Jacqueline Brennan

Jacquie Brennan is an Australian stage, television film and theatre actress and voiceover artist. She is known for her roles in Bullpitt!, The Hollowmen, and her best known role in Australian award-winning television drama Wentworth as Officer (later Deputy Governor) Linda 'Smiles' Miles.

Education Brennan graduated from the University of Southern Queensland with a Diploma of Performing Arts.

Career

Theatre Brennan has worked for both Queensland Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company, with Camille (1986) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (1987) and Dinkum Assorted (1989) for the former and Milo (1994) for the latter. She wrote and starred in one-woman show Dangerous When Wet in 1991 and toured Australia with 1960s spoof group 'The Harlettes' in 1995.

Her other theatre credits include Room to Move, Camille (both 1986), Australian musical Beach Blanket Tempest (1988), Rosy Apples, Too Darn Hot (both 1990), Macquarie (1998), Silhouette (1999) and a 2001 Australian tour of Are You Being Served? She appeared in both seasons of the show.

In 2020, Brennan appeared in the Underbelly adaptation Informer 3838, where she played the role of real life figure Christine Hodson, who was a victim of the Melbourne gangland killings. The real life case still remains open and unsolved, and the $1 million reward for information still stands to this day.

Brennan joined the cast of Wentworth in 2012. She initially came into set as a cast reader, but was asked to read for a 'small role' by the series set-up director, Kevin Carlin. That role however, ultimately ended up being the role of prison officer Linda 'Smiles' Miles. Brennan has since revealed she originally auditioned for the role of Liz Birdsworth. Brennan has since said she was only ever originally contracted on an eight day contract, but lead writer Timothy Hobart kept writing for the character. Her first appearance was in episode 2 of season 1 and she remained part of the supporting cast for the show's entire run, appearing in every season, appearing in all but one episode. thumb

Brennan appeared alongside several Wentworth cast members at a Screen Star Event in London and Birmingham in mid-2022 and again at "Wentworth Con", Melbourne in 2022, after withdrawing from the con's New Jersey event due to illness. Brennan appeared for a second event this time in the US and the UK in 2023 for Screen Star Events 15th Year alongside co-star Tammy MacIntosh and Colette Mann.

On 9 November 2022, it was announced that Brennan had been cast in Warnie, a two-part telemovie to air on the Nine Network in 2023 about the late Australian cricketer Shane Warne, alongside Alex Williams. She was cast as Warne's mother Brigitte. The telemovie aired in June 2023.

In 2023, Brennan played Nicole in SBS drama Safe Home, and appeared in season 4 of Paramount+ series Five Bedrooms, reprising the role of Denise Schaap from season one.

Voiceover Brennan is a sought-after voiceover artist, who has lent her voice to numerous voiceover productions, including SheZow, Kuu Kuu Harajuku, Get Ace, Monster Beach's Television Movie, Australian-Canadian co-production Big Words, Small Stories, often voicing multiple characters in each series. She also provided the voiceover work for the Seven Network police operations series Police Strike Force.

Brennan has also voiced advertisements including BHP, Hungry Jack's, Lexus, GE Money and TAFE.

In 2018, Brennan was rewarded for her efforts with a Voice Over Award or 'VoVo' for 'Most Emotionally Powerful Delivery' for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre ad, "Prevent, Detect, Act".

Personal life Brennan is married to actor Ian Bliss, the two met in 1999 on the production of theatre play Silhouette. Brennan in 2021 spoke with 9Honey's 'How We Met' video series and explained in detail how she met Ian and how he would drive Jacquie to rehearsal and bring her coffee, and how the two began a close bond during that time. Brennan and Bliss married in 2001 and have two children together.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role NotesRef1987 Contagion Trish Film 1995 Babe Various voices Feature film 2008 Playing for Charlie Vicky Film 2010 Animal Kingdom Sandra Leckie Feature filmTBAThe Puppet ShowTBAShort

Television Year Title Role NotesRef 1986 Jackson's Crew Gaye TV movie 1987 Walter Dixon's Wombat Harriet TV movie 1987–1988 Wombat Harriet 2 episodes 1992, 1993 A Country Practice Amanda Morton / Ms. Janice Bamford 2 episodes 1996 After the Beep Trish 1 episode 1997 Murder Call Leonie 1 episode 1997–1998 Bullpitt! Samantha MacDonald 26 episodes 1998 Home and Away Nurse June Wrench Episode 2299 1999 Wildside Karen Thompson 1 episode 2000, 2003 Stingers Gail Lynch / Hannah Hausman 2 episodes 2001 Sit Down, Shut Up Helen Peters 13 episodes BackBerner Various characters 1 episode 2002 All Saints Phillipa McAlpine 1 episode White Collar Blue Ava Syme 1 episode 2003 Temptation Cathy TV movie 2007 Dangerous Dean's mother TV series, 2 episodes 2008 Canal Road Nina TV series, 1 episode Bed of Roses Anna Mayhew 2 episodes City Homicide Bonnie Roper 1 episode The Hollowmen Mel 12 episodes 2008–2009 Neighbours Det. Sgt. Michaela Morris 12 episodes 2010 Offspring Nurse Metcalf 1 episode Lil Larrakins Maddie (voice) 2010–2012 Wakkaville Aunt Agnes (voice) 26 episodes 2011 Winners & Losers Gayleen Longbrook 1 episode 2012 Dangerous Remedy Hon TV movie 2012–2013 SheZow Sheila, Tara, Grilla, Null, Madame Curiador (voice a) 26 episodes 2013 Zuzu & the Supernuffs Various voices 2 episodes Upper Middle Bogan Celia 1 episode 2013–2021Wentworth Officer Linda Miles Season 1–8 (b), 99 episodes 2014 Monster Beach Amphibia (voice) TV movie Get Ace Mom / Reporter / Various (voices) Animated TV series 2015 House Husbands Kerry the Tutor 1 episode Exchange Student Zero Queen Blackyard / Various 7 episodes 2015–2018 Kuu Kuu Harajuku Colonel Spyke / Mauve Madison / Various (voices) 156 episodes 2016 Molly 'Dot' Canteen Lady Miniseries, part 1 2017 Operation Thailand Narrator TV documentary, 10 episodes True Story with Hamish & Andy Laura's Mum Season 1, episode 9 2018 Picnic at Hanging Rock Mrs. McCready Miniseries, season 1, episode 4 2019 Secret Bridesmaids's Business Kerri Lane Miniseries, 4 episodes 2019, 2023 Five Bedrooms Denise Schaap 2 episodes 2020 Informer 3838 Christine Hodson Miniseries, parts 1 & 2 2021 Big Words, Small Stories Sally Mander / Aunt Ria / Various (voices) 65 episodes 2022 Police Strike Force Narrator 6 episodes 2023 Safe Home Nicole 1 episode Warnie Brigitte Warne Miniseries, 2 episodes 2026Do Not Watch This ShowVoiceTV series: 1 episode

Other appearances

Audio books

Theatre Year Title Role NotesRef1986 Room to Move Ellie La Boite Theatre Camille Understudy Queensland Theatre Company Gerry Connolly Show Various characters Hocking & Woods