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Robyn Nevin

Robyn Nevin 2013.jpg
Nevin in 2013
Born (1942-09-25) 25 September 1942 (age 82)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Education National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation
  • Actress
  • director
Years active 1962–present
Spouse(s)
Jim McNeil
(m. 1975; div. 1977)
Partner(s) Nicholas Hammond (1987–present)
Children 1

Robyn Anne Nevin is a famous Australian actress and director. She was born on September 25, 1942. Robyn is known for her amazing work in Australian theatre, films, and TV shows.

She has won special awards like the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards and the JC Williamson Award. These awards celebrate her huge contributions to the performing arts in Australia. Robyn has led important theatre companies, directed many plays, and acted in over 80 stage productions.

You might also know her from movies like The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, where she played Councillor Dillard. She was also in the horror film Relic as Edna. On TV, she starred in Water Under the Bridge, Upper Middle Bogan, and Top of the Lake.

Early Life and Education

Robyn Nevin was born in Melbourne, Australia. Her parents were Josephine Pauline Casey and William George Nevin. She went to Genazzano Convent until she was 11 years old.

Then, her family moved to Hobart, Tasmania. There, she attended the Fahan School, which was a school for girls. While at Fahan School, Robyn played the main character in the school's play, Snow White. This play was performed at the Theatre Royal.

Robyn's parents were very supportive when she decided to join the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). She was only 16 when she became one of the very first students at NIDA in 1959. NIDA is a special school where people learn how to act and work in theatre.

A Career in Acting and Directing

Robyn Nevin started her career working in radio and television. In the early 1960s, she worked at the Australian Broadcasting Commission. She was involved in many different types of shows, including news, music, talk shows, and even children's programs.

She soon found her true passion in theatre. For over 40 years, Robyn has been a constant and important part of the theatre world. She has acted in many plays and also directed a lot of them.

Even though theatre is her main focus, Robyn has also appeared in many Australian films and TV shows. She often played strong supporting characters. In 1986, she directed a film called The More Things Change....

In 1996, Robyn became the artistic director of the Queensland Theatre Company. This means she was in charge of all the artistic choices for the company. She did a great job, helping the company become very successful.

After that, in 1999, she became the artistic director of the Sydney Theatre Company. She held this important role until 2007. During her time there, she created the Actor's Company, which was a unique group of actors who worked together on many plays.

Robyn has directed many plays for the Sydney Theatre Company. Some of these include Boy Gets Girl (2005), Summer Rain (2005), and Hedda Gabler (2004). She has also directed plays for other theatre companies across Australia.

As an actress, Robyn has performed in many different roles. She played Miss Docker in A Cheery Soul in 1979 and again in 2001. She was also Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac in 1981 and Mrs Venable in Suddenly Last Summer in 2015.

Film and Television Roles

Robyn Nevin has had many roles in both films and television. Here are some of her selected works:

Films

Year Title Role Type
1976 Caddie Black Eye Feature film
1978 Irishman, TheThe Irishman Jenny Doolan Feature film
1982 Fighting Back Mary Feature film
1983 Careful, He Might Hear You Lila Feature film
1988 Emerald City Kate Rogers Feature film
1997 Castle, TheThe Castle Supreme Court Judge Feature film
2003 Matrix Reloaded, TheThe Matrix Reloaded Councillor Dillard Feature film
2003 Matrix Revolutions, TheThe Matrix Revolutions Councillor Dillard Feature film
2016 Gods of Egypt Sharifa Feature film
2020 Relic Edna Feature film

Television Shows

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Water Under the Bridge Shasta TV miniseries, 8 episodes
1983 Dismissal, TheThe Dismissal Lady Kerr TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1995–99 Halifax f.p. Angela Halifax TV film series, 3 episodes
2013-16 Upper Middle Bogan Margaret Denyar TV series, 24 episodes
2013-16 Top of the Lake Jude Griffin TV series, 4 episodes
2018 Back in Very Small Business Celeste Di Nonno TV series, 8 episodes
2020 The End Dawn TV series, 8 episodes

Theatre Performances

Robyn Nevin has been a major part of Australian theatre. She has worked with many theatre companies, both as an actress and a director.

