# Heather Mitchell

Heather Lee Mitchell AM is an Australian actress, who has appeared in Australian stage, television, and film productions. She is best known for her leading role in the 1990s television show Spellbinder. More recently, she appeared as Anita in the series Love Me, and as Margaux in the Paramount Plus series Fake. She has a role in the upcoming miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Mitchell is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, and has performed on stage since 1975, including collaborations with dance company Force Majeure. In 2022, she played U.S. justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the play RBG: Of Many, One, for Sydney Theatre Company.

## Early life and education

Heather Lee Mitchell attended Camden High School in Camden, New South Wales, between 1971 and 1976, and was school captain in her final year. She took the leading role of Judith Bliss in the 1976 school production of Noël Coward's Hay Fever.

## Career
### Television

Mitchell is well known internationally for her performance as Ashka in the Australian/Polish co-productions of Spellbinder (1995), and Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord (1997). The series was a popular children's fantasy program, first broadcast in 1995.
Other television productions she has appeared in include: the miniseries Bodyline (1984), Land of Hope (1986), Embassy (1992) and A Country Practice. In 1998, she starred in the miniseries drama The Day of the Roses, in which she played a victim of the 1977 Granville rail disaster. She has also appeared in episodes of Five Mile Creek (1984), Rake (2010), Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2013), and Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries (2019). In 2021, she played Birdie in The Unusual Suspects.
In 2024, Mitchell was named as one of the cast for the miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North, and she played Margaux in the Paramount Plus series Fake. Mitchell was also named in the ABC series The Role of a Lifetime.

