Jacki Weaver

Weaver has been working in Australian film, stage and television since the 1960s. In 1963, at the age of 16, Weaver mimed the role of Gretel to the soprano Janet Rutledge in an ABC production of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras.[7] In 1964 at the Palace Theatre in Sydney, Weaver and a number of other Australian singers such as The Delltones and her then-boyfriend Bryan Davies performed a satire on the Gidget movies, in which Weaver performed as "Gadget". In the mid-1960s, she appeared on the Australian music show Bandstand. In one appearance, she sang a 1920s-style pastiche, the novelty song "I Love Onions". The turning point in her career came in 1965 just before she was about to go to university and was cast in the Australian TV series Wandjina![8]

In 1971, Weaver made her big screen debut playing the female leading role in the comedy film, Stork directed by Tim Burstall, for which she won her first Australian Film Institute Award. She later starred in the comedy films Alvin Purple (1973), and Petersen (1974). She played supporting role in Peter Weir's critically acclaimed mystery film version of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), and a more substantial appearance in Caddie (1976) for which she won her second Australian Film Institute Award. The following years, Weaver appeared in series, miniseries, and made-for-television movies, playing leading and supporting roles. Her notable television movies including Polly Me Love (1976), and Do I Have to Kill My Child? (1976), for which she received Logie Award for Best Individual Performance By An Actress.[3]

Weaver starred in the miniseries Water Under the Bridge (1980) and The Challenge (1986), and 1982 drama film Squizzy Taylor. Also in the 1980s she appeared alongside Sir Les Patterson and politician Barry Jones on Parkinson[9] Contrary to popular belief, Weaver has never appeared in a soap opera.[10] She starred in the 1988 ABC drama series, House Rules about a Melbourne house-wife who becomes a member of parliament.[11] After years off-screen, Weaver returned to film starring in the comedy-drama Cosi.[12]

Weaver at the AACTA Awards in Sydney, 31 January 2012

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Weaver found it increasingly difficult to gain roles on screen or television and she devoted much of her energy to the Australian stage, starring in plays including A Streetcar Named Desire, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Death of a Salesman, Reg Cribb's Last Cab to Darwin, and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya alongside Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh in 2010–11. Weaver has performed in more than 80 plays.[1] Her stage abilities were recognised with a "Mo" award. In 2005, she released her autobiography, Much Love, Jac.[13]

In 2010, Weaver starred in the Melbourne-set crime thriller Animal Kingdom playing a gang family matriarch. Her performance received praise from film critics and earned her an Academy Award nomination as well as winning the Australian Film Institute Award, the National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award and a Satellite Award.

Weaver made her Hollywood debut with the 2012 comedy The Five-Year Engagement, alongside Emily Blunt and Jason Segel, and starred in Park Chan-Wook's English-language debut, Stoker, alongside fellow Australian actors Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska, and British actor Matthew Goode.[14] In 2012, Weaver was again nominated for an Academy Award for her role opposite Robert De Niro in the comedy-drama film Silver Linings Playbook.[1]

Weaver played Marguerite Oswald in the 2013 historical drama film Parkland and same year starred in the supernatural horror film Haunt. She made her American television debut guest-starring as a Rebel Wilson' character mother in her short-lived comedy series Super Fun Night. In 2014, she starred in the adaptation of Richard Alfieri's play Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks opposite Gena Rowlands,[15] Marjane Satrapi's comedy-horror The Voices, and the romantic comedy Magic in the Moonlight written and directed by Woody Allen. She returned to Australia appearing in Last Cab to Darwin (2015) and Goldstone (2016) receiving Australian Film Critics Association for Best Supporting Actress. Her other notable film credits including Equals (2015), The Polka King (2017), Life of the Party (2018), Bird Box (2018) and Widows (2018). She starred alongside Diane Keaton, Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman in the 2019 comedy film Poms (2019).[16] The following year, she played the leading role in the comedy-drama film Stage Mother.[17] Also that year, she starred in The Grudge, a remake of the 2004 supernatural horror film, and the Australian drama Penguin Bloom starring Naomi Watts. In 2022, she played Mark Wahlberg' mother in the biographical drama film Father Stu.[18]

On American television, Weaver starred in the 2015 Fox limited series Gracepoint and the Starz comedy series, Blunt Talk (2015–16) opposite Patrick Stewart. She returned to Australia with starring role in the Fox Showcase political thriller Secret City (2016–19), and Stan science fiction series Bloom (2019–20). In 2019, she starred in the Epix thriller Perpetual Grace, LTD (2019) and in 2021 she began appearing in the recurring role as Caroline Warner in the Paramount Network neo-Western series, Yellowstone.[19]