Melita Jurisic

Melita Jurisic
Born
Melita Jurišić

Occupation(s)Actress, singer-songwriter

Melita Jurisic is an Australian actress.

Jurisic was born in Croatia and migrated to Australia with her family at age five.[1] She began her career as part of the Lighthouse Company (Playhouse) in Adelaide.[2]

Career

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Screen, stage and music

[edit]

Jurisic's screen roles include a lead (as Dr. Eva) in the ABC TV series Something in the Air,[3] playing the title character in the 1987 film The Tale of Ruby Rose,[4] the 1986 TV movie Hunger,[5] Croatian film Transatlantik in 1998,[6] 1997's The Sound of One Hand Clapping,[7] Mad Max: Fury Road[2] Bordertown and The Petrov Affair.[1] She is also known for her role as Dr. Magda in the television series The Flying Doctors.

Her stage roles are numerous, and include Macbeth with the Sydney Theatre Company in 2014,[8] I Am A Miracle at the Malthouse in 2015[2] and Three Sisters at the Sydney Opera House in 2001.[9] Internationally she appeared in a number of Barrie Kosky's productions at Schauspielhaus Wien in Vienna, Austria, including Medea.[1]

Jurisic is also the singer and songwriter of Viennese band Metalycée. Their first album "It Is Not" was voted one of the ten best Austrian albums of the decade.[10]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

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Year Title Role Type
1986 Hunger Ileana Radulesco TV movie
1986 Twelfth Night Part Guest Feature film
1987 The Tale of Ruby Rose Ruby Rose Feature film
1991 A Woman's Tale Judy (voice) Feature film
1991 Get Real Ms.Perkins Short film
1993 Dead Water Sally Lucena Short film
1994 45 Dollars an Hour Helen Short film
1995 Fishing Torturer Short film
1995 One Such Night Cleo Short film
1997 The Sound of One Hand Clapping Maria Buloh Feature film
1998 I, Eugenia Annie Birkett Short film
1998 Transatlantik Zorka Feature film (Croatia)
2003 Einstein's Wife Mileva Einstein (voice) TV movie
2011 Kotlovina Mimi Feature film (Croatia)
2012 Dead Europe Maria Feature film
2015 Mad Max: Fury Road The Vuvalini Feature film
2018 Murer – Anatomy of a Trial Rosa Segev Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1981 I Can Jump Puddles Violet TV miniseries, 1 episode
1986 The Fast Lane Maria TV series, 1 episode
1986 Pokerface Lou TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1986 Land of Hope Kathleen Quinn TV miniseries
1990 The Flying Doctors Dr Magda TV series, 15 episodes
1995 Bordertown Adrianna Leeuwen TV miniseries, 10 episodes
1996 Mercury Mrs Sumic TV series, 1 episode
1997 The Petrov Affair Nina Morozova TV miniseries, 2 episodes
2000–02 Something in the Air Dr Eva Petrovska TV series, 148 episodes
2001 Blue Heelers Paula Stanford TV series, 1 episode
2008 Kosovo Narrator
2010 Mother Teresa - Saint of Darkness Mother Teresa (voice)

[10]