### Stage

Mitchell is a foundation director and board member of the Sydney Theatre Company (STC). She first appeared at the STC in 1981, performing scenes of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 with Andrew Tighe for a workshop.
She has since appeared in dozens of productions for several Australian theatre companies, and has contributed to Terence Crawford's 2005 book Trade Secrets: Australian Actors and Their Craft.
Never Did Me Any Harm (Sydney Festival, January 2012), exploring parenting, was a joint production between STC and dance company Force Majeure. It starred Mitchell, Marta Dusseldorp, and Vincent Crowley, with a solo dance performed by dancer Sarah-Jayne Howard.
Mitchell co-wrote the script of Force Majeure's You Animal, You with artistic director Danielle Micich, which explored the sense of smell. She also starred in the performance, which premiered at the Sydney Festival in January 2018.
In 2022, it was announced that Mitchell would play the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the theatre production RBG: Of Many, One. In 2024, Mitchell again played Ginsburg for the 2024 Black Swan State Theatre Company season. Critics called Mitchell's performance as Ginsburg as a "tour de force". Mitchell would again reprise Ginsburg for the 2025 Sydney Theatre Company season.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | Hoodwink | Nurse 2 | Feature film |
| 1985 | I Can't Get Started | Jill | TV film |
| 1986 | Malcolm | Barmaid | Feature film |
| 1987 | The Place at the Coast | Margot Ryan | Feature film |
| 1988 | The Everlasting Secret Family | Wife | Feature film |
| 1989 | The Water Trolley | | TV film |
| 1991 | Proof | Martin's Mother | Feature film |
| 1994 | Muriel's Wedding | Bridal manageress #1 | Feature film |
| 1995 | Bathing Boxes | 1st woman | Short film |
| 1996 | Children of the Revolution | Mrs. Savage | Feature film |
| 1997 | Thank God He Met Lizzie | Melanie | Feature film |
| 1998 | A Little Bit of Soul | Grace Michael | TV film |
| 2000 | On the Beach | British anchorwoman | TV film |
| 2000 | The Love of Lionel's Life | Det Sgt | TV film |
| 2002 | Black and White | Roma Chamberlain | Feature film |
| 2003 | Travelling Light | Betty Ferris | Feature film |
| 2004 | The Brush-Off | Fiona Lambert | TV film |
| 2005 | Hell Has Harbour Views | Anne | TV film |
| 2005 | Da Kath & Kim Code | Heather | TV film |
| 2006 | The Society Murders | Sally Honan | TV film |
| 2006 | Irresistible | Rina | Feature film |
| 2006 | Mohammad Hossain's Intensive Care | Herself – Narrator | Documentary film |
| 2007 | Romulus, My Father | Television presenter | Feature film |
| 2007 | Rogue | Elizabeth Smith | Feature film |
| 2008 | Three Blind Mice | Kathy | Feature film |
| 2008 | Seize the Day | Valentine | Short film |
| 2008 | Emerald Falls | Catherine Reid | TV film |
| 2009 | A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne | June Dally-Watkins | TV film |
| 2010 | A Love Story | Julia | Short film |
| 2010 | The Wedding Party | Rose | Feature film |
| 2010 | Griff the Invisible | Bronwyn | Feature film |
| 2011 | The Moment | Narrator (voice) | Short film |
| 2011 | Afterglow | Kate Whitcomb | Short film |
| 2011 | The Eye of the Storm | June | Feature film |
| 2011 | Snobs | Mother | TV film |
| 2011 | Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away | Rose McMillan | TV film |
| 2012 | The Fort | Joanna | Short film |
| 2012 | Census | Sue | Short film |
| 2012 | The Red Valentine | The Mother | Short film |
| 2012 | Sanctuary | Aunty / Nurse | Short film |
| 2012 | Jack Irish: Bad Debts | Mrs. Vane | TV film |
| 2013 | Ravage | Clare | Short film |
| 2013 | The Great Gatsby | Daisy's Mother | Feature film |
| 2013 | The Fragments | Heather | Short film |
| 2014 | Maya the Bee | Thekla the Spider / The Nurse (voice) | Animated feature film |
| 2014 | Love is Now | Evelyn | Feature film |
| 2015 | Drown | Helen | Feature film |
| 2016 | Unified | Janet Boyce | Short film |
| 2017 | Lets Get Marriage Equality in Australia | Herself | Short film |
| 2018 | Riot | Joan / Checkerboard Interviewer | TV film |
| 2018 | Dots | The Lady | Short film |
| 2018 | Loud Thoughts | Valerie | Short film |
| 2018 | Pimped | Sophia Hanson | Feature film |
| 2019 | Palm Beach | Eva | Feature film |
| 2021 | Daddy's Perfect Little Girl | Fay Broward | TV film |
| 2022 | Bosch & Rockit | Wendy | Feature film |
| 2022 | Blaze | Jackie Stevens | Feature film |
| 2023 | Jones Family Christmas | Heather Jones | TV film |
| 2024 | Ricky Stanicky | Leona | Feature film |
| 2024 | 200% Wolf | Lady Hightail (voice) | Animated feature film |
| TBA† | Wedding of the Year | Eleanor | Pre-production |
