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Kerry Walker

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Kerry Walker
Born
Kerry Ann Walker

(1948-02-29) 29 February 1948 (age 77)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityAustralian
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art (1974)[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1977–present

Kerry Ann Walker AM (born 29 February 1948) is an Australian actress.[2] She has had a lengthy career on both stage and screen.[3] She was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role three times, in 1985 for Bliss, 1986 for Twelfth Night[4] and in 1993 for The Piano.[5]

Early life

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Walker began studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA),[6] in 1972,[7] and graduated in 1974.[1] Upon graduation, she was told she "would not succeed as an actor because of her looks."[8]

Career

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Theatre

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Walker made her professional theatre debut in a production of Romeo and Juliet with The Australian Ballet.[6] After a stint with the Melbourne Theatre Company’s Theatre-in-Education program, she spent 1976 with the newly-formed Hunter Valley Theatre Company. She ultimately returned to Sydney, continuing her stage career with performances at Marian Street Theatre, Jane Street Theatre, the Old Tote Theatre Company and Nimrod.[6]

After being cast in the lead of 1977 film The Night the Prowler in 1977, Walker became the muse of writer Patrick White, (Australia's only recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature),[6][9] She was in the original cast of three of his plays, Signal Driver (1982), Netherwood (1983), and Shepherd on the Rocks (1987), which he wrote specifically for her.[9][6] The first two plays debuted with the State Theatre Company of South Australia, where Walker was a member of Jim Sharman’s Lighthouse ensemble[6] from 1982 to 1983.[10] White also cast her in major revivals of The Ham Funeral and A Cheery Soul and wrote an unperformed play sequence for her, entitled Four Love Songs.[9]

More recently, Walker has performed in Life Without Me (2010) The Man from Mukinupin (2009), The Hypocrite (2008), The Madwoman of Chaillot (2007), A Hard God (2006) and The Unexpected Man (2000).

She has served on the boards of Belvoir Street Theatre / Company B.[6]

Film and television

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Walker's film credits include 1985 arthouse classic Bliss, Jane Campion’s award-winning 1993 period drama The Piano, opposite Holly Hunter and Harvey Keitel, and 1996 comedy drama Cosi (based on Louis Nowra’s play of the same name), alongside Ben Mendelsohn, Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths.[6] At the turn of the century, she appeared in the historical comedy drama The Dish with Sam Neill, and coming-of-age film Looking for Alibrandi with Anthony LaPaglia and Pia Miranda.[6] Next came Baz Luhrmann's 2001 musical spectacle Moulin Rouge! (2001), opposite Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, followed by The Home Song Stories (2007) and Luhrmann epic Australia (2008), alongside Kidman[6] and Hugh Jackman.

Walker's numerous television credits include the 1990 miniseries Come in Spinner (based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Dymphna Cusack), and the 1991 Australian-British co-produced miniseries The Leaving of Liverpool.[6] She had a regular role in Grass Roots in 2003 and also appeared in Rake (2008) with Richard Roxburgh.[6]

Depictions in art

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Stuart Campbell's photographic portrait of Walker is held in the National Portrait Gallery.[11]

Awards and accolades

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Walker has been the recipient of numerous awards and nominations. These include Green Room Awards for Best Actress for Pack of Lies and Knuckledusters: The Jewels of Edith Sitwell (the latter of which she both wrote and performed) and several AFI Awards. She was also granted an Australian Artists Creative Fellowship.[6]

Walker was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1994 for her "service to the performing arts".[12]

Awards, nominations and honours

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Year Work Award Category Result
1985 Bliss AFI Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated
1986 Twelfth Night Nominated
Pack of Lies Green Room Awards Best Actress Won
1989 Knuckledusters: The Jewels of Edith Sitwell Won
1993 The Piano AFI Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated
1994 Kerry Walker Member of the Order of Australia Service to the Performing Arts Honoured
2012 Killing Time Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries or Telemovie Nominated

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 The Singer and the Dancer Rose Buckley
1978 The Night the Prowler Felicity Bannister
1983 Double Deal Sibyl Anderson
1985 Bliss Alice Dalton
1986 Twelfth Night Feste
1987 Bullseye Mrs Gootch
1990 Wendy Cracked a Walnut (aka Almost) Deirdre
1992 The Girl Who Came Late (aka Daydream Believer) Aunt Vera
1993 The Piano Aunt Morag
1994 Talk Voice of the Witnesses
1995 Babe Sheep (voice)
1996 Cosi Sandra Russell
1997 Road to Nhill Alison
1998 A Little Bit of Soul Eugenie Mason
1999 Holy Smoke! Puss
2000 Looking for Alibrandi Sister Louise (Nun)
The Dish Pearl
2001 Moulin Rouge! Marie
2002 Sway Greta
2003 Peter Pan Miss Fulsom
2006 Solo University Supervisor
2007 Lens Love Story Susan Short film
The Home Song Stories Norma
2008 Australia Myrtle Allsop
2011 A Heartbeat Away Dawn
2014 Cut Snake Mrs Farrell
2015 Holding the Man Librarian in lift

