Danielle Cormack facts for kids
Danielle Cormack is a talented actress from New Zealand. She is well-known for her roles in many TV shows and movies. She was one of the first actors on the popular New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She also played the Amazon warrior Ephiny in the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. You might also know her from her roles as Cynthia Ross in The Cult and Shota in Legend of the Seeker. Danielle has also appeared in the film Separation City and the Australian TV series Rake.
Quick facts for kids
Danielle Cormack
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Cormack in 2011
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| Born | 1970/1971 (age 54–55) Auckland, New Zealand
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| Occupation | Actress/Producer/Director |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for |
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| Children | 2 |
Contents
Acting Roles and Projects
Danielle Cormack is a stage and screen actress from New Zealand. She played a character named Kate Leigh in the TV show Underbelly: Razor. She also played doctor Rory Finch in Jack Irish.
From 2012, she starred as Bea Smith in the TV show Wentworth. She was on the show for four years, leaving in 2016. The role of Bea Smith was first played by Val Lehman in an older show called Prisoner. Danielle often attends Wentworth events in the US and the UK. She even hosted an event in New Jersey in 2023.
In 2022, Danielle narrated a documentary series called Life on the Outside. This show explored what life is like for people after they leave prison. In the same year, she joined the cast of the New Zealand TV series Madam. She was also cast in the Australian TV show Year Of.
Danielle also works behind the scenes. She was an executive producer for the short film Oi (2024). In December 2024, it was announced that Danielle will be in series 3 of the TV show The Twelve.
Danielle Cormack and fellow Wentworth actress Nicole da Silva started a production company called Four One One. Their first play, Whose Afraid, was produced in 2022. In 2023, Danielle and Nicole directed a short film called Why We Fight. This film was nominated for an AACTA award for Short Film.
Other Activities
Danielle Cormack also helps people in need. In 2018, she worked with an aid group called ChildFund. She helped build a water tank to provide water to villages in Uganda.
In 2022, Danielle went to Ukraine to help children. This was after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As of January 2024, Danielle is an ambassador for SHINE for Kids. This organization helps children whose parents are in the justice system.
Personal Life
Danielle Cormack has two children. She enjoys riding motorbikes as a way to relax and manage stress.
Filmography
Film Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Snap | Felicity | Short film |
| A Game with No Rules | Vera Smith | Short film | |
| 1994 | The Last Tattoo | Molly | |
| 1997 | ... Women Talk About Their Lives | Liz | |
| 1998 | Via Satellite | Chrissy / Carol | |
| 1999 | Siam Sunset | Grace | |
| Channelling Baby | Bunnie | ||
| 2000 | The Price of Milk | Lucinda | |
| 2004 | Without a Paddle | Toni | |
| Stringer | Butcher | ||
| Together | Rose | Short film | |
| 2005 | The Pool | Jane | Short film |
| River Queen | Viola | ||
| 2006 | Mirage | Various | Short film |
| Cross My Heart | Krystal | Short film | |
| Perfect Creature | Margaret Sparrow | ||
| 2008 | A Song of Good | Rachel Cradle | |
| 2009 | Separation City | Pam Nicholson |
Television Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–89 | Gloss | Tania Veitch | Main role | |
| 1992–93 | Shortland Street | Alison Raynor | Main role | |
| 1994 | High Tide | Meghan Kelly | Episode: "Sitting Ducks" | |
| 1995 | High Tide | Jill McMillan | Episode: "Dead Heat" | |
| The Call Up | Stacey | Television film | ||
| Overnight | Kelly | Television film | ||
| 1995–2001 | Xena: Warrior Princess | Ephiny | Recurring role (8 episodes) | |
| 1997 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Lady Marie DeValle | Episode: "Les Contemptibles" | |
| 1997–99 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Ephiny | Episodes: "Prodigal Sister", "Sky High" | |
| 2000 | Jack of All Trades | Katherine | Episode: "A Horse of a Different Color" | |
| Cleopatra 2525 | Raina | Episodes: "Mind Games", "Trial and Error", "Out of Body" | ||
| Xena: Warrior Princess | Samsara | Episode: "Lifeblood" | ||
| 2004 | Maiden Voyage | Lynn Fabrizio | Television film | |
| 2006 | Maddigan's Quest | Maddie | Main role (13 episodes) | |
| 2007 | Rude Awakenings | Dimity Rush | Main role (11 episodes) | |
| 2008 | City Homicide | Shirley Steadman | Episode: "Taniwha" | |
| The Strip | Amy | Episodes: "1.11", "1.12", "1.13" | ||
| 2008–10 | Legend of the Seeker | Shota | Recurring role (6 episodes) | |
| 2009 | Buzzy Bee and Friends | Elle-Gator (voice) | Recurring role (14 episodes) | |
| The Cult | Cynthia Ross | Main role (13 episodes) | ||
| 2010 | Forever New Zealand | Catherine | Television film | |
| 2010–16 | Rake | Scarlet Meagher | Main role (32 episodes) | |
| 2011 | East West 101 | Angela Travis | Episodes: "Jerusalem", "Behold a Pale Horse", "Revelation" | |
| Underbelly: Razor | Kate Leigh | Main role (13 episodes) | ||
| 2012 | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Anna Ross | Episode: "Queen of the Flowers" | |
| Buzzy Bee and Friends | Elle-Gator (voice) | Episodes: "2.1", "Memories", "Oscar's Ups and Downs" | ||
| 2013–16 | Wentworth | Bea Smith | Main role (46 episodes) | |
