Lynette Curran

Lynette Curran is an Australian actress known for many roles in Australian television series and films, including the soap opera Bellbird, and the films Country Town and Bliss (1985).

Career Theatre She started acting in the theatre in 1964. Theatre work includes The Country Wife, Rookery Nook, Richard II, Just Between Ourselves, and Ashes for the Melbourne Theatre Company. She also played in Steaming for the Seymour Centre in Sydney.

Film and television Curran was a cast member of soap opera Bellbird when it started in 1967. She left the series permanently in 1974; at the time she left she was the program's last remaining original cast member.

Curran acted in the film version of the serial Country Town (1971). She made several other film appearances in the 1970s, with roles in sex comedy Alvin Purple (1973), and in dramas I'm Here, Darlings! (1975), Caddie (1976). Late 1970s television appearances include soap opera Number 96 (in 1976), and police procedurals Bluey and Cop Shop. Curran was a recurring cast member of soap opera The Restless Years (1977–1981), playing the scheming Jean Stafford. She won a Sammy Award for her role in Australian Broadcasting Corporation series Spring and Fall.

On television she played Brenda Jackson in the Love My Way, and acted in Underbelly: The Golden Mile and Cleverman. She was in Wentworth as Vera Bennett's elderly, terminally-ill mother (2015).

Curran appears in Season 2 of Aftertaste (2022).

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1971 Country Town Rhoda Wilson 1973 Alvin Purple First Sugar Girl 1976 Drift Away unknown role Short film Caddie Maudie 1980 Buckley's Chance Doctor's wife Short film 1982 Heatwave Evonne Houseman 1985 Bliss Bettina Joy 1986 Bullseye Dora McKenzie 1987 Comrades Prostitute UK The Year My Voice Broke Anne Olson 1989 The Delinquents Mrs. Hansen 1990 Dead to the World Pearl Elkington Swimming unknown role Short film 1991 Every Little Breeze unknown role Short film 1993 Just Desserts Mrs. Fullilove Short film 1995 Mushrooms Minnie 1997 Road to Nhill Margot Oscar and Lucinda Mrs. Ahearn 1998 The Boys Sandra Sprague Praise Sexual Health Worker 1999 Bangers Mother Short film 2000 My Mother Frank Jean 2003 Japanese Story Mum 2004 Somersault Irene 2007 Prada Handbag Meryl Short film 2009 Boundless Mother Short film Prime Mover Mrs Boyd 2013 These Final Hours James' Mum 2014 Love Is Now Nurse A Priest In The Family Molly Short film 2015 Bluey Old Woman Short film Black Clock Mrs. Anderson Short film 2017 A Few Less Men Maureen 2018 Brothers' Nest Mum Birdie unknown role Short film 2019 Aldi Australia: The Miracle Ham Beryl Short film 2021 Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings Old Lady on Bus US

