Zoe Terakes

Zoe Terakes (born March 22, 2000) is an Australian actor who most notably played Reb Keane in Wentworth.

Zoe Terakes
Born (2000-03-22) March 22, 2000
NationalityAustralian
OccupationActor
Years active2017-present

Education

Terakes attended SCEGGS Darlinghurst for high school. Terakes had not considered acting as a career, until their grade 11 drama teacher recommended visiting an agent who ended up securing them work.[1] They completed their HSC whilst appearing on stage in A View from the Bridge, a theatre production in Sydney from director Iain Sinclair.[2][3]

Career

Their work on A View from the Bridge led them to receive Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production, and as joint winner, the Best Newcomer Award.[4] The production also scored Terakes a Helpmann Award nomination.[5][6]

At the age of 17, Terakes made their on-screen debut in the role of Pearl Perati, a homeless teenager, in ABC's Janet King alongside Marta Dusseldorp.[3][7][8][1]

Other theatre credits of Terakes include Metamorphoses and The Wolves for The Old Fitz and Henrik Ibsen's theatre production of A Doll's House Part 2 at the Melbourne Theatre Company.[8][4]

Terakes played transgender man Reb Keane in season eight of Australian TV series Wentworth, the critically acclaimed reboot of Prisoner Cell Block H. About the experience of obtaining the role, Terakes stated: "I really fought for it. I emailed the producers to let them know how important it was to have a trans person telling this story. It was also terrifying, because suddenly I had the role and I felt the weight of the trans community on my shoulders. I didn't want to get it wrong."[9] Their character, Reb, was a trans man (assigned female at birth) and was terrified of being sentenced to prison after a robbery goes wrong.[7][8]

In 2020, the feature film Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) was released where Terakes plays the title role of Abbie.[10][11] In the same year, Terakes appeared in the Foxtel drama about euthanasia titled The End.[6]

In 2021, Terakes played wellness retreat worker Glory alongside Nicole Kidman, Asher Keddie and Melissa McCarthy in Nine Perfect Strangers.[3][12]

In 2022, Terakes joined the cast of the Marvel project Ironheart.[13]

Personal life

Terakes identifies as non-binary and transmasculine, and came out to the acting industry at age 19.[3] In 2022, Terakes confirmed news of their gender confirming surgery.[14]

In November 2020, Terakes signed a petition criticizing the lack of LGBTQ representation in the Australian production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and expressing “disappointment” over the casting of actor Hugh Sheridan in the lead role of Hedwig, whom many believe to be a transgender character.[15][16] They, along with David Campbell, Michaela Banas, and others, shared an open letter on Instagram addressed to the Sydney Festival, explaining why trans representation is vital when telling the story of a trans character.[16][15] The Australian producers, Showtune Productions, cancelled the show.[17] Sheridan later came out as non-binary in an Instagram post on 26 June 2021,[18] and also bisexual,[19] speaking of the hurt and serious mental health issues that arose from the cyber bullying around this incident.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2020 Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) Abbie
2022 Talk to Me Hayley

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2017 Janet King Pearl Perati Recurring role, 7 episodes
2020 The End Scarlet 2 episodes
2020-2021 Wentworth Reb Keane Recurring role, 8 episodes
2021 The Moth Effect Employee Miniseries, 2 episodes
2021 Nine Perfect Strangers Glory Miniseries, 8 episodes
2023 Ironheart TBA Upcoming miniseries

References
  1. Groves, Don (4 August 2019). "Zoe Terakes proudly represents her community on stage and screen". IF Magazine. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  2. Moran, Jonathon (19 October 2017). "Juggling HSC with a debut in Miller play". dailytelegraph. Retrieved 23 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. McManus, Bridget (21 August 2021). "As Wentworth closes up for good, new doors open for star Zoe Terakes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  4. "Zoe Terakes". WEAR IT PURPLE. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  5. "How actress Zoe Terakes juggled the HSC with her stage debut". 7NEWS. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. Williams, Sue (2 October 2019). "My travel life: Zoe Terakes". Traveller. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  7. "Zoe Terakes lands a career-defining role in 'Wentworth'". IF Magazine. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  8. "Non-Binary Actor Zoe Terakes Brings Authenticity to 'Wentworth's Reb". Distractify. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  9. "Wentworth's Kate Box and Zoe Terakes: "It's not over for us"". Now To Love. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  10. Piccoli, Dana (29 August 2020). "Outfest 2020: "Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt)" is a teen rom-com with a serious side". Queer Media Matters. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  11. "The Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) trailer comes out". Cinema Australia. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  12. Walsh, Savannah; Puckett-Pope, Lauren (18 May 2021). "Hulu's Star-Studded 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Will Premiere in August". ELLE. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  13. Cooper, Brenna (12 August 2022). "Marvel's Ironheart casts transgender non-binary star Zoe Terakes". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  14. "Actor Zoe Terakes shares news of gender-affirming surgery". QNews. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  15. "Hedwig Postponed Over Casting Of Hugh Sheridan As Trans Lead". HuffPost. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  16. "Australian production of 'Hedwig - The Musical' cancelled". OUTInPerth | LGBTQIA+ News and Culture. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  17. Button, James (19 November 2021). "'They cancelled me as a human': What nearly killed Logie winner Hugh Sheridan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  18. "Packed to the Rafters star Hugh Sheridan identifies as non-binary". New Zealand Herald. 27 June 2021.
  19. "Australian actor Hugh Sheridan comes out as 'non-binary bisexual human'". GAY TIMES. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
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