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Freya Stafford

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Freya Stafford
Born
Freya Stafford

(1977-01-21) 21 January 1977 (age 47)
OccupationActress
SpouseDarren McAngus

Freya Stafford (born 21 January 1977) is an Australian actress who has appeared in the television programs Head Start and White Collar Blue as central characters.

Early life

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Stafford was born in Sydney, New South Wales. In 1982 her family moved to Tasmania. She decided to join a drama group as she enjoyed acting and when she was eleven, she landed a role in a local production of Annie.[1] Stafford attended the Tasmanian School of Art, before she moved to Sydney and joined the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).[1][2] Stafford appeared in a video for Silverchair and various NIDA productions including There Is No Need To Wake Up, Twelfth Night and Three Sisters.[1]

Career

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After graduating from NIDA, Stafford joined the cast of Head Start as bisexual film-maker Basia Lem.[1] Stafford revealed that she chose Head Start as her first television role because it was a great launching pad for her career.[1]

She also made a guest appearance on Network Ten's The Lost World. She has also had parts in Network Ten's mini-series Small Claims, and the Australian movies Gettin' Square and Hell Has Harbour Views.

After a forty-episode season of Head Start, Freya won a role on Network Ten's White Collar Blue, an Australian cop drama, as Detective Senior Constable Harriet Walker. White Collar Blue screened for two seasons on Australian television, before being axed by the network whilst the cast and crew were on holiday after wrapping production on the second season. Stafford did not work for three months after then re-commenced her acting career.

Stafford appeared in Network Ten's first installment of the mini-series Small Claims as Melinda Fehlers, and the Australian crime-comedy Gettin' Square, which included several internationally well-known actors, such as David Wenham (the Lord of the Rings) and Timothy Spall. Stafford played the part of Annie Flynn, parole officer for the central character, Barry Wirth's (Sam Worthington) brother Joey, and also Barry's love interest.

In 2003, she was a presenter at the 45th Australian Film Institute (AFI) awards. She also appeared in the ABC's adaptation of Richard Beasley's novel Hell Has Harbour Views as lawyer Jill Bishop. In late 2006, she starred in Bell Shakespeare's production of The Tempest, as Miranda. She also guest starred in the 2006 episode Mind Games of All Saints.

She starred in a 2007 American pilot Them, which was subsequently not picked up as a series. In 2009, she appeared as lead in a six-part drama series premiered on Sunday, 19 April, on ABC1, 'Dirt Game'. Dirt Game is a co-production between Harvey Taft Production, ABC TV and Screen Australia and developed and produced with the assistance of Film Victoria. She stars also in the horror film The Clinic who was directed by James Rabbitts.[3]

In July 2011, it was announced that Stafford had joined the cast of Neighbours as Emilia Jovanovic.[4] In September 2012, Stafford began appearing in the ITV drama Mrs Biggs as Julie Flower.[5] In 2014 she made a cameo appearance in the movie Predestination.

Personal life

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Stafford was engaged to Nigel Joseph, before she married fellow actor Darren McAngus.[2][6]

In August 2010, Stafford was forced to put her career on hold after she suffered major facial injuries after a road accident.[6] Stafford collided with a car whilst out riding her bike in Elwood with McAngus.[6] She went over the handlebars and was knocked unconscious, Stafford was taken to the Alfred Hospital suffering from a broken left jaw, a broken right eye socket, a broken cheekbone and dental damage.[6] Stafford had to wait two weeks for the swelling to subside, before she could undergo reconstructive surgery, but she did not sustain any major scarring on her face.[6] The actress saw a counsellor during her recovery.[6]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 Gettin' Square Annie Flynn
2010 The Clinic Veronica
Summer Coda Rachel
2014 Predestination Alice

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Head Start Basia Lem Main role
2002 The Lost World Una Episode: "The Imposters"
2002–03 White Collar Blue Harriet Walker Main role
2004 Small Claims Melinda Fehlers TV film
2005 Hell Has Harbour Views Jill Bishop TV film
2006 All Saints Annie / Felicity Episode: "Mind Games"
2007 Them Tara Spader Unsold TV pilot
2008 Valentine's Day Mel TV film
2009 Dirt Game Megan Kerr Main role
2010 Sea Patrol Caroline Taylor Episode: "Night of the Long Knives"
Rush Lily Kronin Episode: "3.13"
2011 Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away Andrea Pascoe TV film
2011–12 Neighbours Emilia Jovanovic Recurring role
2012 Mrs Biggs Julie Flower TV miniseries
2012–13, 2016 Offspring Jodie Ellis Episodes: "Chaos", "The Bond Between Sisters", "A Present from the Past"
2013 Better Man Nicole Cleary Episode: "Twin Dragons"
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Genevieve Lamaire Episode: " Murder à la Mode"
2014 INXS: Never Tear Us Apart Kim D TV miniseries
The Doctor Blake Mysteries Sarah Alexander Episode: "Smoke and Mirrors"
2016 Please Like Me Kyah Episodes: "Burrito Bowl", "Souvlaki"
2017 Newton's Law Rose Newton Episodes: "External Forces", "Terminal Velocity", "Equal and Opposite Forces"
Seven Types of Ambiguity Greta Episode: "Mitch"
Sunshine Freya Messina TV miniseries
2019 Glitch Amy Episode: "Quintessence"
2021 Five Bedrooms Midwife Shauna 2 episodes
New Gold Mountain Rosie 2 episodes
2023 Scrublands Monica Piccini 2 episodes
2024 Fake Tessa Rain 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Credits - Cast and Crew". Head Start. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2001. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b Janson, Helena (13 July 2003). "My First Home". The Sun-Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 74. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  3. ^ AFM '09: Little Film Company Selling 'The Clinic', bloody-disgusting.com; accessed 22 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Freya Stafford joins Neighbours after bike accident". Herald Sun. The Herald and Weekly Times. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Mrs Biggs". If Magazine. The Intermedia Group. 25 September 2012. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Byrne, Fiona (21 February 2011). "Underbelly star's crash nightmare". Herald Sun. The Herald and Weekly Times. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
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