# AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama

The AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama is an accolade given by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television." The award is handed out at the annual AACTA Awards, which rewards achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films. From 2000 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards). When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current prize being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama.
The award was first presented in 2000 as Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series until 2002, when the title was changed to Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama. In the following year, the title was changed to Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy. By 2006, a separate comedy accolade was established, and the name changed to the current one.
The AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama is given for performances in television drama series, miniseries, telefeature, children's animation or children's drama series. Candidates for this award must be human and female, and cannot be nominated for best lead actress in a television drama in the same year, for the same production. Sacha Horler and Magda Szubanski have received two nominations each, more than any other actress in this category, with Szubanski winning one in 2000.

## Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years listed correspond to the year that the television programme aired on Australian television; the ceremonies are usually held the following year. The actress whose name is emphasised in boldface and highlighted in yellow have won the award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the table always lists the winning actress first and then the other nominees.

### Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2000 (42nd) |
| 2000 (42nd) | Lois Ramsey | Grass Roots | Mrs Robbins | Series 1, Episode 2: "Late September" | ABC |
| 2000 (42nd) | Deborra-Lee Furness | SeaChange | Vicky Drury | Series 3, Episode 3: "Hungi Jury" | ABC |
| 2000 (42nd) | Natalia Novikova | SeaChange | Francesca | Series 3, Episode 2: "How Much Greener Was My Neighbour's Valley" | ABC |
| 2001 (43rd) |
| 2001 (43rd) | Catherine McClements | The Secret Life of Us | Carmen | Series 1, Episode 11: "Love Sucks" | Network Ten |
| 2001 (43rd) | Carol Burns | Blue Heelers | Eunice Johnson | Series 8, Episode 3: "Deadly Fascination" | Seven Network |
| 2001 (43rd) | Rhondda Findleton | Stingers | Mia Endquist | Series 3, Episode 5: "Fool to Want You" | Nine Network |
| 2001 (43rd) | Joanne Priest | Love Is a Four Letter Word | Rachel Fox | Episode 13: "Split" | ABC |

### Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2002 (44th) |
| 2002 (44th) | Magda Szubanski | Kath & Kim | Sharon Strzelecki | Series 1, Episode 8: "Wedding" | ABC |
| 2002 (44th) | Rebecca Frith | Secret Bridesmaids' Business | Angela | | ABC |
| 2002 (44th) | Sacha Horler | Secret Bridesmaids' Business | Lucy Dean | | ABC |
| 2002 (44th) | Belinda McClory | All Saints | Nicola Lewis | Series 5, Episode 1: "Opening Night" | Seven Network |

### Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2003 (45th) |
| 2003 (45th) | Essie Davis | After the Deluge | Beth | | Network Ten |
| 2003 (45th) | Maggie Dence | Always Greener | Sister Stern | Series 2, Episode 9: "Understanding the Cry" | Seven Network |
| 2003 (45th) | Sacha Horler | Grass Roots | Helen Manoufis | Series 2, Episode 1: "Art" | ABC |
| 2003 (45th) | Magda Szubanski | Kath & Kim | Sharon Strzelecki | Series 2 | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) |
| 2004 (46th) | Katie Wall | Marking Time | Belinda | | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) | Abbie Cornish | Marking Time | Tracey | | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) | Jacinta Stapleton | Stingers | Christina Dicheria | Series 8, Episode 8: "Break and Enter" | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) | Magda Szubanski | Kath & Kim | Sharon Strzelecki | Series 3 | ABC |