Sydney Theatre Company

The Sydney Theatre Company is a very important theatre group in Sydney. Robyn Nevin was a leader there for many years. She was the associate artistic director from 1984 to 1987. Then, she became the main artistic director from 1999 to 2007. During her time, she helped create 20 plays. She also acted in 27 plays for the company.      Artistic Director

Title Years Role Location Notes
Macbeth 1980 Nimrod Theatre Company
Cyrano de Bergerac 1981 Roxanne Sydney Opera House
The Seagull 1986 Arkadina Wharf Theatre
Emerald City 1987 Kate Sydney Opera House
A Cheery Soul 2000 Miss Docker Wharf Theatre
The Cherry Orchard 2005 Ranyevskaya Wharf Theatre
The Year of Magical Thinking 2008-2009 Joan Didion Wharf Theatre Directed by Cate Blanchett
Long Day's Journey into Night 2010 Mary Tyrone Sydney Opera House
Suddenly Last Summer 2015 Mrs Venable Wharf Theatre
King Lear 2015 Fool Wharf Theatre

Melbourne Theatre Company

The Melbourne Theatre Company is another well-known theatre group in Melbourne. Robyn Nevin directed four plays for them in the 1990s. She also acted in 14 of their productions.      Artistic Director

Title Years Role Location Notes
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1984 Martha Arts Centre Melbourne
The Cherry Orchard 1989 Madam Ranevskaya Arts Centre Melbourne
A Cheery Soul 1996 Miss Docker Arts Centre Melbourne
Julius Caesar 1996 Mark Antony Arts Centre Melbourne
Master Class 1997 Maria Callas Arts Centre Melbourne
August: Osage County 2009 Violet Weston Arts Centre Melbourne
The Drowsy Chaperone 2010 Mrs Tottendale Arts Centre Melbourne

Awards and Achievements

Robyn Nevin has received many awards for her amazing work in theatre, film, and television.

She has won several Helpmann Awards, Green Room Awards, and Sydney Theatre Awards for her theatre performances. Some of her Helpmann Awards include Best Female Actor in a Play for Women of Troy and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for My Fair Lady.

In 1981, she won a Logie Award for 'Best Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Telemovie' for her role as Shasta in Water Under The Bridge. She also won Logies in Tasmania in 1965 and 1967 as the 'Most Popular Female'.

Robyn Nevin was honored by Australia for her contributions to the arts. On June 8, 1981, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia. Later, in 2020, she was promoted to Officer of the Order of Australia. This was for her "distinguished service to the performing arts as an acclaimed actor and artistic director, and as a mentor and role model."

In 1999, the University of Tasmania gave her an honorary doctorate degree. She also gave the Australia Day Address on January 21, 2004.

Film & Television Awards

Association Year Work Category Result
Logie Awards 1981 Water Under the Bridge Best Lead Actress in a Single Drama or Mini Series Won
Penguin Award 1981 Water Under the Bridge Best Actress Won
Equity Ensemble Awards 2014 Upper Middle Bogan Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won
Equity Ensemble Awards 2014 Top of the Lake Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Telemovie/Mini-Serie Won
Film Critics Circle of Australia 1987 The More Things Change Best Director Won

Theatre Awards

Association Year Work Category Result
Helpmann Award 2009 The Women of Troy Best Female Actor in a Play Won
Helpmann Award 2012 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Best Female Actor in a Play Won
Helpmann Award 2014 Angels in America Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Won
Helpmann Award 2017 My Fair Lady Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Won
Helpmann Award 2017 Herself JC Williamson Lifetime Achievement Won
Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards 1998 Herself Outstanding Individual Award Won
Sydney Theatre Awards 2006 Summer Rain Best Direction in a Musical Won

Personal Life

Robyn Nevin has been married twice. Her second marriage was to a playwright named Jim McNeil. They were married from 1975 to 1977.

Currently, she lives with her partner, actor and screenwriter Nicholas Hammond. They met in 1987 while working together on a play called Woman in Mind at the STC. Robyn has a daughter named Emily Russell, who was born in 1968. Emily is also an actress.

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See also

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