Justine Clarke
Encyclopedia
Justine Clarke is an Australian actor and singer. She has been acting since the age of seven and has appeared in some of Australia's best-known TV shows. She is also a film and stage actor, and won the Best Actress Award at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival in 2006 for her role in Look Both Ways
.
Humphrey B. Bear
biscuits. At eleven she played the role of Brigitta in the stage musical, The Sound of Music
.
Clarke's first significant acting role was as the character Anna Goanna in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
. The same year she appeared in the TV series The Maestro's Company and featured in the 1986 mini-series Professor Poopsnaggle's Steam Zeppelin. The following year she made appearances in A Country Practice
and Willing and Abel
In 1988, Clarke began a two-year role on the soap opera Home And Away
playing the character Roo Stewart. She was one of several Home and Away cast-members to star in a stage musical about the soap, which toured the UK in 1991.
Following her departure from Home And Away in 1989, Clarke appeared in the short-lived series Family and Friends before going on to act in several mini-series including Come In Spinner
, Golden Fiddles and Tracks of Glory.
In 1991 she formed a Dolly Parton
inspired band called the Honky Tonk Angels, which disbanded three years later. In the late '90s she was a backing vocalist in the Sydney band Automatic Cherry, that also featured The Cruel Sea
guitarist James Cruickshank. The band released the album Slow Burner in 1997. Clarke is also a jazz
vocalist and cabaret singer, popular on the Sydney club circuit.
A popular children's entertainer and presenter on the landmark children's television program Play School
, Clarke has made solo albums and DVDs for children including I Like to Sing (2005), Songs to Make You Smile and Great Big World.
Clarke's film Turning April in 1996 was followed by Blackrock
with Heath Ledger
in 1997. More recently she has starred in the films Danny Deckchair
and Look Both Ways
. The role of Meryl Lee in Look Both Ways
scored Clarke a nomination for an Australian Film Institute (AFI) Lead Actress award in 2005 and the award for Best Actress at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival.
After three episodes of the series Wildside, she played Dr Samantha O'Hara in 21 episodes of All Saints
. She also played the leading role in the Australian medical drama The Surgeon and appeared in the third season of the critically acclaimed Australian TV Drama series Love My Way
, as Simone, the estranged sister of Asher Keddie
's Julia.
An experienced stage actor, Clarke has worked with the Sydney Theatre Company
is productions such as The Man with Five Children, Trelawey of the Wells, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Herbal Bed and Stiffs, and for Belvoir Company B in Michael Gow
's Toy Symphony.
In 2010 Clarke starred in the short film, Peekaboo (film)
.
She is currently in filming for the movie 8, and the television series Woodley.
She has three children named Josef, Nina and Max with actor Jack Finsterer
.
Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways is a 2005 Australian independent film, written and directed by Sarah Watt, starring an ensemble cast, which was released on 18 August 2005. The film was supported by the Adelaide Film Festival fund and opened the 2005 festival. It won four AFI Awards, including Best Film and Best...
.
Career
At the age of seven, whilst at Woollahra Public School with other up and coming talents like Mouche Phillips and Deni Hines, Clarke began appearing in television commercials, one of which was Arnott'sArnott's Biscuits Holdings
Arnott's Biscuits Holdings , is a subsidiary of the Campbell Soup Company of the United States.In Australia Arnott's is the largest producer of biscuits and the second-largest supplier of snack food.-History:...
Humphrey B. Bear
Humphrey B. Bear
Humphrey B. Bear is an Australian children's television series and its fictional character namesake is an icon of Australian children's television. Humphrey B Bear was first broadcast on Adelaide's NWS-9 on Monday, 24 May 1965. The show became one of the most successful programs for pre-schoolers...
biscuits. At eleven she played the role of Brigitta in the stage musical, The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
.
Clarke's first significant acting role was as the character Anna Goanna in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, written by Miller, Doug Mitchell and Terry Hayes, and starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. It is the third installment in the action movie Mad Max franchise...
. The same year she appeared in the TV series The Maestro's Company and featured in the 1986 mini-series Professor Poopsnaggle's Steam Zeppelin. The following year she made appearances in A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
and Willing and Abel
Willing and Abel
Willing and Abel is an Australian television comedy series which was made in 1987, about two handymen.The main cast were Grant Dodwell as "Charles Willing", Shane Withington as "Abel Moore", and Rebecca Rigg as "Angela Reddy"....