### Best Guest or Supporting Actress in Television Drama

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2005 (47th) |
| 2005 (47th) | Anita Hegh | MDA | Dr. Julia Delvecchio | Series 3, Episode 6: "Departure Lounge (Part 2)" | ABC |
| 2005 (47th) | Alyssa McClelland | Small Claims | Kiara Duffy | Episode 2: "White Wedding" | Network Ten |
| 2005 (47th) | Alice McConnell | The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant | Elizabeth | | Network Ten |
| 2005 (47th) | Angie Milliken | Through My Eyes | Joy Kuhl | | Seven Network |
| 2006 (48th) |
| 2006 (48th) | Saskia Burmeister | Blue Heelers | Ashley Barker | Series 13 | Seven Network |
| 2006 (48th) | Emily Barclay | The Silence | Evelyn Hutchison | | ABC |
| 2006 (48th) | Margaret Harvey | RAN: Remote Area Nurse | Nancy Gaibui | | SBS |
| 2006 (48th) | Merwez Whaleboat | RAN: Remote Area Nurse | Bernadette Gaibui | | SBS |
| 2007 (49th) |
| 2007 (49th) | Vicki Saylor | Call Me Mum | Flo | | SBS |
| 2007 (49th) | Justine Clarke | Love My Way | Simone | | Showtime |
| 2007 (49th) | Lynette Curran | Call Me Mum | Dellamy | | SBS |
| 2007 (49th) | Monica Maughan | The King | Nana Scott | | TV1 |
| 2008 (50th) |
| 2008 (50th) | Madeleine West | Underbelly | Danielle McGuire | Episode 7: "Wise Monkeys" | Nine Network |
| 2008 (50th) | Brittany Byrnes | H$_2$O: Just Add Water | Charlotte Watsford | Series 2, Episode 25: "Sea Change" | Network Ten |
| 2008 (50th) | Hanna Mangan-Lawrence | Bed of Roses | Holly Atherton | Series 1, Episode 1: "Not Worth a Cent" | ABC1 |
| 2008 (50th) | Amanda Muggleton | City Homicide | Cathy Booth | Series 1, Episode 3: "Lie Down With Dogs" | Seven Network |
| 2009 (51st) |
| 2009 (51st) | Anni Finsterer | 3 Acts of Murder | Anne Upfield | | ABC1 |
| 2009 (51st) | Kathryn Beck | Scorched | Emily Francia | | Nine Network |
| 2009 (51st) | Claire Forlani | False Witness | Pippa Porter | | UKTV |
| 2009 (51st) | Kate Ritchie | Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities | Judi Kane | Episode 4: "Business As Usual" | Nine Network |
| 2010 (52nd) |
| 2010 (52nd) | Deborah Mailman | Offspring | Cherie Butterfield | Series 1 | Network Ten |
| 2010 (52nd) | Linda Cropper | Satisfaction | Loretta Hawkes | Series 3, Episode 8: "Not Vanilla" | Showcase |
| 2010 (52nd) | Sacha Horler | Hawke | Jean Sinclair | | Network Ten |
| 2010 (52nd) | Asher Keddie | Hawke | Blanche d'Alpuget | | Network Ten |
| AACTA Awards ||||||
| 2011 (1st) |
| 2011 (1st) | Diana Glenn | The Slap | Sandi | Episode 3: "Harry" | ABC1 |
| 2011 (1st) | Rena Owen | East West 101 | Mere Hahunga | Season 3, Episode 5: "The Price of Salvation" | SBS One |
| 2011 (1st) | Susie Porter | Sisters of War | Kay Parker | | ABC1 |
| 2011 (1st) | Lara Robinson | Cloudstreet | Young Rosie Pickles | "Part 1" | Showcase |
| 2012 (2nd) |
| 2012 (2nd) | Mandy McElhinney | Howzat! Kerry Packer's War | Rose Mitchell | "Part 2" | Nine Network |
| 2012 (2nd) | Shareena Clanton | Redfern Now | Lilly | Season 1, Episode 1: "Family" | ABC1 |
| 2012 (2nd) | Susan Prior | Puberty Blues | Yvonne Hennessey | Season 1, "Episode 4" | Network Ten |
| 2012 (2nd) | Laura Wheelwright | Underground: The Julian Assange Story | Electra | | Network Ten |
| 2013 (3rd) |
| 2013 (3rd) | Kat Stewart | Offspring | Billie Proudman | Series 4: "Episode 1" | Network Ten |
| 2013 (3rd) | Kris McQuade | Wentworth | Jacs Holt | Series 1, Episode 10: "Checkmate" | SoHo |
