Merwez Whaleboat

Merwez Whaleboat is an Australian actress.

Early life Whaleboat, the eldest daughter of Donald (a pastor and teacher) and Dulcie Whaleboat is a Torres Strait Islander who was born in Townsville. Her native language is Mercian, an Eastern Islands dialect, and she became more articulate at English while studying drama at Heatley High School, Townsville. Prior to that, she attended Currajong State School at primary level.

She left Townsville to "find her feet", but settled on Murray Island, where her parents lived, to raise her three kids and externally study a double bachelor degree in Arts and Education (majoring in drama and literature) at Melbourne's Deakin University, where she is member of the Golden Key National Honour Society. She wrote and performed a one-woman play Dad, Me and Uncle Koiki while studying.

Career For Whaleboat's performance in RAN Remote Area Nurse she was nominated for the 2006 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama.

Other roles include Warwick Thornton's film The Darkside and the TV productions The Straits (2012), Mabo (2012) and Blue Water Empire (2019).

A big lover of literature, Whaleboat is also a published poet, her poems "King Kebisu" and "Coconut Sails" feature in the anthology book "Mangoes on Fire" launched by the Tropical Writers Group of Cairns. She also wrote the poem "Markai", meaning 'ghost/spirit' (2009).

Personal life Whaleboat is mother to three daughters, Swana, Tei-ri and Diari.

She became a teacher at Shalom Christian College in Townsville.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 2012 Mabo Maisa Mabo TV docudrama movie 2013 The Darkside Lesigo Anthology film

As director Year Title Role Type 2018 Uncle Willie Director Short documentary film

Television Year Title Role Type 2006 RAN Remote Area Nurse Bernadette Gaibui TV series, 6 episodes 2012 The Straits Auntie Lorraine TV miniseries, 1 episode 2015 Ready for This Mrs Ban TV series, 2 episodes 2019 Blue Water Empire Pamoy / Flora Anosa TV docudrama miniseries

Awards and nominations Year Nominated work Award Category Result 2006 RAN Remote Area Nurse AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama