# Madeleine Madden

Madeleine Madden (born 1996 or 1997) is an Aboriginal Australian actress. She is best known for playing Egwene al'Vere in the Amazon Prime series The Wheel of Time.

## Early life and education

Madeleine Madden is the daughter of Lee Madden (Gadigal and Bundjalung) and art curator and writer Hetti Perkins. She grew up in a political family; she is the great-granddaughter of Arrernte elder Hetty Perkins and the granddaughter of activist and soccer player Charles Perkins. Her aunt is director Rachel Perkins. She has two older sisters and two younger half-sisters, including actor Miah Madden. Her father died in a car accident in 2003.
Madden grew up around Redfern, a Sydney inner city suburb, and attended Rose Bay Secondary College.

## Career

In 2010, at age 13, Madden became the first teenager in Australia to deliver an address to the nation, when she delivered a two-minute speech on the future of Indigenous Australians. It was broadcast to 6 million viewers on every free-to-air television network in Australia.

### Television

Madden starred in Australia's first Aboriginal teen drama, Ready for This, and in the critically applauded Redfern Now. She has also starred in The Moodys, Jack Irish, My Place and The Code. In 2016, she starred in the mini series Tomorrow, When the War Began which is based on the John Marsden series of young adult books. In 2018, she played Marion Quade in the mini series Picnic at Hanging Rock,
Crystal Swan in the TV mini series Mystery Road and Immy DuPain in the series Pine Gap. In 2019 she commenced starring as Egwene al'Vere in Amazon's adaptation of The Wheel of Time novels, which in 2025 aired its third season.
Madden voiced the protagonist of Ark: The Animated Series, Helena Walker, an Aboriginal Australian character and paleontologist.

### Film

Madden has starred in short films by Deborah Mailman, and Meryl Tankard and co-starred with Christina Ricci and Jack Thompson in Around the Block. Her first film acting job was at 8 years old. She aims to become a director in the future.
In 2019, Madden made her big Hollywood debut as Sammy in the Nickelodeon film Dora and the Lost City of Gold.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | Ralph | Maddie | Short |
| 2011 | Moth | Trinni | Short |
| 2012 | The Hoarders | Lily | Short |
| 2013 | Around the Block | Williemai | |
| 2014 | Frontier | Toora | Short |
| 2016 | Gimpsey | Jaze | Short |
| 2018 | Cooee | Ripley | Short |
| 2019 | Dora and the Lost City of Gold | Sammy Moore | |

### TV

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | My Place | Laura | Episode: "2008 Laura" |
| 2012–13 | Redfern Now | Chloe | Episodes: "Stand Up", "Pokies" |
| 2014 | The Moodys | Lucy | Episode: "Australia Day" |
| 2014 | Jack Irish: Dead Point | Marie | TV film |
| 2014 | The Code | Sheyna Smith | Episodes: "1.1", "1.2" |
| 2015 | Ready for This | Zoe Preston | Main role (13 episodes) |
| 2016 | The Weekend Shift | Laura | TV series |
| 2016 | Tomorrow, When the War Began | Corrie Mackenzie | TV miniseries |
| 2017 | High Life | Holly McMahon | TV series |
| 2017 | Doctor Doctor | Millie | Episode: "Picture of Innocence" |
| 2018 | Picnic at Hanging Rock | Marion Quade | TV miniseries |
| 2018 | Mystery Road | Crystal Swan | TV miniseries |
| 2018 | Pine Gap | Immy Dupain | TV miniseries |
| 2018 | Tidelands | Violca | Main role |
| 2021 - present | The Wheel of Time | Egwene al'Vere | TV series |
| 2022 | The Australian Wars | North West Woman | Documentary series |
| 2024 | Ark: The Animated Series | Helena Walker | Voice role |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2023 | Ark: Survival Ascended | Helena Walker/HLNA | Voice role |
| 2021 | Ark: Survival Evolved | Helena Walker/HLNA | Voice role |
| 2021 | Ark: Genesis Pt 2 | Helena Walker/HLNA | Voice role |