Television Year Title Role Notes 1965 The Sweet Sad Story of Elmo and Me Betty TV movie 1965-70 Homicide Karen Latimer / Anna / Karen Barratt / Joy Hamilton / Wendy Hamilton 5 episodes 1967-74 Bellbird Rhoda Lang 1107 episodes 1971-72 Matlock Police Vicky Thompson / Sandra Hughes 2 episodes 1970-73 Division 4 Kerry Nolan / Wendy Morris 2 episodes 1973 Brumby Innes May TV movie 1974 The End Product Estelle Clay TV movie Rush Amy Draper Episode: "They Faced All the Dangers, Those Bold Bushrangers" Eye of the Spiral (aka '’The Spiral Bureau’') TV movie 1975 Behind the Legend Belle Episode: "Tom Roberts" Cash and Company Emma Riley Episode: "Home Brewed" I'm Here, Darlings! TV movie 1976 King's Men Episode: "Pipeline" Alvin Purple Fan Episode: "London " Fair Game TV pilot Number 96 Samantha Minerver 2 episodes The Outsiders Carol Episode: "Change of Image" 1977 A Journey to the Center of the Earth Voice Animated TV movie Bluey Jenny TV series, 1 episode 39: Son of Bluey 1978 The Geeks Tina TV movie Chopper Squad Cheryl Falconi Episode: "Cliff Rescue" Case for the Defence Angela Craig Episode: "The Family Way" 1978–1980 The Restless Years Jean Stafford TV series 1980 Spring & Fall Carol Episode: Cold Comfort 1980–1981 Cop Shop Trudy Lovell / Shirley Youngman / Marie Wood 6 episodes 1982 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself with Amanda Muggleton & Gwen Plumb TV series, 1 episode 1984 Carson's Law Vanessa Martin 2 episodes 1984–1992 A Country Practice Connie Barker / Karen Stone / Karen West 5 episodes 1986 The Flying Doctors Jean Irving Episode: Million Acre Prison 1987 The Shiralee Hareema TV miniseries, 2 episodes 1988 Rafferty's Rules Dr. Curlewis TV series, 1 episode: Freedom Touch the Sun: Peter and Pompey Connie Driscoll TV movie The Dirtwater Dynasty Our Mum TV miniseries, 1 episode Australians Mrs. Cuthbert TV series, 1 episode 19: Betty Cuthbert Stringer Valerie Gordon 1989 Becca Emma TV movie Police State Dawn Parker TV movie 1993 Death In the Family TV movie 1995 Echo Point Angela Tilbury 1 episode 1997 Big Sky Meg Bateman Episode: "Lost and Found" 1998 FCTV Guest TV series, 1 episode Aftershocks Fay Asquith TV movie 1998–2006 All Saints Anita Petrakis / Hilary Doyle / Harriet Bell 5 episodes 1998; 2000 Water Rats Glenda Lord / Geraldine Sawyer 2 episodes 1999–2005 Blue Heelers Evie Osborn / Marie Biden 3 episodes 2000 Murder Call Janet Simms Episode: "Paid in Full" 2001; 2002 Backberner Miriam Stardwick 2 episodes 2001–03 Always Greener Connie Linguini 9 episodes 2003 White Collar Blue Sandra Benson 1 episode 2004-07 Love My Way Brenda Jackson 28 episodes 2006 Call Me Mum Dellmay TV movie 2009 Chandon Pictures Lorelei Episode: "The Man with the Dancing Fingers" 2010 Wicked Love: the Maria Korp Story Daphne TV movie Underbelly: The Golden Mile Irene Webb 2 episodes City Homicide Posy Pollard 1 episode Rake Colleen 1 episode 2011 Bed of Roses Frida Fryberg 3 episodes Slide Connie 1 episode 2013-14 Wentworth Rita Bennett 3 episodes 2015 Glitch Jo Willis 1 episode 2016 Cleverman Virgil 2 episodes Deep Water Rhys' Mother 2 episodes 2017 Newton's Law Martha Payne 1 episode 2018 Harrow Millicent Bruce 1 episode 2019 Molly and Cara Molly 2020 Reckoning Kitty Episode: "You Should Be Dancing" 2022 Aftertaste June 6 episodes2023Queen of OzSylvia3 episodes