| 2016 | Deep Water | Brenda MacIntosh | 4 part miniseries on SBS | |
| Stake Out | Davina | "Hijacking Hijinks" | ||
| 2018 | Patricia Moore | Marnie | 9 episodes | |
| Jack Irish | Rory Finch | 5 episodes | ||
| Secret City | Karen Koutoufides | Main role | ||
| 2019 | Fresh Eggs | Lulu | TV series | |
| My Life Is Murder | Nikki Malone / Nicole Buttera | TV series, episode: "The Locked Room" | ||
| 2022 | The Secrets She Keeps | Vicky Michaelson | Season 2 (6 episodes) | ' |
| 2023 | Year Of | Lucinda Prichard | 9 episodes | |
| ... Stories | Ginger | 1 episode (The Deluge) | ' | |
| 2024 | Madam | Deziyah | TV series: 8 episodes | |
| Double Parked | Edie | TV series 1 episode | ||
| 2025 | The Twelve | TV series; series 3 | ||
| TBA | The Last Anniversary | Kate Kennedy | TV series |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Life on the Outside | Self/Narrator | Documentary 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | Wentworth: Behind the Bars | Self | TV Special | |
| 2017 | Cram | Self | 1 episode | |
| 2016 | An Audience With the Cast of Wentworth | Self | TV Special |
Theatre Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | East | Sylv | Mercury Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1994 | East | Sylv | Zurich Arts Festival – Lucerne, Switzerland | |
| 1996 | Spare Prick | Lucinda | Basement Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1996 | Return of the Summer Street Seven | Lucinda | Basement Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1997 | Arcadia | Chloe Coverly | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 1999 | Trainspotting | Various | New Zealand Tour | |
| 2001 | The Blue Room | Alison / Various | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2001 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Stella | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2002 | The Bellbird | Flo | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2003 | The Shape of Things | Evelyn | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2003 | The ... Monologues | Various | New Zealand Tour | |
| 2004 | Skin Tight | Elizabeth | New Zealand Tour | |
| 2004 | Caligula | Caesonia | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2004 | ... Strangers | Robyn | Herald Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2005 | ... Strangers | ... | Herald Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2005 | A Clockwork Orange | Various | Silo Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2006 | The Case of Katherine Mansfield | Katherine Mansfield | Herald Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2007 | The Case of Katherine Mansfield | Katherine Mansfield | Downstage Theatre, Wellington | |
| 2008 | The Hypocrite | Dorine | Melbourne Theatre Company | |
| 2008 | Rock 'n' Roll | Lenka | Melbourne Theatre Company & Sydney Theatre Company | |
| 2010 | Christ Almighty | Three Wise Men | The Basement Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2011 | Yellow Moon | Hollie | B Sharp | |
| 2012 | Top Girls | Marlene | Silo Theatre | |
| 2014 | Rupert | Anna Murdoch | Theatre Royal, Sydney | |
| 2015 | Boys Will Be Boys | Astrid Wentworth | Sydney Theatre Company | |
| 2016 | Straight | Steph | Kings Cross Theatre | |
| 2018 | The Misanthrope | Alceste | Bell Shakespeare, with Griffin Theatre | |
| 2018 | Hedda | Hedda | Queensland Theatre Company | |
| 2020 | Every Brilliant Thing | (Director) | Silo Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2022 | Whose Afraid | Cast | Belvoir St | |
| 2023 | Blessed Union | Cast | Belvoir St |
Awards and Nominations
Danielle Cormack has won several awards for her acting.
| Year | Award | Category | Production | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | New Zealand Film and TV Awards | Best Actress | ... Women Talk About Their Lives | Won |
| 1999 | Channelling Baby | Nominated | ||
| 2000 | The Price of Milk | Nominated | ||
| Fantasporto International Film Festival | Siam Sunset | Won | ||
| 2005 | Drifting Cloud International Film Festival | Best Performance | Together | Won |
| 2006 | TV Guide Best on the Box People's Choice Awards | Best Actress | Maddigan's Quest | Nominated |
| 48 Hour Film Festival | Best Manic Performance | Mirage | Won | |
| Richmond Road Short Film Festival | Best Performance Female | Together | Won | |
| 2009 | Aotearoa Film & Television Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film | Separation City | Nominated |
| 2010 | Qantas Television Awards | Best Performance by Actress in General Television | The Cult | Won |
| 2011 | Equity Awards | Best Ensemble Cast | Rake | Won |
| 2012 | Logie Award | Most Popular Actress | Underbelly: Razor & East West 101 | Nominated |
| 2014 | Outstanding Actress | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| Logie Awards | Most Outstanding Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| Most Outstanding Actress | Nominated | |||
| 2015 | ASTRA Award | Most Outstanding Female Actor | Won | |
| AACTA Award | Best Lead Actress in a Drama | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| Logie Award | Most Outstanding Actress | Wentworth | Won | |
| Most Outstanding Drama Series | Wentworth | Won | ||
| 2016 | AACTA Award | Best Actress in a Drama | Wentworth | Nominated |
| Logie Award | Most Outstanding Drama Series | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Most Outstanding Actress | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| Most Outstanding Drama Series | Wentworth | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: Danielle Cormack para niños
