTACT ]
  • [ HOME ]
  • [ RECENT NEWS }
  • [ BIOGRAPHY ]
  • [ ROLES ]
  • [ PRESS GALLERY ]
  • [ IMAGE GALLERY ]
  • [ VIDEO LIBRARY ]
  • [ LINKS ]
  • [ CONTACT ]