Danielle Cormack
New Zealand actress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Danielle Cormack (born 26 December 1970 [1]) is a New Zealand stage and screen actress. She was one of the original cast members of the long-running soap opera Shortland Street, though she is also known for her roles as the Amazon Ephiny in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, Bea Smith in Wentworth, Cynthia Ross in The Cult, and Shota in Legend of the Seeker. Other works include the 2009 film, Separation City, and the Australian series Rake.[2]
.jpg)
Danielle Cormack | |
|---|---|
Cormack in 2011 | |
| Born | 26 December 1970 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Occupation | Actress/Producer/Director |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | |
| Partner | Pana Hema Taylor (2009–2013) |
| Children | 2 |
Acting career
Danielle Cormack is a stage and screen actress from New Zealand.[3] She portrayed notorious Sydney underworld figure Kate Leigh in Underbelly: Razor, and doctor Rory Finch in Jack Irish.[4]
In 2012 Cormack was announced as Bea Smith in the Foxtel prison drama Wentworth when the series had first gone into production for four years, before leaving the show in 2016. The role of Bea Smith was originally played by Val Lehman.[5] in Prisoner.[6] Cormack has since appeared regularly at Wentworth-related events in the US and the UK, and hosted the 2023 New Jersey Event.[7]
In 2022, Cormack narrated the SBS documentary series Life on the Outside, which showed what life is like for newly released prison inmates.[8]
In 2023 she appeared in Erotic Stories on SBS Television.[9] In the same year, she was named as part of the cast for New Zealand dramedy series Madam.[10] Cormack was also named in the cast for Stan Australia drama Year Of.[11]
She served as executive producer for the short film Oi (2024).[12] On 8 December 2024, Cormack was announced in the cast for series 3 of Foxtel legal drama The Twelve.[13]
Cormack, alongside Wentworth cast member Nicole da Silva, started the production company Four One One,[14] and together they produced their first play Whose Afraid in 2022.[15] Cormack and da Silva in 2023 directed the short film Why We Fight. Why We Fight was nominated for an AACTA award for Short Film.[16][17]
On 17 April 2025, Cormack was named as part of the extended cast for series two of Return to Paradise.[18] On 16 September 2025, Foxtel announced a documentary for the late Brian Walsh with Cormack announced as one of many guests.[19]
Other activities
In 2018, Cormack, while working alongside aid agency ChildFund, helped build a water tank that would supply villages in Uganda.[20]
Cormack went to provide humanitarian aid to children in Ukraine after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[21]
As of January 2024[update] Cormack is an ambassador for SHINE for Kids.[22]
Personal life
Cormack was in a relationship with Pana Hema Taylor from 2009 until 2013.[23] She has two children: one with Taylor, and one from a previous relationship.[24]
In an interview with LOTL magazine in 2016, Cormack said that she had had long-term relationships with both men and women, and indicated that she prefers to avoid applying labels to patterns of sexuality.[25]
Cormack is an avid motorbike fan and often goes on motorbike rides to manage stress.[26]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Snap | Felicity | Short film |
| A Game with No Rules | Vera Smith | Short film | |
| 1994 | The Last Tattoo | Molly | |
| 1997 | Topless Women Talk About Their Lives | Liz | |
| 1998 | Via Satellite | Chrissy / Carol | |
| 1999 | Siam Sunset | Grace | |
| Channelling Baby | Bunnie | ||
| 2000 | The Price of Milk | Lucinda | |
| 2004 | Without a Paddle | Toni | |
| Stringer | Butcher | ||
| Together | Rose | Short film | |
| 2005 | The Pool | Jane | Short film |
| River Queen | Viola | ||
| 2006 | Mirage | Various | Short film |
| Cross My Heart | Krystal | Short film | |