Stage

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Year Title Role Type
Lovers Mag Actors Theatre
Don Juan Charlotte Actors Theatre
Jack the Ripper Polly Actors Theatre, Melbourne
Only an Orphan Girl Femme Fatale Actors Theatre, Melbourne
The Roundsman Policewoman Actors Theatre, Melbourne
Gigi Gigi Actors Theatre, Melbourne
Fat King Melon Princess Caraway Actors Theatre, Melbourne
The Adventures of a Bear Called Paddington Judy Brown Tour with Actors Theatre, Melbourne
Images Emily Brontë Actors Theatre, Melbourne
Schweik in the Second World War Anna Actors Theatre, Melbourne
1979 Once a Catholic Mary Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1982 Mother Courage and Her Children Kattrin Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1982 Silver Lining Yanova Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1982 The Prince of Homburg Princess Natalia Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1982 Royal Show Rebecca / IIvory / Faustine / Mrs Macpherson / Horsewoman Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1982–83 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Playhouse, Adelaide, Keith Michell Theatre with STCSA
1983 Twelfth Night Lady-In-Waiting / various Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1983 Blood Wedding The Bride Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1983–84 Netherwood Police Woman / Rhonda Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA, Seymour Centre
1983 The Marriage of Figaro Fanchette Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1983 Pal Joey Linda English Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1983 The Blind Giant Is Dancing Janice Lang / Robin Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1983 Sunrise Eva Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1984 The Women of March the First Gesia Nimrod Downstairs Theatre
1985, 1987 The Golden Age Betsheb Studio Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company, Seymour Centre with Nimrod Theatre Company
1985 A Spring Song Kerry Dennison Studio Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
1986 If Winter Comes Ilona Church Theatre, Melbourne with Australian Contemporary Theatre Company
1987 Les Liaisons Dangereuses Emilie Seymour Centre with Nimrod Theatre Company
1988 My Sister in This House Isabelle Seymour Centre
1988 Capricornia Christobel / Opal / Rhonda Belvoir Street Theatre, Parramatta Cultural Centre, Darwin Performing Arts Centre, Canberra Theatre, World Expo 88 Brisbane
1989 A Doll’s House Nora Ensemble Theatre
1989 Picnic with Fatima Fatima Universal Theatre, Melbourne with Wintercourt Productions
1989 Nice Girls Lizzy Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, Monash University, Theatre Royal, Hobart with Playbox Theatre Company
1989 Hedda Gabler Thea Elvsted Playhouse Adelaide with STCSA
1990 Danny and the Deep Blue Sea Roberta Universal Two, Melbourne with Wintercourt Productions & Biartisan Productions
1991 Mad Forest Angel / Doctor / Student / Dog / Toma / Rodica / Bogdan's Old Aunt Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1991 Uncle Vanya Sonya Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1991 Bali: Adat Bijang Fairfax Studio with Melbourne Theatre Company for Melbourne International Arts Festival
1992 Quartet Marquise de Merteuil Goethe Institut, Malthouse Theatre, University of Adelaide for Adelaide Festival with Playbox Theatre Company
1992 The Crimson Island Adelaide Karpovna / Betsy Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, Royalty Theatre, Adelaide for Adelaide Festival
1992 The Idiot Lebedev / Mrs Yepanchin / Mrs Ivolgin Theatre Works, Melbourne
1992 Life is a Dream Rosura West Melbourne Gasworks with Anthill Theatre, Melbourne for Melbourne International Arts Festival
1993 Agamemnon: Dawn of the Darkness Clytemnestra IRAA Theatre, Melbourne
1993 Viva La Vida: Frida Kahlo European Frida West Melbourne Gasworks with Handspan Theatre
1993 Mother Courage and her Children Kattrin West Melbourne Gasworks with Anthill Theatre Company
1993 Faust Gretchen / Helen of Troy Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1993–94 King Lear Cordelia / Oswald Malthouse Theatre, Tokyo Globe Theatre, Aichi Arts Center, Nagoya, Japan, Seoul Arts Center, South Korea, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Canberra Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company
1994 Woyzeck a Good Murder, A Real Murder Marie Malthouse Theatre with IRAA Theatre, Melbourne for Castlemaine Festival
1994 Big Hair in America Wanda Wal Cherry Play of the Year '94
1994 Young Playwrights Festival Anthill Theatre Company with Melbourne Theatre Company for Next Wave Festival
1994 On the North Diversion Road Woman Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company for Melbourne International Arts Festival
1995 The Ham Funeral Budinskis Theatre of Exile, Melbourne
1996 The Blue Hour Grandmother Odeon Theatre, Adelaide with IRAA Theatre, Melbourne for Adelaide Festival
1996 A Cheery Soul Maid / Young Mrs Lillie / Mrs Wakeman Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1996 The Blue Hour Grandmother IRAA Theatre, Melbourne, Adelaide Festival
1996 Solitary Animals Boyana Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company
1997 Intimate Letters Kamila Stösslová / Narrator Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne with Musica Viva
1997 Dock 39 Theatre Works, Melbourne
1997 Tartuffe Elmire Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1998 Mourning Becomes Electra Lavinia Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company
1998 King Lear Goneril Playhouse, Canberra, Melbourne Athenaeum, Playhouse, QPAC Brisbane, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare
1999 Chilling and Killing My Annabel Lee Angelica / Anne / Christine / Woman Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company
1999 The Dogs Play: And A Few Roos Loose in the Top Paddock Ruby / Jenna Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company
1999 The Lover / The Collection Sarah / Stella Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1999 The Language of the Gods Eva de Ven Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company
2001 Medea Medea Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria
2001 Three Sisters Olga Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
2001 This Hospital is My Country Elena DeckChair Theatre, Perth
2002 Dafke!! (Part 1 of Jewtopia-Trilogie) Girl with Broken Neck Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria for Vienna Festival
2002 Macbeth Macbeth Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria
2003 1975: A Populist Opera Paula Risic North Melbourne Town Hall with Melbourne Workers Theatre
2003 Falling Petals Sarah Godden / Mrs. Woods / Gayle / Marg / Mrs. Lawrence Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company
2003–04 The Lost Breath (aka Der verlorene Atem (Part 2 of Jewtopia-Trilogie) The Other Woman Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria, Melbourne Athenaeum with Melbourne International Arts Festival
2004 Kasimir + Karoline Erna Perchtoldsdorf Summer Festival, Austria
2003, 2007 Poppea Poppea Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria, Berliner Ensemble 2004, Edinburgh Festival
2004 Wiener Lächelin Widow Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria, Komische Oper Berlin
2005 Das Schloss (Part 3 of Jewtopia-Trilogie) Blaubart Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria
2005 The Tales of Hoffmann (aka Hoffmanns Erzählungen) Spalanzani / Shlemihl Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg
2006 Interpretationache 06 Graz Literature Festival, Austria
2006 The Caucasian Chalk Circle 11 roles Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria / Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg
2006 1975 - A Love Story Paula Brisbane
2007 The Ubu-Complex Alfred Jarry Vienna Schauspielhaus, Austria
2007 The Family Table III Self Vienna Festival, Austria
2007 Nach Der Zeit Im Takt Sehen Woman Off Limits Festival, Germany, WUK Vienna
2007 Rettet Die Mäuse (aka Save the Mice) Mel Ostermayer Tanzquartier Vienna, Austria
2007 Middentity Mel Nitra Festival, Slovakia
2008 The Women of Troy Cassandra / Andromache / Helen of Troy Wharf Theatre, Malthouse Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company
2009 Purimspil Linz, Austria
2009 Das Tortenstück Franz Fuchs Donaufestival, Krems Austria
2009–10 Unerhoert Conductor Jeunesse, Linz, Vienna, Innsbruck, Austria
2009 Alma Alma Mahler Vienna, Austria
2009–10 In the Jungle of Cities (aka Im Dickicht Der Stadte) Mae Garga Landestheater, Linz, Austria
2011 Mater Dolorosa (aka Our Lady of Sorrows) Mel Progetto Semiserio, Vienna, Austria
2011 Lysistrata Lampito Perchtoldsdorf Summer Festival, Austria
2013 Slobodija Odysseia, Mon Amour Penelope Marseille, France
2014 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Sydney Theatre Company
2014 Night on Bald Mountain Mrs. Sword Malthouse Theatre
2015 Suddenly Last Summer Miss Foxhill Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
2015 The Wizard of Oz Scarecrow Belvoir Street Theatre
2015 I Am a Miracle Johannes / Woman / Angel Malthouse Theatre
2016 Yes Move. No Move (Moved?) Manchester UK, Ljubljana Slovenia, Prague Czech Republic, Sibiu Romania with BeSpectACTive!
2017 John Genevieve Marduk Arts Centre Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
2017 Three Sisters Anfisus Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
2018 The House of Bernarda Alba Bernadette Fairfax Studio with Melbourne Theatre Company
2019 Arbus and West Mae West Fairfax Studio with Melbourne Theatre Company
2019 Titus Andronicus Tamora Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare

[11][12][13]

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
1987 The Tale of Ruby Rose Venice Film Festival International Critics Prize for Best Actress Won
1989 A Doll’s House Inaugural Cladan Award Most Significant Contribution to Sydney Theatre Won
1989 Picnic with Fatima Green Room Awards for Best Actress Nominated
1990 Danny and the Deep Blue Sea Green Room Awards Best Actress Won
1991 Bali Adat Green Room Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Won
1992 Mother Courage Green Room Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated}
1998 King Lear Green Room Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominated
2008 Women of Troy Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actress Nominated}
2015 Night on Bald Mountain Green Room Awards Best Female Actor Won
2016 I Am a Miracle Green Room Awards Best Female Actor Won
2017 John Green Room Awards Best Female Actor Nominated
2017 John Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated

[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Hallett, Bryce (27 July 2009), "An outsider finds a place to call home", The Sydney Morning Herald
  2. ^ a b c Hawker, Philippa (10 July 2015), "Melita Jurisic: from Mad Max to Macbeth, this versatile actor continues to impress", The Sydney Morning Herald
  3. ^ Johnston, Tony (16 January 2000), "AIR apparent", Herald Sun
  4. ^ Byrnes, Paul (18 August 1988), "Wild and haunting tale beneath the mist", The Sydney Morning Herald
  5. ^ Purcell, Chris (5 October 1986), "Love is the food to satisfy Hunger", The Sydney Morning Herald
  6. ^ Blinksell, Magella (8 September 2000), "Surprises Out Of Zagreb", The Canberra Times
  7. ^ Martin, Adrian (23 April 1998), "No hands clapping here", The Age
  8. ^ Blake, Jason (27 July 2014), "Hugo Weaving and Melita Jurisic make Macbeth sing, but final scene needs fine-tuning", The Sydney Morning Herald
  9. ^ Bodey, Michael (4 May 2001), "Sister acting", The Daily Telegraph
  10. ^ a b c "Nanette Fox - Artist Representation".
  11. ^ "Melita Jurisic theatre credits". AusStage.
  12. ^ "Melita Jurisic profile".
  13. ^ "Melita Jurisic: Theatre Biography".
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