| † | Not yet released |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | Cop Shop | Michelle Beasley | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981 | Ratbags | Various characters | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1982 | A Country Practice | Peggy | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Five Mile Creek | Jocelyn | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984 | Bodyline | Edith Clarke | Miniseries |
| 1986 | Land of Hope | Helen Davies | Miniseries |
| 1986 | The Fast Lane | Eileen | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989-95 | G.P. | Julia / Bianca Resteghini | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1991 | Boys from the Bush | Joyce | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1992 | Embassy | Gillian | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1993 | Seven Deadly Sins | | TV anthology series, 1 episode |
| 1993 | A Country Practice | Dr. Simone Fox | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Clowning Around | Sarah Gunner | TV series, season 2 |
| 1994 | The Ferals | Crystal | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994 | Cody: A Family Affair | Inspector Genevieve Simmonds | TV film |
| 1994 | Cody: The Tipof | Inspector Genevieve Simmonds | TV film |
| 1994 | Cody: Bad Love | Inspector Genevieve Simmonds | TV film |
| 1995 | Spellbinder | Ashka | TV series, 24 episodes |
| 1996 | Mercury | Erica Boyer | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1997 | Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord | Ashka | TV series |
| 1998 | The Day of the Roses | Margaret Shuttler | Miniseries |
| 2002 | All Saints | Louise Malloy | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2003 | Snobs | Mary | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2004 | Jessica | Ada Thomas | Miniseries |
| 2007 | Rain Shadow | Sarah Balfour | TV series (main role) |
| 2008 | Blue Water High | Heather | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2009 | Rogue Nation | Elizabeth Macarthur | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2009 | Chandon Pictures | Agent | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2009 | All Saints | Gemma McKenzie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010 | Satisfaction | Georgia | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010 | The Pacific | Mrs. Keller | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2010 | Rake | Jan Chandler | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2011 | Killing Time | Judge Hale | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Crownies | Judge Walker | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 2011 | Spirited | Helen Payne | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 2012 | Dance Academy | Robyn | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2013–18 | A Place to Call Home | Prudence Swanson | TV series, 22 episodes |
| 2013 | Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War | Gretel Packer | Miniseries |
| 2013 | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Madame Fleuri | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2014–2017 | Janet King | Justice Victoria Walker | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 2014–2017 | Starting From... Now! | Elizabeth Peters | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Pypo | | Web series, 1 episode |
| 2015 | Shit Creek | Helen | Web series, 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Molly | Pat Hatcher | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2017 | Newton's Law | Caroline Gale | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2018 | Away | Gwen | TV play |
| 2019 | Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries | Edwina Maddox | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2019 | Harrow | Louise Whitehall | TV series. 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Reef Break | Maeve Devlin | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 2019 | The Strange Chores | Inspector (voice) | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2019, 2021 | Upright | Jen Flynn | TV series |
| 2020 | Grey Nomads | Ingrid | Web series |
| 2020 | The Secrets She Keeps | Jenny | Miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 2020 | Operation Buffalo | Caroline Syddell | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Wakefield | Belle Knight | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Homespun | Pamela Monterra | Miniseries |
| 2021 | The Unusual Suspects | Birdie | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Darby and Joan | Rosemary | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2022-23 | Love Me | Anita | Miniseries |
| 2023 | Gold Diggers | Colleen | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2024 | Pleasant Avenue | Carolyn | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 2024 | Fake | Margeaux | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 2025 | The Role of a Lifetime | Nan | TV series 2 episodes |
| 2025 | The Narrow Road to the Deep North | Older Ella | Miniseries |