| Perfect Creature | Margaret Sparrow | ||
| 2008 | A Song of Good | Rachel Cradle | |
| 2009 | Separation City | Pam Nicholson | |
| 2025 | Backseat | Sheena | Short |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–89 | Gloss | Tania Veitch | Main role | |
| 1992–93 | Shortland Street | Alison Raynor | Main role | [27] |
| 1994 | High Tide | Meghan Kelly | Episode: "Sitting Ducks" | |
| 1995 | High Tide | Jill McMillan | Episode: "Dead Heat" | |
| The Call Up | Stacey | Television film | ||
| Overnight | Kelly | Television film | ||
| 1995–2001 | Xena: Warrior Princess | Ephiny | Recurring role (8 episodes) | |
| 1997 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Lady Marie DeValle | Episode: "Les Contemptibles" | |
| 1997–99 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Ephiny | Episodes: "Prodigal Sister", "Sky High" | |
| 2000 | Jack of All Trades | Katherine | Episode: "A Horse of a Different Color" | |
| Cleopatra 2525 | Raina | Episodes: "Mind Games", "Trial and Error", "Out of Body" | ||
| Xena: Warrior Princess | Samsara | Episode: "Lifeblood" | ||
| 2004 | Maiden Voyage | Lynn Fabrizio | Television film | |
| 2006 | Maddigan's Quest | Maddie | Main role (13 episodes) | |
| 2007 | Rude Awakenings | Dimity Rush | Main role (11 episodes) | |
| 2008 | City Homicide | Shirley Steadman | Episode: "Taniwha" | |
| The Strip | Amy | Episodes: "1.11", "1.12", "1.13" | ||
| 2008–10 | Legend of the Seeker | Shota | Recurring role (6 episodes) | |
| 2009 | Buzzy Bee and Friends | Elle-Gator (voice) | Recurring role (14 episodes) | |
| The Cult | Cynthia Ross | Main role (13 episodes) | ||
| 2010 | Forever New Zealand | Catherine | Television film | |
| 2010–16 | Rake | Scarlet Meagher | Main role (32 episodes) | |
| 2011 | East West 101 | Angela Travis | Episodes: "Jerusalem", "Behold a Pale Horse", "Revelation" | |
| Underbelly: Razor | Kate Leigh | Main role (13 episodes) | ||
| 2012 | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Anna Ross | Episode: "Queen of the Flowers" | |
| Buzzy Bee and Friends | Elle-Gator (voice) | Episodes: "2.1", "Memories", "Oscar's Ups and Downs" | ||
| 2013–16 | Wentworth | Bea Smith | Main role (46 episodes) | [28] |
| 2016 | Deep Water | Brenda MacIntosh | 4 part miniseries on SBS | [29] |
| Stake Out | Davina | "Hijacking Hijinks" | ||
| 2018 | Patricia Moore | Marnie | 9 episodes | [30] |
| Jack Irish | Rory Finch | 5 episodes | [31] | |
| Secret City | Karen Koutoufides | Main role | ||
| 2019 | Fresh Eggs | Lulu | TV series | |
| My Life Is Murder | Nikki Malone / Nicole Buttera | TV series, episode: "The Locked Room" | ||
| 2022 | The Secrets She Keeps | Vicky Michaelson | Season 2 (6 episodes) | [32] |
| 2023 | Year Of | Lucinda Prichard | 9 episodes | |
| Erotic Stories | Ginger | 1 episode (The Deluge) | [33] [34] | |
| 2024 | Madam | Deziyah | TV series: 8 episodes | [35] |
| Double Parked | Edie | TV series 1 episode | ||
| 2025 | The Last Anniversary | Kate Kennedy | TV series: 1 episode | |
| The Twelve | Gabe Nicholls | TV series; 8 episodes (season 3: Cape Rock Killer) | ||
| Return to Paradise | Asher Svensson | TV series: 1 episode (Apex Predator) |
Other appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Great Entertainer | Self | Documentary | [19] |
| 2025 | Memory Bites with Matt Moran | Guest | 1 episode | [36] |
| 2022 | Life on the Outside | Self/Narrator | Documentary 3 episodes | [37] |
| 2019 | Wentworth: Behind the Bars | Self | TV Special | |
| 2017 | Cram | Self | 1 episode | [38] |
| 2016 | An Audience With the Cast of Wentworth | Self | TV Special | [39] |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | East | Sylv | Mercury Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1994 | East | Sylv | Zurich Arts Festival – Lucerne, Switzerland | |
| 1996 | Spare Prick | Lucinda | Basement Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1996 | Return of the Summer Street Seven | Lucinda | Basement Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1997 | Arcadia | Chloe Coverly | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 1999 | Trainspotting | Various | New Zealand Tour | |
