Charlotte Nicdao (born 14 August 1991) is an Australian actress. She is known for starring as Jackie Lee in the Nine Network series A gURLs wURLd (2010–2011) and as Poppy Li in the Apple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest (2020–present).

Charlotte Nicdao
Nicdao in 2022
Born (1991-08-14) 14 August 1991 (age 33)
Occupation(s)Actress, composer
Years active2004–present
SpouseBayden Hine[1]

Career

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Nicdao attended Victorian College of Arts and studied jazz and classical music.[2] After an audition for a role in which she did not get the part, Nicdao discovered that her true love was acting.[2]

Nicdao's big break happened in 2008 when she was cast as Jackie in A gURLs wURLd. Nicdao auditioned when she was 17. The show filmed in Sydney, Singapore, and Hamburg, so Nicdao completed the final year of high school by distance education with the goal to return to Melbourne and make a career out of jazz singing.[3]

Nicdao starred in the short film Emo, directed by Neil Tiffett, which won a 'special mention' at the prestigious Berlinale International Film Festival in 2014 - the runner up to the Crystal Bear for best short film in Berlinale’s Generation section.[4] When the short was adapted to a full-length film Emo: The Musical, released in 2016, she was credited as an associate producer.[5]

In 2014, Nicdao joined the second season cast of Josh Thomas' Australian TV series Please Like Me, and played the role of Tom's girlfriend Jenny.[6]

In 2019, Nicdao starred as Lucy in Content, a made-for-phone online video series. The first episode, about a millennial who wanted to go viral, actually went viral when the video of her crashing her car was shared by many who thought it was footage of a real accident.[7]

In 2020, Nicdao began starring as Poppy in Mythic Quest. Nicdao described the role as her dream role.[8] About the advent of more roles for people of Asian heritage, Nicdao stated about her role in Mythic Quest, "I think there was a time with the only characters available to me were very one dimensional and now I'm getting to play this very complex woman at the center of a story and it's beautiful."[8]

Nicdao voiced See-Thru Princess, the ruler of the Glass Kingdom, in Adventure Time: Distant Lands.[9]

Personal life

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Nicdao was inspired by her father, Filipino Australian actor Alfred Nicdao. As a child, she would often be called to auditions by her father's agent.[2]

Nicdao has stated that if she could be a book, she would be If on a Winters Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino because "every chapter is a new story and a new world".[8]

In 2012, Nicdao formed pop music group Charlotte Nicdao and the Sloth Orchestra with friends from college. In January 2013, the band successfully crowdfund their debut EP, recorded at Sing Sing studios with Australian music engineer Adam Rhodes. Plans to release the album in March 2013 were put on hold when Nicdao was cast in the NBC television series Camp, and delayed the release of the EP to 2014.[10] Nicdao describes herself as "a passive-aggressive sunshine pop fairy".[10] Nicdao started training as a jazz singer when she was 15, inspired by Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Keith Jarrett.[3]

Nicdao and her husband Bayden Hine ran a plant store in Melbourne known as Plant by Packwood. The store closed in November 2019.[11]

When asked by 1883 magazine which big movie franchise Nicdao would love to be a part of, she expressed her deep love of Star Wars, especially Yoda, whom she made a fan club for at school.[12]

Filmography

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Television and film roles
Year Title Role Notes
2004 Fergus McPhail Betty Episode: "Every Stick Has Two Wrong Ends"
2008 The Elephant Princess Hannah Episode: "Coming of Age"
2010–2011 A gURLs wURLd Jackie Lee Main role
2011 The Slap Tina Miniseries
2013 The Time of Our Lives Clara Bell 2 episodes
Camp Grace Main role
2014 Please Like Me Jenny Recurring role
2015 Childhood's End[13] Rachel Osaka TV miniseries
2015 The Subjects Lilly Film[14]
2015–2018 Kuu Kuu Harajuku Baby Main voice role
2017 Trip for Biscuits Violet Main role
Get Krack!n Scarlett Recurring role
Thor: Ragnarok Sif actress Film[15]
2018 Bluey Nurse / Checkout Lady Voice role; 2 episodes
2019 Content Lucy Web series; main role
2019–present The Strange Chores Que Main role
2020–present Mythic Quest Poppy Main role
2020 Adventure Time: Distant Lands See-Thru Princess, Ancient Glass Princess Voice role; episode: "Obsidian"
2022 Zootopia+ Sam Voice role; episode: "Dinner Rush"
2022–2023 Star Trek: Lower Decks Meredith, Moxy Voice role; episodes: "Room for Growth" and "In the Cradle of Vexilon"
2023 Animaniacs Abigail Voice role; episode: "Royal Flush"
2024–present Solar Opposites Sofia Main role in "The Wall" subplot, Season 5[16]

References

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  1. ^ Sharp, Rachel (15 April 2020). "Charlotte Nicdao: Meet Australia's Hottest Young Acting Export". InStyle. Archived from the original on 16 April 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021. says the 28-year-old down the phone from Los Angeles, where she and her indie musician husband Bayden 'Packwood' Hine are now based.
  2. ^ a b c "Interview #31 — Charlotte Nicdao". LIMINAL. 15 October 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b Pruner, Aaron (9 May 2021). "Charlotte Nicdao talks glitter goo, jazz music, and wearing only red". Inverse. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Emo (the musical) feature film by Lee Matthews". www.pozible.com. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Creatives". Emo The Musical. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Australian Television: Please Like Me: episode guide: series 2". www.australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  7. ^ Meade, Amanda (6 September 2019). "#FlipGirl car crash video goes viral after clip from ABC show mistaken for real thing". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  8. ^ a b c "CHARLOTTE NICDAO TALKS ABOUT HER COMPLEX AND MULTIDIMENSIONAL ROLE AND FILMING SEASON 2 OF MYTHIC QUEST ON APPLE TV+ DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC". A BOOK OF MAGAZINE. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Charlotte Nicdao On 'Mythic Quest' Season Two And Finding Poppy's Ego". UPROXX. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Charlotte Nicdao". triple j Unearthed. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  11. ^ Packwood, Plant (2021). "Instagram Plant". Archived from the original on 25 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Charlotte Nicdao". 1883 Magazine. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Colm Meaney & Charlotte Nicdao Join Syfy's 'Childhood's End' Miniseries". Deadline. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  14. ^ "First trailer for The Subjects". Flickering Myth. Retrieved 14 August 2015.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "How Chris Hemsworth Convinced [Spoiler] to Make That Secret Cameo in 'Thor: Ragnarok' (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  16. ^ Eddy, Cheryl (13 August 2024). "Solar Opposites Exec Producers: Season 5 Interview". Gizmodo. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
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