### Other appearances

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | Agony Aunts | Herself | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2023 | Australian Story | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2023 | Luxury Escapes | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |

## Stage

Mitchell's stage performances include:
| Year | Play | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | 1 Double-D | | NIDA Theatre |
| 1976 | Hay Fever | Judith Bliss | School production |
| 1978 | Gammer Gurton's Needle | | NIDA Theatre |
| 1979 | The Seagull | | NIDA Theatre |
| 1979 | Lower Depths | | NIDA Theatre |
| 1979 | The Caucasian Chalk Circle | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1979 | The Fire Raisers | | NIDA Theatre |
| 1979 | Beyond Mozambique | | NIDA Theatre |
| 1979 | Saved | | Jane Street Theatre with NIDA |
| 1980 | The Women Pirates Ann Bonney and Mary Read | | NIDA Theatre, University of Newcastle, Playhouse, Canberra |
| 1980 | Strife | | NIDA Theatre |
| 1981 | Henry IV, Part 1 | | STC workshop with Andrew Tighe |
| 1981 | Roses in Due Season | | Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 1981 | Rare Words - Brave Deeds | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1981 | The Revenger's Tragedy | Court Lady | Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1981 | No End of Blame | | Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1982 | The Suicide | | Nimrod Theatre Company |
| 1982 | You Can't Take It with You | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1982 | Macbeth | Witch | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1982 | As You Desire Me [it] | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1983 | The Fields of Heaven | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1983 | The Cherry Orchard | Vanya | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1984 | The Lady from the Sea | Bolette | Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1984 | Private Lives | Amanda Prynne | Araluen Arts Centre & Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1985 | The Doll Trilogy: Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Kid Stakes & Other Times | Nancy | Sydney Opera House & Melbourne Athenaeum with STC & MTC |
| 1986 | No Worries | | Wharf Theatre with STC, Playhouse, Adelaide (adapted into a film in 1994) |
| 1986 | She Stoops to Conquer | Kate Hardcastle | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1986 | Pravda | Rebecca Foley | Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1987 | Hamlet / Henry IV Part 1 | | STC |
| 1987 | No(h) Exit: No Exit, The Lady Aoi, Hanjo from Five Modern Noh Plays | | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 1987 | Pericles | | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 1987 | Blood Relations | Cathy / Tessa | Sydney Opera House with STC & Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1988 | 1841 | | Sydney Opera House & Playhouse, Adelaide |
| 1989 | A Dream Play | | Playhouse, Adelaide & Sydney Opera House with STC & STCSA |
| 1989 | Major Barbara | | Playhouse Adelaide & Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane with STCSA & Queensland Theatre |
| 1989 | All My Sons | | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 1989 | Ring Round the Moon | | Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 1990 | The Secret Rapture | Isobel Glass | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 1990 | Burn This | Anna | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 1991 | Uncle Vanya | Yelena | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1991 | Morning Sacrifice | Miss Gwyn Carwithen | Russell Street Theatre with MTC |
| 1991 | Hay Fever | Myra Arundel | Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC |
| 1992 | The Homecoming | | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 1993 | Two Weeks with the Queen | | Playhouse, Adelaide with STC |
| 1993 | Coriolanus | Virgilia | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 1995 | Scenes from a Separation | Nina Moss | Fairfax Studio with MTC |
| 1997 | The Winter's Tale | Hermione | Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House & Melbourne Athenaeum with Bell Shakespeare |
| 1998 | A Delicate Balance | | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 2000 | The White Devil | | Theatre Royal, Sydney with STC |
| 2001 | Bye Bye Birdie | | |
| 2003 | The Real Thing | Charlotte | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 2007 | Self Esteem | | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 2008 | Tender | Yvonne | The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga, Stables Theatre, Sydney & Belvoir Street Theatre with HotHouse Theatre & Griffin Theatre Company |
| 2008 | Hamlet | Gertrude | Sydney Opera House & Playhouse, Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare |
| 2008 | Ghosts | Helene | Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA |
| 2010 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Titania | Sydney Symphony Orchestra |
| 2010 | True West | Mom | STC |
| 2011 | Neighbourhood Watch | Christina | Belvoir Street Theatre |
| 2012 | Never Did Me Any Harm | | Wharf Theatre with STC Force Majeure |
| 2012 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Madame Volanges | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 2012 | Signs of Life | Georgie Jutland | Sydney Opera House with STC (also producer) |
| 2013 | The History Boys | Mrs Lintott | Sydney Opera House with Peach Theatre Company |
| 2013 | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead | Gertrude | Sydney Theatre with STC |
| 2014 | Strictly Ballroom | Shirley Hastings | Sydney Lyric Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne & Lyric Theatre, Brisbane |
| 2016 | Hay Fever | Judith Bliss | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 2016 | The Hansard Monologues: Age of Entitlement | | Seymour Centre, Bruce Gordon Theatre, Wollongong, Glen Street Theatre & Old Parliament House, Canberra |
| 2017 | Away | Gwen | Sydney Opera House & Malthouse Theatre with STC |
| 2017 | Cloud Nine | Edward / Betty | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 2017–18 | You Animal, You | Mum | Track 12 at Carriageworks with Force Majeure |
| 2018 | Top Girls | Pope Joan / Louise | Sydney Opera House with STC |
| 2018 | Still Point Turning: The Catherine McGregor Story | Cate McGregor | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 2018 | The Harp in the South, Part One and Part Two | Eny Kilker | STC |
| 2019–20 | The Iliad - Out Loud | Odysseus / Hera / Hecuba | Belvoir Street Theatre, Scott Theatre, Adelaide |
| 2020 | Escaped Alone | | Belvoir Street Theatre |
| 2020 | Away | | Online with Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne & STC |
| 2021 | Playing Beatie Bow | Granny | Wharf Theatre with STC |
| 2022-present | RBG: Of Many, One | Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Wharf Theatre, Sydney Opera House & Playhouse, Brisbane with STC |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Work | Award | Result |
| 2011 | Afterglow (short film) | NYC International Film Festival Award for Best Lead Actress | Won |
| 2012 | The Red Valentine (short film) | NYC International Film Festival Award for Best Lead Actress | Won |
| 2014 | Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War (for 'Part 1') | AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Nominated |
| 2014 | Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War (for 'Part 1') | Equity Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries or Telemovie | Nominated |
| 2019 | Significant Service to the Performing Arts, and to the Community | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) | Won |
| 2022 | Love Me | Silver Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress | Won |
| 2022 | Love Me | AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama | Nominated |
| 2022 | Homespun | Septimus Award for Best Oceanian Actress | Nominated |
| 2023 | RBG: Of Many, One (as Ruth Bader Ginsberg) | Sydney Theatre Award for Best Performer in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production | Won |
| 2024 | Love Me | AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Won |

## Publications

* Heather Mitchell (2023) Everything and Nothing ISBN 9781761067303

## Personal life

Mitchell met cinematographer Martin McGrath on a film set in Broken Hill in 1989. They were engaged in the following year and married in February 1992. The couple have two adult children and as of 2021 reside in Sydney.
Mitchell was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2020 Australia Day Honours for "significant service to the performing arts, and to the community."