Louise Siversen

Louise Siversen is an Australian actress. She is known for her television roles, including Lou Kelly in Prisoner (1984–1986), Debbie in The Flying Doctors (1988–1990), and 2012-2017 Heather Looby in House Husbands. She has also appeared on stage and in film.

Personal life

Siversen is married to Theo Siversen. They live in Melbourne.

Siversen has been an Iyengar Yoga student for over 15 years, and is also an avid walker, having walked the Camino Frances, an 800 kilometre walk across Northern Spain, in 2009.

Training Born in Melbourne, Siversen began acting as a child after her parents sent her to dance and drama classes to help her overcome her shyness. Siversen began to enjoy acting and went on to perform with St Martins Youth Theatre, appearing in many productions. Siversen was to study law, but decided to stick with acting after attending a Career Day at university.

Siversen has also trained in jazz dance and ballet.

Career

Television Siversen is best known for her portrayal of nasty Louise 'Lou' Kelly in the Network Ten series Prisoner. Siversen had done several bit-parts in the series and at the time the character of Lou was devised, and had been a regular extra for several months, playing one of the prisoners. Siversen auditioned, and got the part. Lou quickly became one of the main characters of the series and had a run of three years.

Her other TV credits include The Flying Doctors, Halifax f.p., 'Sugar and Spice, BackBerner, MDA, All Saints, Janus, Rush, Special Squad and House Husbands.

Siversen in 2021 gave an in depth interview about her time on Prisoner on the podcast series Talking Prisoner, where she talked about her career, her hobbies and voice acting.

Film She appeared in the 1989 Australian horror film Houseboat Horror. In 2022, Siversen appeared in the horror film The Surrogate.

Stage Siversen appeared in several productions for the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne and the Melbourne Theatre Company. She also wrote her one-woman show Coming to My Senses in 1993. In 2017 she played Dotty/Mrs Clacket in Michael Frayn's Noises Off for the Melbourne Theatre Company and Queensland Theatre.

Other activities She teaches drama at the Victorian College of Arts and she also teaches in private practice and in drama methodology in Sydney.

Acting credits

Film +Year Title Role TypeRef 1982 A Slice of Life Nurse (as Louise Siverson) Feature film 1988 Evil Angels (aka A Cry in the Dark) Jenny Miller (uncredited) Feature film 1989 Houseboat Horror Zelia Feature film 1990 A Kink in the Picasso Reporter Feature film 1994 That Eye, The Sky Mrs. Cherry Feature film 1996 Shine Extra in Ballroom Scene Feature film 1998 Crackers Teacher Feature film 2000 Lost Psychologist Short film 2002 Blow Zoe Short film 2004 Josh Jarman Therapist Feature film 2006 What's the Matter? General Practitioner Short film 2008 Valentine's Day Dawn Feature film 2008 Four of a Kind Anne Feature film 2009 Shiny Thing Carolyn Kibre Short film 2011 The Eye of the Storm Carol Feature film 2013 The Kingdom of Doug Maryanne Short film 2015 Sucker Val - Dodgy Bar Woman Feature film 2022 Surrogate Anna Paxton Feature film TBAThe ReturnedVivianne

Television

Television (as self) Year Title Role Type 1989 In Melbourne Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1991 In Sydney Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1995; 1997 Good Morning Australia Guest TV series, 2 episodes 2001 People Dimensions Guest TV series, 1 episode 2023 You Don't Have to Hate the Movie People Forever - Interview with Louise Siversen Herself DVD/Video

Theatre +Year Title Role TypeRef 1989 Morning Sacrifice La Mama, Melbourne 1989 The Misery of Beauty Various roles Theatre Works, Melbourne 1991 The Girl Who Saw Everything Carol Edge Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1993 Barmaids Nancy Peacock Theatre, Hobart with Zootango Theatre Company 1993 Coming to My Senses One-woman show Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 1998 Dark: The Diane Arbus Story Various roles Melbourne Festival 1999 Wonderful Ward Bernadette / PA Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2000 Art and Soul Various roles Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2004 The Memory of Water Teresa Space 28, Southbank, Melbourne with MTC 2007 Dimboola Florence McAdam Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2007-2008 The Glory Elizabeth Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre 2008 Mum's the Word 2: Teenagers Deborah Playhouse, Brisbane, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Sydney, Burswood Theatre, Perth with Dainty Productions 2009 Master of the Revels Judy Forrister Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2010 All About My Mother Sister Rosa’s Mother / Matron Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2011 The Joy of Text Diane Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2013 True Minds Vivienne Reynolds Southbank Theatre with MTC 2016 The Last Ten Minutes of History Courthouse Theatre 2016 I Can't Even... One-woman show Malthouse Theatre 2017 Noises Off Dotty Otley / Mrs Clackett Playhouse, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre, Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2019 Playlist Trades Hall, Melbourne 2020; 2022 The Heartbreak Choir Totty Southbank Theatre, Melbourne & online with MTC 2021 Birthday Cake One-woman show Geelong Arts Centre with The Space Company & online - Australia 2023 Croydon Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne A Very Jewish Christmas Carol Carol / Rein-Dybbuk / Ensemble Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC Underneath Ms Archer Kelly Archer (also co-writer) St Martins Theatre, Fortyfivedownstairs Hell's Gates Various roles Geelong Arts Centre with The Space Company 2024 Birthday Cake One-woman show Geelong Arts Centre