Ursula Yovich

Ursula Yovich is an Aboriginal Australian actress and singer.

Ursula Yovich
Born
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Occupation(s)Actress, singer

Early life and education

Yovich was born and grew up in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Her father, Slobodan Jović, was a Serbian immigrant who anglicised his name to Stan Yovich. Her mother is an Aboriginal woman from north-west Arnhem Land near the Blyth River, with the closest community being Maningrida.[1]

Career

Yovich has appeared in more than 20 theatre and musical theatre productions, including Capricornia, Mother Courage and her Children, The Sapphires, Natural Life, Nailed, The Sunshine Club, Jerry Springer the Opera, Nathaniel Storm, and The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom.[2][3][4][5]

Her film credits include Jindabyne, Australia and Goldstone.[6][7]

Television credits include Redfern Now, series 2 of the crime drama series Mystery Road, and the comedy series Preppers.

She was the subject of an episode of the SBS documentary series Blaktrax.[8]

Awards and nominations

Wins

In 2002, at the Tudawali Awards, Yovich was the recipient of the inaugural Bob Maza Memorial Award from the Australian Film Commission, which recognised emerging acting talent and support professional development for Indigenous actors.[9][10]

In 2016 she was awarded the Sidney Myer individual award as a recognition of her outstanding body of work in theatre. She also received the Balnaves Foundation's Indigenous playwrights award later in the same year.[11]

Yovich has won three Helpmann Awards, for Best Female Actor in a Play in 2007 for her performance in Capricornia and for Best Female Actor in a Musical and Best Original Score in 2019 for Barbara and the Camp Dogs.[12]

The 2021 Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director's Award was awarded to Yovich.[13]

Nominations

In 2019 Yovich was nominated for the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting for her original rock musical comedy, Barbara and the Camp Dogs, co-written with playwright Alana Valentine.[14] The play had its premiere performance at Belvoir St. Theatre in Sydney in 2017, and in the 2017 Sydney Theatre Awards, Yovich was nominated for Best New Australian Work, Best Original Score and Best Female Actor. The work also received a Music Theatre AWGIE nomination.[15]

She has also been nominated multiple times for lead and supporting roles in plays and musicals, and as Best Cabaret Performer in 2010 for Magpie Blues.

Personal life

As of 2009 Yovich was married to Stewart O'Connell, a lawyer, and the couple has one daughter.[16]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2006 Jindabyne Alice
2008 $9.99 Camille (voice)
2008 Australia Daisy
2010 Aesop's Way Adrian's Wife Short
2013 Destiny in the Dirt Danni Short
2013 Around the Block Chrissie
2014 Spirit Stones Eva Short
2016 Goldstone Maria
2019 Top End Wedding Daffy Ford
2019 Totem and Ore Testimonies reader Documentary
2023 The Royal Hotel Carol

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Blue Heelers Elvira Cook Episode: "Reflection"
2012 Devil's Dust Pauline Gordon TV miniseries
2012–2013 Redfern Now Nic Shields Episodes: "Stand Up", "Pokies"
2014 Rake Holly Episodes: "3.4", "3.5"
2014 The Gods of Wheat Street Eden Freeburn Regular role
2014 The Code Kitty Boyd Recurring role
2017–2021 Little J & Big Cuz Levi 37 episodes
2018 Wanted Shirley Episode: "3.3"
2020 Mystery Road Pansy 6 episodes
2021 The Moth Effect Megan 1 episode
2021 Preppers Kelly 6 episodes[17]
2021 Doctor Doctor (Australian TV series) Magistrate 1 episode
2021 Wakefield (TV series) Maria 1 episode
2022 The Twelve (Australian TV series) Hope Saunders 4 episodes
2022 Irreverent Grace 6 episodes
2023 Home and Away Victoria Hudson 2 episodes
2024 Total Control[18]

Discography
  • Sketches EP (2004)
  • Magpie Blues Live

References
  1. Gibson, Joel (6 April 2009). "Best of both worlds: mixed marriages blooming". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  2. "Baby, you've hit the big time now". Northern Territory News 30 December 2007
  3. "Who's That Girl?". Deadly Vibe Issue 113 July 2006
  4. "Ursula Yovich". Song Summit Sydney
  5. "The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom". The Sydney Morning Herald
  6. "Other Voices". Deadly Vibe 1 May 2005
  7. "Ursula unwinds and says 'yes' to Stewart". Northern Territory News 28 October 2008
  8. "On the box". Green Left Online
  9. "Screen Australia's Indigenous Department celebrates 25 years". Screen Australia. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  10. "Bob Maza Fellowship". AustLit. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  11. "Fellowship and Residencies". Belvoir St Theatre. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  12. "Meet the Territory's new star". Northern Territory News 8 August 2007
  13. Cristi, A. A. "Ursula Yovich Awarded Ensemble Theatre's Sandra Bates Director's Award". Broadway World Sydney, 11 November 2020
  14. "Nick Enright Prize for Playwrighting 2019 Shortlist". State Library of NSW. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  15. "Helpmann nominee Ursula Yovich to bow out on top". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  16. Most indigenous Australians now 'marrying out', study finds Joel Gibson. The Sydney Morning Herald 6 April 2009
  17. Byram, Vickii (15 November 2021). "ABC TV comedy Preppers stars a cohort of brilliant Indigenous actors and a stellar guest star line-up". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  18. "Total Control filming third and final series | TV Tonight". June 2023.
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