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 Studio 86 1 episode
1987 Poor Man's Orange Miss Moon Miniseries, 2 episodes
Vietnam Dinner guest Miniseries, 1 episode
1988 Australians Mrs Darcy Miniseries, 1 episode
1990 Come in Spinner Mrs Molesworth Miniseries, 4 episodes
Winners Mrs Marsland 1 episode
The Ham Funeral Alma Lusty TV movie
1991 The Last Crop Ann Sweeney TV movie
1991; 1992; 1996 G.P. Lorraine Ferguson / Joan Brodie 3 episodes
1993 Under the Skin 1 episode
The Leaving of Liverpool Mrs Dunne TV movie
1994 Heartland Sylvia 2 episodes
1996 After the Beep Mary Donnelly 7 episodes

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1974 Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be NIDA [13]
The Merchant of Venice [13]
The Miser [13]
1975 Theatre-in-Education (collection of three plays) Member of ensemble MTC [13]
What Means These Bones? Various characters Australian Theatre [13]
1976 A Happy and Holy Occasion Brenda Mulcahy Hunter Valley Theatre Company [14][13]
Four on the Floor Cabaret [13]
Bedfellows Carol Cummins [13]
Hamlet on Ice Hamlet [13]
Equus Hesther Salomon [13]
The Floating World Irene Harding [15][8][13]
The Glass Menagerie Laura Wingfield [13]
1977 The Alchemist Dame Pliant NIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre Company [16][13]
Confusions Various characters Marian St Theatre, Sydney [13]
1978 As You Like It Audrey / Le Beau Jane St Theatre, Sydney [13][14][16]
Mother Courage and Her Children Mother Courage [13]
Gone with Hardy Nellie Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney [13][14]
1978–1979 Romeo and Juliet The Nurse Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney, University of Western Australia [8][13]
On Our Selection Mother Rudd / Mrs White Australian National Playwrights Conference, Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA / Jane St Theatre [17][13]
1979 Upside Down at the Bottom of the World Freida Lawrence Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney [13]
Britannicus Agrippina Seymour Centre, Sydney [16][13]
Beauty and the Beast Felicity STC [14][13]
1980 Measure for Measure Isabella A Shakespeare Company [8][13]
The Two Gentlemen of Verona Speed [13]
The House of the Deaf Man Nimrod St Theatre, Sydney [13]
1981 Pinball Miriam / Vandaloupe [13]
The Eyes of the Whites Moira [16][13]
Lulu Countess Geshwitz STC / STCSA [13][14][16]
1982 The Prince of Homburg The Electress of Homburg STCSA [13]
Spellbound Margaret Mitchell [13]
Royal Show Member of ensemble [13]
Mother Courage and Her Children Mother Courage [13]
Silver Lining Olga [13]
Signal Driver Ivy Vokes / Second being Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA/ Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [14][8][13]
A Midsummer Night's Dream Tom Snout / Moth STCSA [13]
1983 The Blind Giant is Dancing Eileen Fitzgerald Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA / Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [13][14][10][16]
Pal Joey Gladys Bumps STCSA [13]
The Marriage of Figaro Marcelline [16] l[13][10]
Blood Wedding Mother-in-law [16][13]
Sunrise Peg Sheldon [13]
1983; 1984 Twelfth Night Feste STCSA & Sydney Festival [13]
Netherwood Mog Figg [16][8][13]
1984 Pack of Lies Barbara Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [18][13]
The Threepenny Opera Pirate Jenny Playhouse Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [15][13]
Henry and Peter and Henry and Me Louisa Lawson Australian National Playwrights Conference & American International Playwright's Conference, Connecticut [14][13]
1985 Signal Driver Ivy Vokes Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B [13]
Visions Madame Lynch MTC [14][13]
Your Tribe and My Tribe Narrator Sydney Opera House [13]
A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania / Hippolyta MTC / STCSA [13][14]
1987 The Country Wife Lady Fidget Sydney Opera House with STC [14][16][13]
Shepherd on the Rocks Queenie STCSA for Adelaide Festival [14][13]
The Popular Mechanicals Tom Snout Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B [14][16][13]
1988 My Sister in This House Madame Seymour Centre, Sydney with Wilson Morley [13] l[14]
Serious Money Marylou Baines / Mrs Etherington / Dolcie Starr Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC, Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [10][13]
1989 The Ham Funeral Alma Lusty Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [16][8][13]
Knuckledusters: The Jewels of Edith Sitwell Edith Sitwell Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B with Sydney Festival, Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC [14][13]
1990 Rome Tremble—Crumbs from a Feast of Callas Evangelica Callas / Elsa Maxwell / Tina Onassis / Annina Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [13]
The Development Site Various characters STC [13]
1991 Furious Alison / Bonny / Kathleen / Delegate Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [13]
The Government Inspector Anna Andreyevna Sydney Opera House with STC [13]
The Royal Commission into the Australian Economy Clerk of the court Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B [16][13]
