Alin Sumarwata

Alin Sumarwata is an Iranian-born Australian actress, whose roles include May Stone in soap opera Home and Away, Sophia Angleton in East West 101 and Vanessa Villante in Neighbours, a role she played from 2012 to 2013, 2015 and 2019. She has also starred in Strike Back: Retribution, Strike Back: Revolution and Strike Back: Vendetta as Gracie Novin.

Early life Sumarwata was born in Tehran, Iran. She moved to Australia with her family at the age of seven. Sumarwata gained a scholarship to the Australian Theatre for Young People and later attended the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. She worked part time in a law firm and an accounting firm, while she graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws. In 2009, Sumarwata starred as Yasmin Van Koors in the mini-series, False Witness. She joined the cast of Home and Away in the recurring role of May Stone, before moving onto roles in Rescue Special Ops and East West 101.

Sumarwata stars as Isabella Fortino in short film, Dark Horse. For her portrayal of Isabella, Sumarwata won the "Best Female Actor in a Short Film" award at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival. The following year, Sumarwata appeared in Sea Patrol and Tangle.

On 5 December 2011, it was announced Sumarwata had joined the cast of Neighbours in the regular role of Vanessa Villante. Sumarwata and her family relocated from Sydney to Melbourne, so she could film her scenes. Sumarwata's character was written out in 2013. She made three guest appearances in 2015, and she reprised the role again in 2019.

In 2016, Sumarwata joined the cast of Strike Back as Gracie Novin for the show's sixth series, which began airing in 2017. She reprised the role for the seventh series Strike Back: Revolution, which aired in 2019. Sumarwata reprised the role for the final season, Strike Back: Vendetta which started airing on February 14, 2020.

Personal life Sumarwata is married to actor Don Hany. They have two daughters.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2004 Soul Traces: The Introduction Clara Woods TV movie 2005 The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant Nani 2 episodes 2007 Death's Requiem Sarah Short film 2008 The Terrorist Short film 2008 Octopus Jane Short film 2009 False Witness Yasmin Van Koors Also known as The Diplomat 2009 Home and Away May Stone Recurring role 2009 Rescue Special Ops Brooke Henley Episode: "Rescue in the Blue Mountains" 2009 East West 101 Sophia Angleton Recurring role 2009 Dark Horse Isabella Fortino Short film 2010 Sea Patrol Sylvanna Gorski Episode: "In Too Deep" 2010 Tangle Julie Episode: "Sleepwalking" 2011 Burning Man Nurse Film 2012–2013, 2015, 2019 Neighbours Vanessa Villante Main cast 2015 Mary: The Making of a Princess Princess Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg TV movie 2016 Jack Irish Galerry Owner 2 episodes 2017 Strike Back: Retribution Lance Corporal Gracie Novin Main cast 2019 Strike Back: Revolution Lance Corporal Gracie Novin Main cast 2019 My Life Is Murder Morgana Finch Episode: "Feet of Clay" 2020 Strike Back: Vendetta Lance Corporal Gracie Novin Main cast