Jacqueline Brennan

Theatre

Brennan has worked for both Queensland Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company, with Camille (1986) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (1987) and Dinkum Assorted (1989) for the former and Milo (1994) for the latter. She wrote and starred in one-woman show Dangerous When Wet in 1991 and toured Australia with 1960s spoof group 'The Harlettes' in 1995.^[6][7]

Her other theatre credits include Room to Move, Camille (both 1986), Australian musical Beach Blanket Tempest (1988), Rosy Apples, Too Darn Hot (both 1990), Macquarie (1998), Silhouette (1999) and a 2001 Australian tour of Are You Being Served?^[6][7]

Television

In 2008, Brennan was announced as part of the cast for ABC political comedy series The Hollowmen, in the role of press secretary Mel.^[8] She appeared in both seasons of the show.^[9]

In 2020, Brennan appeared in the Underbelly adaptation Informer 3838,^[10] where she played the role of real life figure Christine Hodson, who was a victim of the Melbourne gangland killings. The real life case still remains open and unsolved, and the $1 million reward for information still stands to this day.^[11]

Brennan joined the cast of Wentworth in 2012.^[12] She initially came into set as a cast reader, but was asked to read for a 'small role' by the series set-up director, Kevin Carlin. That role however, ultimately ended up being the role of prison officer Linda 'Smiles' Miles. Brennan has since revealed she originally auditioned for the role of Liz Birdsworth. Brennan has since said she was only ever originally contracted on an eight day contract, but lead writer Timothy Hobart kept writing for the character.^[12][13][14] Her first appearance was in episode 2 of season 1 and she remained part of the supporting cast for the show's entire run, appearing in every season, appearing in all but one episode.^[13][15]

Brennan appeared alongside several Wentworth cast members at a Screen Star Event in London and Birmingham in mid-2022^[16] and again at "Wentworth Con", Melbourne in 2022, after withdrawing from the con's New Jersey event due to illness.^[17] Brennan appeared for a second event this time in the US^[18] and the UK in 2023 for Screen Star Events 15th Year alongside co-star Tammy MacIntosh and Colette Mann.^[19][20]

On 9 November 2022, it was announced that Brennan had been cast in Warnie, a two-part telemovie to air on the Nine Network in 2023 about the late Australian cricketer Shane Warne, alongside Alex Williams.^[21] She was cast as Warne's mother Brigitte.^[22] The telemovie aired in June 2023.

In 2023, Brennan played Nicole in SBS drama Safe Home, and appeared in season 4 of Paramount+ series Five Bedrooms, reprising the role of Denise Schaap from season one.

Voiceover

Brennan is a sought-after voiceover artist,^[23][24] who has lent her voice to numerous voiceover productions, including SheZow, Kuu Kuu Harajuku,^[25] Get Ace, Monster Beach's Television Movie, Australian-Canadian co-production Big Words, Small Stories,^[26] often voicing multiple characters in each series. She also provided the voiceover work for the Seven Network police operations series Police Strike Force.

Brennan has also voiced advertisements including BHP, Hungry Jack's, Lexus, GE Money and TAFE.^[23]

Brennan has also narrated audiobooks, including "Blood River" (2019), "Wake" and "Ripper" (2023), the latter written by Shelley Burr.^[27]

In 2018, Brennan was rewarded for her efforts with a Voice Over Award or 'VoVo' for 'Most Emotionally Powerful Delivery' for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre ad, "Prevent, Detect, Act".^[28]

Film

Television

Other appearances

Audio books