1992 The Girl Who Saw Everything Liz Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [13]
The Popular Mechanicals Tom Snout / Duchess of Shafton Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B [13]
1993 Top Girls Isabella Bird / Joyce / Mrs. Kidd Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [13][16]
The Visit Professor Sydney Opera House with STC [13][16]
1994 Furious Alison / Bonny / Kathleen / Delegate STC, The Space, Adelaide for Adelaide Festival, Playbox Theatre, Melbourne [13][19][16]
1995 The Blind Giant Is Dancing Eileen Fitzgerald Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B [13]
1996 Wasp The Cowboy / Mom / The Magician's Assistant [13][16]
Riders in the Chariot Mrs. Jolley [13]
1997 Jerusalem Vivien Rickman Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne, Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [13][20]
The Tempest Gonzalo Canberra Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Atheneum with Bell Shakespeare [16][13]
1998 The Mirage STC [13]
1999 The Talented Mr Ripley Emily Greenleaf / Aunt Dottie Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC [21][13]
Thunder Rock Miss Kirby STC [13]
Pride and Prejudice Mrs. Bennet Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC, Sydney Opera House with STC [16][13]
2000 Blithe Spirit Madame Arcati Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA [13][22]
The Unexpected Man Marthe Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B, Victorian Arts Centre with MTC for Melbourne International Arts Festival [10]
2000–2001 A Cheery Soul Mrs. Hibble / Mrs. Bleeker Sydney Opera House with STC, Australian National Playwrights Conference [13]
2001 Holy Day Nora Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne, STCSA [10][23][13]
2003 A Derelict Woman Derelict Woman The Studio / New Music Network [13]
2004; 2005 The Spook Trixie / Phyllis Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney with Company B, Glen St Theatre, Sydney, QTC [24][13]
2006 StickybrickS Member of ensemble Sydney Festival with Big hART
A Hard God Monica Cassidy / Sophia Cassidy Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [13]
Radio Holiday Melbourne International Arts Festival / Big hART [13]
2007 Drive In Holiday Betty / Crystal / Musician Ten Days on the Island, Tasmania / Big hART [13]
The Madwoman of Chaillot Josephine Playhouse, Melbourne with MYC [25][13]
2008 The Wiredancer's Waltz Inga Heffernan National Play Festival, Brisbane [13][25]
Australian Gothic Sonya August National Play Festival [13]
The Hypocrite [25]
2009 The Man from Mukinupin Edie Perkins Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney / MTC [26]
2010 Life Without Me [14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Threepenny Opera". Theatregold. 7 September 2025.
  2. ^ Kent, Simon (26 May 1991), "Oh, but it's good to be back home", The Sun-Herald
  3. ^ Hallett, Bryce (21 March 2009), "Never far from home", The Sydney Morning Herald
  4. ^ Eccles, Jeremy (27 January 1988), "Rejecting the sins of typecasting", The Sydney Morning Herald
  5. ^ Barber, Lynden (29 July 1993), "Piano dominates AFI list", The Sydney Morning Herald
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Kerry Walker AM b. 1948". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  7. ^ "A Chance Gathering of Strays: the Australian theatre family" (PDF). University of Sydney. 2010.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Pender, Anne (2012). "Kerry Walker, Patrick White and the Faces of Australian Modernism". www.revistes.ub.edu.
  9. ^ a b c Yeo, Samuel. "People and pets". Patrick White Catalogue. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Serious Money". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  11. ^ "Kerry Walker, c. 1979". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Kerry Ann Walker". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch "Walker, Kerry 1948-". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Knuckledusters". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  15. ^ a b "The Threepenny Opera". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Pride and Prejudice". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  17. ^ "On Our Selection". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Pack of Lies". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  19. ^ "Furious". Malthouse Theatre. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Jerusalem". Malthouse Theatre. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  21. ^ "The Talented Mr Ripley". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  22. ^ "Blithe Spirit". Theatregold. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  23. ^ "Holy Day". Malthouse Theatre. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  24. ^ "The Spook". Theatregold. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  25. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference KW was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  26. ^ "The Man from Mukinupin". Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
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