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1965 The Sweet Sad Story of Elmo and Me Betty ABC TV Studios 1969 The Imaginary Invalid Toinette Theatre Royal 1969 The Country Wife Russell Street Theatre & Canberra Theatre with MTC 1969 A Long View Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1969 Six Characters in Search of an Author Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1969 Rookery Nook Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1971 Customs and Excise Nimrod 1972 Brumby Innes Pram Factory with Australian Performing Group 1976 Martello Towers Francesca Jones Nimrod 1976 The Recruiting Officer Melinda, an Heiress Nimrod 1976 Rookery Nook Rhoda Marley UNSW with Old Tote Theatre for Sydney Festival 1977 The Mind with the Dirty Man DivIna Metro Theatre, Sydney 1977 Ashes Anne Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1978 Richard III Lady Anne Neville Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 The Beaux' Stratagem Cherry Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 Just Between Ourselves Pam Russell Street Theatre with MTC 1978 Under Milk Wood Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 Arsenic and Old Lace Elaine Harper Melbourne Athenaeum 1979 The Day After the Fair Anna Comedy Theatre, Melbourne & Theatre Royal, Sydney 1980 The Sunny South Bubs Berkley Sydney Opera House with STC for Sydney Festival 1980 Sexual Perversity in Chicago / Reunion Carol Nimrod 1981 Every Burglar Has a Silver Lining Seymour Centre 1981 La Veniexiana Seymour Centre 1982 A Woman Alone Nimrod 1982-83 Steaming Sydney Opera House, Seymour Centre, Theatre Royal, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne & Canberra Theatre 1982 Medea Nimrod 1982 Female Parts Nimrod 1982 The Importance of Being Earnest Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax Marian Street Theatre 1984 Two Marian Street Theatre 1985-86 The Real Thing SGIO Theatre, Brisbane for QTC & Playhouse Adelaide 1985 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Seymour Centre with Nimrod 1986 Dreams in an Empty City Playhouse Adelaide with STCSA 1988 Citizen of the Year Playhouse, Perth with WATC 1989 The Real Matilda Bay Street Theatre 1989 Lipstick Dreams Playhouse, Newcastle with New England Theatre Company, Hunter Valley Theatre Company & Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust 1990 Hot Fudge and Icecream Wharf Theatre with STC 1990 Words of One Syllable Belvoir Street Theatre 1991 The Boys Sandra Sprague Stables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company 1991 Racing Demon Wharf Theatre with STC 1991 The Killing of Sister George Q Theatre 1991 Three Stories High - Julia's Song / Painted Woman / Koori Love Belvoir Street Theatre 1992 Diving for Pearls Canberra Theatre, Bridge Theatre, Coniston, Riverina Playhouse 1992 Steaming Adelaide 1992 Wet and Dry Stables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company 1993 A Prayer for Wings Lookout Theatre, Woollahra 1993 Mesmerized Stables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company 1993 Aftershocks Belvoir Street Theatre 1993 In Relation to Inadmissable Evidence Belvoir Street Theatre 1995 The Last Yankee Ensemble Theatre 1995 The Real Thing Marian Street Theatre 1996 Bold Girls Belvoir Street Theatre 1998 The Boys Sydney 1998 Tilly's Turn Stables Theatre 1999 Pride and Prejudice Sydney Opera House with STC & MTC 2000 Suddenly Last Summer Mrs Holly Belvoir Street Theatre 2001 Fireface Wharf Theatre with STC for Sydney Festival 2001 The Laramie Project Belvoir Street Theatre 2001 The School for Scandal Sydney Opera House with STC 2002 All My Sons Kate Sydney Opera House with Ensemble Theatre 2002 Presence Stables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company 2003 Broken Glass Sylvia Gellburg Ensemble Theatre 2005 The Chairs Petty Pie Belvoir Street Theatre 2005 Colder Than Here Belvoir Street Theatre 2007 The Gates of Egypt Clarice Belvoir Street Theatre 2007 Derrida In Love Jacqueline Ensemble Theatre 2009 The Crucible Tituba / Mary Lewis / Rebecca Nurse Wharf Theatre with STC 2011 Gross und Klein (Big and Small) STC 2012 Gross und Klein (Big and Small) European tour - Théâtre de la Ville, Barbican Theatre, London, Vienna Festival & Ruhrfestspiele with STC 2013 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Big Mama Theatre Royal with Belvoir Street Theatre 2014 Hedda Gabler Aunt Julie Belvoir Street Theatre 2016 The Great Fire Mary Belvoir Street Theatre 2019 I'm With Her Dr Marion Blackwell Darlinghurst Theatre Company 2020 Cursed! Belvoir Street Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Nominated work Award Result Spring and Fall Sammy Award 2004 Somersault Film Critics Circle of Australia (FCCA) Award for Best Female Supporting Actor 2007 Call Me Mum AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama 2019 Brother's Nest Australian Film Critics Association (AFCA) Award for Best Supporting Actress 2023 Aftertaste Equity Ensemble Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Personal life Curran was married when she was 19, but the marriage was short-lived. She has had two substantial relationships since then, but bore no children. She lives alone in Sydney. A sexual assault and incest survivor, Curran is estranged from her family.

Curran has Indigenous Australian heritage, as she discovered two of her great-grandmothers were Aboriginal.

She dabbles as a medium, which she got into after foreseeing the death of a friend in a car accident. She first had premonitions as a child. She offers readings at Sydney markets, using tarot cards, numerology and astrology.

Curran is often mistaken for good friend and fellow Australian actress Jacki Weaver, whom she has previously worked with, most notably in the 2008 Ensemble Theatre production of Derrida In Love.