Michala Banas facts for kids

Michala Elizabeth Laurinda Banas, born on November 14, 1978, is a talented actress and singer from New Zealand. She is well-known for her roles as Marissa Taylor in the TV show Always Greener and as Kate Manfredi in McLeod's Daughters.

Michala Banas's Journey to Stardom

Michala was born in Wellington, New Zealand. Her family has roots in New Zealand, England, Scotland, and Germany. She started her acting career very early, appearing in her first TV advertisement when she was just 18 months old!

Early Acting Roles

Michala's first movie role was at age five in the New Zealand film Dangerous Orphans. She made her Australian TV debut in 1995. She played Louisa in the miniseries Mirror, Mirror.

From 2001 to 2003, Michala had a main role as Marissa Taylor. This was in the Seven Network drama Always Greener. In 2002, she also had a small part in the movie Scooby-Doo.

Singing Career

Michala is also a skilled singer. In 2003, she released a song called "Kissin' The Wind". This song became popular and reached the top 30 on the Australian Recording Industry Association singles chart.

Becoming a Star on McLeod's Daughters

In 2004, Michala joined the cast of McLeod's Daughters. She played the character Kate Manfredi. Kate was the best friend of another character, Jodi Fountain McLeod. Michala played Kate for many episodes. She took a short break but then returned to the show. In 2007, it was announced she would leave McLeod's Daughters during its last season. Her final episode aired in December 2008.

Other Notable TV Appearances

After McLeod's Daughters, Michala appeared in the Australian soap opera Neighbours. She played Libby Kennedy for about five weeks. This happened in late 2008 when another actress needed a break.

In 2009, Michala helped out on a radio show called The Matt and Jo Show. She filled in for Fox FM's Jo Stanley while Jo was on maternity leave. That same year, Michala also starred in a musical called Avenue Q. She played the roles of "Kate Monster" and "Lucy the ...". Michala was also one of the famous faces for Proactiv Solution in Australia and New Zealand.

Michala had a guest role as Tiffany Turner in the drama series Winners & Losers. She also had a supporting role as Phoebe in the teen drama Nowhere Boys on ABC3. In 2013, Michala starred in the ABC comedy series Upper Middle Bogan. She played Amber Wheeler. This series ran for three seasons.

Michala's Work Behind the Scenes

In 2019, Michala started working as an intimacy coordinator for TV shows. An intimacy coordinator helps actors feel comfortable and safe during scenes where they need to show close physical contact. They make sure everyone agrees on what will happen in the scene.

In June 2019, it was announced that Michala would be in the sitcom Fam Time. This show was released on 7plus on July 11, 2024. In 2020, she filmed for Halifax: Retribution. She has also appeared in other projects like ABC's Turn Up The Volume and Gold Diggers.

More recently, on September 23, 2024, Michala joined Jo Stanley again. They became co-hosts on a women-led radio station called Broad Radio.

Michala Banas's Film and TV Roles

Michala has appeared in many films and television shows throughout her career.

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Self Appearances and Interviews

Michala Banas on Stage

Michala has also performed in various theatre productions.

Michala Banas's Music

Here are Michala's singles.

Singles Released

See also

In Spanish: Michala Banas para niños