| 2013 (3rd) | Heather Mitchell | Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War | Gretel Packer | "Part 1" | Nine Network |
| 2013 (3rd) | Robyn Nevin | Top of the Lake | Jude | Episode 4: "A Rainbow Above Us" | UKTV |
| 2014 (4th) |
| 2014 (4th) | Chelsie Preston-Crayford | The Code | | Episode 1 | ABC |
| 2014 (4th) | Charlotte Best | Puberty Blues | | Season 2, Episode 8 | Network Ten |
| 2014 (4th) | Piper Morrissey | Secrets & Lies | | Episode 6 | Network Ten |
| 2014 (4th) | Denise Roberts | Schapelle | | | Nine Network |
| 2015 (5th) |
| 2015 (5th) | Sigrid Thornton | Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door | Judy Garland | Episode 1 | Seven Network |
| 2015 (5th) | Harriet Dyer | Love Child | | Season 2, Episode 3 | Nine Network |
| 2015 (5th) | Rarriwuy Hick | Redfern Now | | | ABC |
| 2015 (5th) | Hannah Monson | Glitch | Kirsten "Kirstie" Darrow | Episode 4 | ABC |
| 2016 (6th) |
| 2016 (6th) | Celia Pacquola | The Beautiful Lie | | Episode 3 | ABC |
| 2016 (6th) | Caroline Brazier | Rake | | Episode 8 | ABC |
| 2016 (6th) | Sacha Horler | The Kettering Incident | | Episode 3 | Foxtel/Showcase |
| 2016 (6th) | Sianoa Smit-McPhee | The Kettering Incident | | Episode 1 | Foxtel/Showcase |
| 2017 (7th) |
| 2017 (7th) | Nicole Kidman | Top of the Lake: China Girl | | | Foxtel/BBC First |
| 2017 (7th) | Emma Booth | Blue Murder: Killer Cop | | | Seven Network |
| 2017 (7th) | Tina Bursill | Doctor Doctor | | | Nine Network |
| 2017 (7th) | Andrea Demetriades | Seven Types of Ambiguity | | | ABC |
| 2018 (8th) |
| 2018 (8th) | Deborah Mailman | Mystery Road | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Caroline Brazier | Rake | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Nicole Chamoun | Safe Harbour | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Celia Ireland | Wentworth | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Tasma Walton | Mystery Road | | | |
| 2019 (9th) |
| 2019 (9th) | Rachel Griffiths | Total Control | Rachel Anderson | | |
| 2019 (9th) | Kate Box | Les Norton | Lauren 'Lozza' Johnson | | |
| 2019 (9th) | Asher Keddie | The Cry | Alexandra | | |
| 2019 (9th) | Brooke Satchwell | Mr Inbetween | Ally | | |
| 2019 (9th) | Jacki Weaver | Bloom | Gwendolyn "Gwen" Reed | | |
| 2020 (10th) |
| 2020 (10th) | Cate Blanchett | Stateless | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Jacqueline McKenzie | Bloom | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Ngaire Pigram | Mystery Road | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Tasma Walton | Mystery Road | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Jacki Weaver | Bloom | Gwendolyn "Gwen" Reed | | |
| 2021 (11th) |
| 2021 (11th) | Rachel Griffiths | Total Control | Rachel Anderson | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Michelle Lim Davidson | The Newsreader | | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Marg Downey | The Newsreader | | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Harriet Dyer | Wakefield | | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Noni Hazlehurst | The End | | | |
| 2022 (12th) |
| 2022 (12th) | Brooke Satchwell | The Twelve | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Hayley McElhinney | Mystery Road: Origin | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Jacqueline McKenzie | Savage River | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Heather Mitchell | Love Me | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Magda Szubanski | After the Verdict | | | |