| 2001 | The Blue Room | Alison / Various | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2001 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Stella | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2002 | The Bellbird | Flo | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2003 | The Shape of Things | Evelyn | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2003 | The Vagina Monologues | Various | New Zealand Tour | |
| 2004 | Skin Tight | Elizabeth | New Zealand Tour | |
| 2004 | Caligula | Caesonia | Auckland Theatre Company | |
| 2004 | Sex with Strangers | Robyn | Herald Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2005 | Sex with Strangers | Prostitute | Herald Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2005 | A Clockwork Orange | Various | Silo Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2006 | The Case of Katherine Mansfield | Katherine Mansfield | Herald Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2007 | The Case of Katherine Mansfield | Katherine Mansfield | Downstage Theatre, Wellington | |
| 2008 | The Hypocrite | Dorine | Melbourne Theatre Company | |
| 2008 | Rock 'n' Roll | Lenka | Melbourne Theatre Company & Sydney Theatre Company | |
| 2010 | Christ Almighty | Three Wise Men | The Basement Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2011 | Yellow Moon | Hollie | B Sharp | |
| 2012 | Top Girls | Marlene | Silo Theatre | |
| 2014 | Rupert | Anna Murdoch | Theatre Royal, Sydney | |
| 2015 | Boys Will Be Boys | Astrid Wentworth | Sydney Theatre Company | |
| 2016 | Straight | Steph | Kings Cross Theatre | |
| 2018 | The Misanthrope | Alceste | Bell Shakespeare, with Griffin Theatre | [40] |
| 2018 | Hedda | Hedda | Queensland Theatre Company | [41] |
| 2020 | Every Brilliant Thing | (Director) | Silo Theatre, Auckland | [42] |
| 2022 | Whose Afraid | Cast | Belvoir St | |
| 2023 | Blessed Union | Cast | Belvoir St | [43] |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Production | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | New Zealand Film and TV Awards | Best Actress | Topless Women Talk About Their Lives | Won |
| 1999 | Channelling Baby | Nominated | ||
| 2000 | The Price of Milk | Nominated | ||
| Fantasporto International Film Festival | Siam Sunset | Won | ||
| 2005 | Drifting Cloud International Film Festival | Best Performance | Together | Won |
| 2006 | TV Guide Best on the Box People's Choice Awards | Best Actress | Maddigan's Quest | Nominated |
| 48 Hour Film Festival | Best Manic Performance | Mirage | Won | |
| Richmond Road Short Film Festival | Best Performance Female | Together | Won | |
| 2009 | Aotearoa Film & Television Awards | Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film | Separation City | Nominated |
| 2010 | Qantas Television Awards | Best Performance by Actress in General Television | The Cult | Won |
| 2011 | Equity Awards | Best Ensemble Cast | Rake | Won |
| 2012 | Logie Award | Most Popular Actress | Underbelly: Razor & East West 101 | Nominated |
| 2014 | Outstanding Actress | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| Logie Awards | Most Outstanding Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| Most Outstanding Actress | Nominated | |||
| 2015 | ASTRA Award | Most Outstanding Female Actor | Won | |
| AACTA Award | Best Lead Actress in a Drama | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| Logie Award | Most Outstanding Actress | Wentworth | Won | |
| Most Outstanding Drama Series | Wentworth | Won | ||
| 2016 | AACTA Award | Best Actress in a Drama | Wentworth | Nominated |
| Logie Award | Most Outstanding Drama Series | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Most Outstanding Actress | Wentworth | Nominated | |
| Most Outstanding Drama Series | Wentworth | Nominated |
