Ellen Grimshaw is an Australian actress and writer of theatre. She is known for her roles in films and television dramas. Her performance as Chaar in Bad Behaviour garnered her the "Best Supporting Actress" accolade at the 2010 Melbourne Underground Film Festival. In 2021, she played Casey in the Australian drama series Jack Irish. In 2024, Grimshaw joined the cast of the soap opera Neighbours, playing Veronica McLain.

Ellen Grimshaw
Born
Australia
EducationSouthbank Institute of Technology
Queensland University of Technology
Victorian College of the Arts
Occupation(s)Actress, theatre writer
Years active2008–present
Known forNeighbours (TV series) as Veronica McLain

Early life

edit

Grimshaw began her training at the Southbank Institute of Technology in Brisbane, where she completed a performing arts and acting diploma, graduating in 2006.[1] She then attended the Queensland University of Technology where she graduated from a Fine Arts course in 2009. She then began appearing in independent theatre productions in Brisbane and Melbourne. Grimshaw also developed herself as a writer with a comedic-feminist style and set up permanent residence in Melbourne.[2][3] In 2018, Grimshaw completed a master's degree in Writing for Performance, which she studied at the Victorian College of the Arts.[4] Grimshaw is a feminist and she later began to develop her views into her performances.[4][3]

Career

edit

Grimshaw began her professional acting career by starring as Constance in the short film The Covenant of Mr Kasch.[1] She also went onto gain work in numerous television commercials.[1] In 2010, Grimshaw played the role of Chaar in the film Bad Behaviour. Her performance won her the "Best Supporting Actress" accolade at the 2010 Melbourne Underground Film Festival.[5]

In 2018, she played the role of Louise in the web series Everything's Going To Be Fine, which was released via YouTube.[6] In 2019, Grimshaw produced her own theatre show titled "Just us Girls - What's a Girl?!". She designed the show to prove that feminist women are not defined by anger.[4]

In 2020, she appeared as Sarah in the second season of the drama series Bloom, which was broadcast via Stan[2] Grimshaw then played Claire McCormick in the feature film How Do You Know Chris?, which was directed by Ashley Harris.[7] She also appeared in a short film titled Noise.[8] The following year, Grimshaw appeared as Helen in the film Road to Perth, which was later sold to US and Canadian on-demand streaming services.[9] She also produced another theatre show titled "We're Probably Really Really Happy Right Now".[3]

In April 2023, Grimshaw created her own one woman theatre show titled "Grim". She wrote and produced the show and fellow Australian actor Guy Pearce provided voice overs.[10] Later that year she joined the cast of the soap opera Neighbours, playing the role of Veronica McLain. Grimshaw described the character as a "mysterious woman".[11] She made her first appearance in the episode broadcast on 4 January 2024.[12]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
Year Title Role Notes
2008 The Covenant of Mr Kasch Panda Girl / Constance Cristabel Faun Short film
2009 Husk Wife Short film
2010 Bad Behaviour Chaar Feature film
2011 Panic at Rock Island Claire TV movie
2011 Status Emily Short film
2011 Julia Grace Short film
2012 Jane Jane Short film
2014 Splendor Solis Angelina Short film
2015 The Flame Wars Bec Film
2015 Basic Basic Instinct Catherine Short film
2016 Restoration RLS Technician Feature film
2018 House Party Charlie Short film
2020 Roger Rose Short film
2020 How Do You Know Chris? Claire McCormick Feature film
2020 Noise Lead Short film
2021 From Sent Ash to Dancing Ground Lacheen Lason Short film
2021 Road to Perth Helen Film

Television

edit
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Cops L.A.C. Alicia TV series, season 1, episode 8: "Blood Types"
2015 The Super Hero Clean Up Squad Sky the cashier TV pilot, 1 episode
2016 The Wrong Girl Anouk TV series, 2 episodes
2018 Superwog Formal Babe 1 TV series, season 1, episode 4: "The Formal"
2018 Everything's Going to Be Fine Louise Web series
2020 Bloom Sarah TV series, season 2, episode 6: "The Cult of Gwendolyn Reed"
2021 Jack Irish Casey TV series, Season 3: "Hell Bent", 4 episodes
2022 The Newsreader Naomi TV series, guest role
2024 Neighbours Veronica McLain TV series, 10 episodes
Sources:[1]

