Deborah Mailman AM
“I remember travelling through the streets of Cannes in a limo with a police escort and feeling like royalty. I remember stepping onto the red carpet and seeing more camera lenses than I have ever seen in one place in my life,” Deborah Mailman recalled in these pages in 2012. Already beloved for her portrayal of Kelly in The Secret Life of Us, and lauded for her fearless performance as Bonita Mabo, in 2012 Deb truly hit the big time with The Sapphires.
“It was all a bit overwhelming,” Deb said. “I could go after it and chase a career in Hollywood, but it’s so much harder when you have a family. Even at the height of the madness at Cannes, my mind kept coming back to my boys and how much I missed them.”
Hollywood’s loss has been our gain. Deb has continued to be an important teller of Australian stories, bringing grit, maturity and compassion to a range of characters. Most recently, she appeared in political drama Total Control, parrying with Rachel Griffiths. In 2021, riding high on the success of Total Control, Deb told The Weekly why she always intended to stay in the country she calls home.
“I love the Australian film industry. I love our stories. This is where I want to be. They’re stories that matter to me.”
Jessica Watson OAM
Only 16 years old, and at the
