# Zahra Newman

Zahra Newman is an Australian actress.

## Early life and education

Newman was born in Port Antonio Jamaica and spent her formative years in Kingston before migrating to Australia at the age of 14 with her mother. Her interest in the performing arts was nurtured through her involvement with Father HoLung and Friends, the Caribbean-style music and theatre arts group associated with Missionaries of the Poor. Later, in Brisbane Australia, performance opportunities with Harvest Rain Theatre Company served to cement her passion for and commitment to the stage. She graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2008.

## Career

She appeared as Nabalungi in the original Australian cast of The Book of Mormon.
Newman has performed extensively with leading theatre companies in Melbourne and Sydney. Her theatre credits include Miss Julie, The Effect, The Mountaintop, The Cherry Orchard, Clybourne Park, The Drowsy Chaperone, Richard III and Rockabye for Melbourne Theatre Company; Rosalind in As You Like It for Bell Shakespeare; The Blind Giant is Dancing, Ivanov and Private Lives for Belvoir; Love and Information for Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company; The Government Inspector for Belvoir and Malthouse Theatre; and Random for the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Theatre Company and Brisbane Powerhouse. She also appeared in the original Australian cast of the musical An Officer and A Gentleman.
Her television and film credits include Wentworth, Rush, Childhood’s End and Neighbours.

## Awards and nominations

In 2014, Newman was nominated for Helpmann Awards for both Best Female Actor in Play for The Mountaintop and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for The Government Inspector. She received a Green Room Award for Female Actor for Random in 2012.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2010 | Rush | Kara Davidson | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Childhood's End | Bridget Rodricks | Episode: "The Overlords" |
| 2016 | Comedy Showroom | Fran Wright | Episode: "Bleak" |
| 2017 | Wentworth | Iman Farah | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Sisters | Felicity | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | Diary of an Uber Driver | Beck | 6 episodes |
| 2020 | Rosehaven | Amy | 2 episodes |
| 2020–2021 | Neighbours | Audrey Hamilton | Recurring character |
| 2021 | Spreadsheet | Helena | 8 episodes |
| 2022 | Pieces of Her (TV series) | Sgt Wilson | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Erotic Stories | Lelia | 1 episode (Imperfect Paw Paw) |

### Film appearances

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2023 | Our Haunt | Abby | Short |
| 2022 | Thirteen Lives | Olivia Taft | |
| 2021 | Long Story Short | Leanne | Feature film |
| 2015 | Truth | Dana Roberson | |
| 2012 | Hold | Lily | Short film |

## Stage

In 2024, Newman would play all 23 characters in Sydney Theatre Co's Dracula. Newman would also played music legend Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill . In 2023, Newman appeared alongside Bert La Bonté in Fences.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2024 | Dracula | Various | Sydney Theatre Co |
| 2024 | The Hate Race | Maxine | Sydney Theatre Co |
| 2023 | Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill | Billie Holiday | Melbourne |
| 2023 | Fences | Rose Maxon | Sydney Theatre Co |
| 2022 | A Raisin in the Sun | Ruth Younger | Sydney Theatre Co |
| 2021 | Girl From North Country | Marianne Lane | |
| 2019-20 | Wakes in Fright | John Grant | Sydney Theatre Co / Malthouse |
| 2019 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Maggie | Sydney Theatre Co |
| 2018 | random | Various | Belvoir St |
| 2016 | The Mill on the Floss | Maggie | |
| 2016 | Miss Julie | Kristin | Sydney Theatre Co |
| 2012 | An Officer and a Gentleman | Seegar | |