Theatre

edit

As actor

edit
Year Title Role Notes
2005 The River, The Dirt and Us Visy Theatre, Brisbane with Backbone Youth Arts
2006 Features of Blown Youth Dove Vena Cava
2007 People Falling Ensemble QUT
2007 The Pitchfork Disney Haley QUT
2007 Cowboy Mouth Cavale QUT
2008 Tommy the Musical Various QUT
2008 The Cherry Orchard Dunyasha QUT
2008 Terrain Terrain Terrain Various characters QUT
2008 A Midsummer Night's Dream Helena QUT
2009 The Hypochondriac Louison QUT
2009 The Golden Age Betsheb QUT
2009 The Arabian Nights Various characters QUT
2011 22 Short Plays Various characters MKA, Melbourne
2013 Bacchus Rising Monash University
2014 Mad Women Monologues $ Baggage Productions
2014 Sales Pitch Cindy La Mama, Melbourne
2015 Lust Number 1 Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2015 I Don't Know Yet Performer Courthouse Hotel with Melbourne Fringe Festival
2016 Corrina Corrina Red Stitch Actors Theatre / Bakehouse Studios
2017 Little Eyolf Rita NIDA
2017 Landscape Beth VCA Directors Showcase
2017 Erasers Beethoven The Owl and Cat Theatre, Melbourne
2018 Freefall The Burrow, Melbourne with Wielding Theatre
2018 Probably Really, Really Happy Right Now Fireball Theatre Works, Melbourne
2019 The Mother Acting Internship The Wooster Group, New York
2019 The Bacchae Paccula Annia La Mama, Melbourne
2019 Just Us Girls - What's a Girl?! Various characters Trades Hall Fringe Hub
2020 Contagion Ally Hextall Riot Stage
2023 Grim Grim (solo show) Melbourne International Comedy Festival

As playwright

edit
Year Title Role Notes
2019 The Seagull Assistant Elevator Repair Service
2019 Playlist Playwright Trades Hall, Melbourne with Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2023 Grim Creator Melbourne International Comedy Festival

[13][14]

Awards and nominations

edit
Year Format Association Category Nominated work Result
2010 Film Melbourne Underground Film Festival Best Supporting Actress Bad Behaviour Won[5]
2021 Television AACTA Awards Best Supporting Female Actor in a TV Drama Jack Irish Nominated
2024 Theatre Green Room Awards Best Performer in Independent Theatre Grim Nominated

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Ellen Grimshaw" (PDF). Kubler Auckland Management. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Cast & crew". How Do You Know Chris?. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c J Snee, Peter (21 January 2021). "World premiere heading to Theatre Works". Aussietheatre.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "What's a girl? Just ask Ellen Grimshaw". Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Bad Behaviour wins six awards". IF Magazine. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Web Series Wednesday: Everything's Going To Be Fine". Cinema Australia. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  7. ^ "How do you know Chris?". Yonnie Piffen Productions. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Noise a Exp short film by Julian Lucas starring Ellen Grimshaw". Film Shortage. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Trailer". Road to Perth movie. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  10. ^ "The Grim in Ellen Grimshaw". University of Melbourne. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  11. ^ @ellen_grimshaw (3 January 2024). ""Neighbours welcomes new character Veronica McLain, played by Ellen Grimshaw", a mysterious woman who seems more than just a little bit annoyed with Nicolette. Just what does Veronica have planned? Well, tune in and watch @neighbours tomorrow 4th Jan 2024, and you might find out…" – via Instagram.
  12. ^ Executive producer: Jason Herbison; Director: Tony Gardiner; Writer: Stephen Vagg (4 January 2024). "Episode 8967". Neighbours. Network 10.
  13. ^ "AusStage".
  14. ^ https://www.kublerauckland.com/actors_cv_pdf.php?KamID=1258138551
edit