Justine Clarke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Justine Clarke
Clarke at the 2018 ARIA Awards in Sydney, Australia
Born	Sydney, Australia
Occupation	Actress singer television host author
Years active	1978–present
Notable work	Home and Away (1988–89) Tangle (2009–12) Play School (1999–) Look Both Ways
Spouse(s)	Jack Finsterer ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	3

Justine Clarke is a well-known Australian actress, singer, author, and TV host. She has been acting since she was seven years old.

Justine is famous for her roles in some of Australia's most popular TV shows. Many people know her as Roo Stewart from the soap opera Home and Away (1988–1989). She also played Ally Kovac in the drama series Tangle (2009–2012). Kids especially know her as a presenter on the Australian children's show Play School, a job she has had since 1999.

Justine also acts in movies and on stage. She won the Best Actress Award at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival in Argentina in 2006. This was for her role in the movie Look Both Ways. She has also won two ARIA Awards for her music.

Justine Clarke's Early Life and Education

Justine Clarke was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Her mother, Beverly, was an actress and singer. Her father, Len, was also a singer.

When she was seven, Justine started appearing in TV commercials. She went to Woollahra Public School. Other future stars like Mouche Phillips and Deni Hines were also there. One of her first commercials was for Arnott's biscuits. At age eleven, she played Brigitta in the stage musical The Sound of Music.

Justine Clarke's Film and Television Career

Justine's first big acting role was in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. She played the character Anna Goanna. That same year, she was in the TV series The Maestro's Company. She also appeared in the 1986 mini-series Professor Poopsnaggle's Steam Zeppelin. The next year, she had roles in A Country Practice and Willing and Abel.

In 1987, Justine started filming Home and Away. She was one of the first 17 cast members. She played Ruth "Roo" Stewart for 18 months. Roo Stewart is one of only two original characters still in the show today. After leaving Home and Away in 1989, Justine appeared in Family and Friends. She also acted in mini-series like Come In Spinner.

Justine has starred in several films. These include Turning April (1996) and Blackrock (1997). Blackrock was Heath Ledger's first credited movie role. More recently, she was in Danny Deckchair and Look Both Ways. For her role in Look Both Ways, she was nominated for an Australian Film Institute (AFI) Lead Actress award in 2005.

In 1999, Justine became a presenter on the popular ABC Kids show Play School. She has been a beloved part of the show ever since.

She also played Dr Samantha O'Hara in 21 episodes of All Saints. Justine had a main role in the medical drama The Surgeon. She also appeared in Love My Way as Simone.

In 2009, Justine starred in the TV series Tangle. In 2012, she was in Woodley. Other TV roles include Bernadette in The Time of Our Lives (2013-2014). She played Eve in House Husbands in 2016. She also played Noelene Hogan in Hoges.

Justine created and starred in her own children's TV series, The Justine Clarke Show!. In 2024, it was announced she would join the cast of the ABC comedy series Fisk.

Justine Clarke's Theatre Performances

Justine is also an experienced stage actor. She has worked with the Sydney Theatre Company. Some of her plays include A Man with Five Children and Hedda Gabler. She also performed in Muriel's Wedding.

In 2022, Justine starred in the one-woman play Girls & Boys. This play was part of the Adelaide Festival. In 2023 and 2024, she performed in the play Julia. This play was about the life of former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Critics praised her performance.

Justine Clarke's Music Career

Justine Clarke at the 2013 ARIA Awards

In the 1990s, Justine sang in bands with other Australian actors. Later, she was a backing singer in the band Automatic Cherry. They released an album called Slow Burner in 1997.

Justine has released many albums through ABC Music. She has won the ARIA Award for Best Children's Album twice. She won in 2013 for A Little Day Out With Justine Clarke. She won again in 2018 for The Justine Clarke Show!.

In 2014, she performed with Tex Perkins in shows honoring Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra. In 2016, Justine worked with singer-songwriter Josh Pyke. They created 'Words Make The World Go Around'. This song helped raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

In 2019, Justine released her first greatest hits album, Everybody Roar! The Best of Justine Clarke. She also released her first original Christmas song, "Here Comes a Merry Christmas." Justine is also a jazz and cabaret singer. She is popular in Sydney clubs.

Discography

Personal Life

Justine Clarke married actor Jack Finsterer in 1999. They have three children together.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and Nominations

Music

Acting

See also

In Spanish: Justine Clarke para niños