Rachael Maza facts for kids
Rachael Zoa Maza AM is an Indigenous Australian television and film actress and stage director.
Contents
Early life and education
Maza is of Dutch, Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Australian heritage, the daughter of Bob Maza, also an actor.
She is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
Career
Television and film
Maza worked as a TV presenter on ABC Television's weekly show focusing on Indigenous Australians, Message Stick. and SBS's ICAM.
She has numerous credits as an actor in television series, including Wentworth, Winners and Losers, Halifax f.p., Stingers, SeaChange, Heartland (in which her father also had a role), A Country Practice and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
She acted in the films Cosi (1996), Radiance (1998), and Lilian's Story (1996).
Stage
Maza worked with Company B and Wesley Enoch for many years, with her performances at the Belvoir St Theatre including leading roles in Conversations with the Dead and The Dreamers. She again worked with Enoch in The Sapphires, staged by the Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Festival.
She has worked as part of The Black Arm Band and as the director of Lou Bennett's play Show Us Your Tiddas!.
As of November 2021[update], Maza is artistic director of Ilbijerri Theatre Company.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Type |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Cosi | Nurse at Concert | Feature film |
1996 | Lilian's Story | Shade | Feature film |
1996 | Fistful of Flies | Dr Powers | Feature film |
1996 | Goblin Market | Short film | |
1998 | Radiance | Cressy | Feature film |
1999 | Burnout | Short film | |
2009 | My Year Without ... | Intensive Care Nurse | Feature film |
2009 | Aunty Maggie and the Womba Wakgun | Aunty Maggie | Short film |
2009 | Nia’s Melancholy | Nana | Short film |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Type |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Frontier | Marnie Kennedy | Miniseries, 3 episodes |
1993 | A Country Practice | Ruth Forbes | TV series, 8 episodes |
1994 | Heartland | Leila Sutton | Miniseries, 8 episodes |
1995-2002 | ICAM | Presenter | TV series |
1996 | Naked: Stories of Men | Jessica | TV series, 1 episode |
1999 | SeaChange | Mrs Armistead | TV series, 1 episode |
1999 | Stingers | Meagan Quinn | TV series, 1 episode |
2000 | Round the Twist | Genevieve | TV series, 1 episode |
2000 | Halifax f.p. | Church Singer | TV series, 1 episode |
2001 | The Micallef Program | Vanessa O’Malley | TV series, 1 episode |
2002 | Marshall Law | Davina | Miniseries, 1 episode |
2002 | Message Stick | Presenter | TV series |
2009-10 | Rush | Detective Carroll | TV series, 2 episodes |
2013 | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Cora Derrimut | TV series, 1 episode |
2016 | Winners and Losers | Veronica Sewell | TV series, 5 episodes |
2016-17 | Wentworth | Imogen Fessler | TV series |
2017 | Newton’s Law | Judge Pauline Evans | Miniseries, 1 episode |
2017 | The Secret Daughter | Aunty Mim | TV series, 3 episodes |
2022 | Beep and Mort | Mae (voice) | TV series |
2022 | Fisk | Bridget | TV series, 1 episode |
2022 | Looking Black | Self | TV special |
2023 | Crazy Fun Park | Winnie | TV series, 1 episode |
Stage
Actor
Year | Title | Venue |
---|---|---|
1992 | The Grace of Mary Traverse | The Studio Theatre, Subiaco |
1993 | Made in Spain | La Mama Theatre |
1993 | Radiance | Belvoir Street Theatre |
1994 | Ninni | Enmore Theatre |
1995 | Tongues of Stone | Belvoir Street Theatre |
1996 | The Commission / The Aboriginal Protesters | The Performance Space Redfern & German tour |
1997 | The Tempest (Miranda) | Australian tour - Bell Shakespeare Company |
2001 | Aliwa! | Subiaco Theatre Centre |
2001 | The Twilight Series | Collins Street Baptist Church |
2001 | Holy Day (lead role) | Malthouse Theatre, The Playhouse Adelaide |
2002 | Enuff | Malthouse Theatre |
2002 | The Dreamers (lead role) | Belvoir Street Theatre |
2003 | Conversations with the Dead (lead role) | Belvoir Street Theatre |
2003 | The Bridge | Trades Hall New Ballroom |
2003-04 | Stolen | Victorian tour |
2004 | Riverland | Brisbane Powerhouse |
2004 | Yandy | Octagon Theatre |
2005 | The Sapphires | MTC, Sydney Festival, Belvoir Street Theatre, Playhouse Melbourne |
2005 | Riverland | The Curtin Theatre |
2007-08 | Show Us Your Tiddas! | Australian tour |
2008 | Jacky Jacky in the Box | Federation Square |
2009 | A Black Sheep Walks Into A Baa | Melbourne Town Hall |
2006-09 | Chopped Liver | Australian tour |
2009 | Sisters Of Gelam | Malthouse Theatre |
2010 | Black Sheep: Glorious Baastards | Melbourne Town Hall |
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 | Jack Charles V The Crown | Australia/NZ/UK tour |
2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 | Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country | Sydney Opera House, | La Mama Theatre |
2012 | Foley | Sydney Opera House, Fairfax Studio |
2012, 2015 | Beautiful One Day | Belvoir Street Theatre, Cremorne Theatre |
2014 | 20 Questions | Belvoir Street Theatre |
2015-16 | The Rabbits | Australian tour |
2016, 2018, 2020 | Jack Charles V The Crown | Fairfax Studio, Canadian tour, NZ tour, Online |
2017 | Which Way Home | Belvoir Street Theatre |
2019 | The Honouring | La Mama Theatre |
2018-19 | My Urrwai | The Butter Factory Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre |
2020 | Black Ties | Australia/NZ tour |
Director
Year | Title | Venue |
---|---|---|
Chopped Liver | Australian / international tour | |
2003-04 | Stolen | Victorian tour |
2007-08 | Show Us Your Tiddas! | Australian tour |
2008 | Jacky Jacky in the Box | Federation Square |
2009 | Sisters Of Gelam | Malthouse Theatre |
2009 | A Black Sheep Walks Into A Baa | Melbourne Town Hall |
2010 | Black Sheep: Glorious Baastards | Melbourne Town Hall |
2012 | Foley | Sydney Opera House, Fairfax Studio |
Radio
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
ABC Radio National | Narrator |
Awards & Accolades
Year | Award | Work | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Green Room Awards | Holy Day | Best Female Actor in a Leading Role (Drama) | Won |
Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Awards | Radiance | Best Performance | Won |
Recognition
- Order of Australia, 2020, for significant service to the performing arts as an Artistic Director
Personal life
Maza has a son, Ariel, with actor Tom Long.