In 1988, Clarke began a two-year role on the soap opera Home And Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
playing the character Roo Stewart. She was one of several Home and Away cast-members to star in a stage musical about the soap, which toured the UK in 1991.
Following her departure from Home And Away in 1989, Clarke appeared in the short-lived series Family and Friends before going on to act in several mini-series including Come In Spinner
Come In Spinner
Come In Spinner is an Australian novel by Dymphna Cusack and Florence James, originally published in 1951, and set in Sydney, Australia at the end of the second World War.The title refers to a phrase used in the Australian gambling game of two-up....
, Golden Fiddles and Tracks of Glory.
In 1991 she formed a Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
inspired band called the Honky Tonk Angels, which disbanded three years later. In the late '90s she was a backing vocalist in the Sydney band Automatic Cherry, that also featured The Cruel Sea
The Cruel Sea (band)
The Cruel Sea are an Australian indie rock band from Sydney formed in late 1987. Originally an instrumental-only band, they became more popular when fronted by vocalist Tex Perkins in addition to Jim Elliott on drums, Ken Gormly on bass guitar, Dan Rumour on guitar and James Cruickshank on guitar...
guitarist James Cruickshank. The band released the album Slow Burner in 1997. Clarke is also a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vocalist and cabaret singer, popular on the Sydney club circuit.
A popular children's entertainer and presenter on the landmark children's television program Play School
Play School (Australia)
Play School is an Australian educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running childrens show in the world. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the...
, Clarke has made solo albums and DVDs for children including I Like to Sing (2005), Songs to Make You Smile and Great Big World.
Clarke's film Turning April in 1996 was followed by Blackrock
Blackrock (film)
Blackrock is a 1997 Australian film directed by Steven Vidler and written by Nick Enright. Internationally, it is best remembered as the first prominent role of actor Heath Ledger.-Origin:...
with Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
in 1997. More recently she has starred in the films Danny Deckchair
Danny Deckchair
Danny Deckchair is a 2003 Australian comedy film written and directed by Jeff Balsmeyer. The majority of Danny Deckchair was shot in Bellingen, a Mid North Coast town in New South Wales....
and Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways is a 2005 Australian independent film, written and directed by Sarah Watt, starring an ensemble cast, which was released on 18 August 2005. The film was supported by the Adelaide Film Festival fund and opened the 2005 festival. It won four AFI Awards, including Best Film and Best...
. The role of Meryl Lee in Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways is a 2005 Australian independent film, written and directed by Sarah Watt, starring an ensemble cast, which was released on 18 August 2005. The film was supported by the Adelaide Film Festival fund and opened the 2005 festival. It won four AFI Awards, including Best Film and Best...
scored Clarke a nomination for an Australian Film Institute (AFI) Lead Actress award in 2005 and the award for Best Actress at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival.
After three episodes of the series Wildside, she played Dr Samantha O'Hara in 21 episodes of All Saints
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
. She also played the leading role in the Australian medical drama The Surgeon and appeared in the third season of the critically acclaimed Australian TV Drama series Love My Way
Love My Way
Love My Way was a Logie Award winning and critically acclaimed Australian television drama series. It won the AFI award for Best Television Drama Series for each of its three seasons ....
, as Simone, the estranged sister of Asher Keddie
Asher Keddie
Asher Keddie is an Australian actress who is perhaps best known for her role in the Australian television series Offspring. She is also known for her theatre work and leading roles in the television series Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and Love My...
's Julia.
An experienced stage actor, Clarke has worked with the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
is productions such as The Man with Five Children, Trelawey of the Wells, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Herbal Bed and Stiffs, and for Belvoir Company B in Michael Gow
Michael Gow
Michael Gow is an Australian playwright and director most famed for his 1986 work Away.As a student at Sydney University, Gow acted and directed with the Dramatic Society from 1973-1976. After graduation, Gow went on to act with Nimrod, Thalia and Sydney theatre companies.He has been the Artist...
's Toy Symphony.
In 2010 Clarke starred in the short film, Peekaboo (film)
Peekaboo (film)
Peekaboo is a 2011 Australian short film written and directed by Damien Power, and produced by Joe Weatherstone.The film was a finalist in the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films at the 2011 Sydney Film Festival.-Synopsis:...
.
She is currently in filming for the movie 8, and the television series Woodley.
She has three children named Josef, Nina and Max with actor Jack Finsterer
Jack Finsterer
-Early life:Finsterer grew up in Ainslie, Canberra, where he attended Daramalan College, before going on to study drama at the Victorian College of Arts in Melbourne.-Career:...
.