Sophie Hensser

Sophie Hensser is the daughter of Wendy Strehlow, a Jewish actress.^{[1] [2]} While growing up, Hensser was on sets and tours with her parents. Strehlow agreed to Hensser having an agent on the condition that she did not take rejection after auditions personally. Hensser had credited her mother as helping her to stay "grounded" as an actress.^[2]

Hensser attended high school at Kambala Girls' School from 2001 to 2006. She went on to train at the Australian Theatre for Young People, and also participated in an open course from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).^[3] She then studied a BA in media communications, media, arts and production from University of Technology Sydney, from 2008 to 2012.^[4]

From 2001 to 2002, Hensser played Megan in Australian-Canadian children's series The Saddle Club, based on the book series of the same name.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009, she began appearing in a recurring guest role on Seven Network soap opera Home and Away, during the 22nd season, as Freya Duric, the girlfriend of Xavier Austin (David Jones-Roberts). She is perhaps best remembered on the show for a scene which involved her kissing Nicole Franklin (Tessa James). The following year, Hensser appeared in a recurring role as Monica in Underbelly: The Golden Mile, the third season of Underbelly.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, Hensser began playing Tamara in the stage production of Lachlan Philpott's Silent Disco. Hensser told Elissa Blake from The Sydney Morning Herald that her character was the "epitome of teenage angst".^[5] The play received critical acclaim, but was a failure at the box office.^[6] In December that year, it was announced that Hensser had begun filming a regular role in the Nine Network drama series Tricky Business, playing Lily Christie.^[2] Hensser took part in the 2012 Dungog Film Festival and read for Diving for Poland at the Cockatoo Theatre.^[7]

In 2013, Hensser joined the main cast of Nine Network drama series Love Child,^[8] as Vivian Maguire. She appeared in every season until its cancellation in December 2017, after four seasons.^[9]

In 2022, Hensser again appeared in a recurring role in Home and Away, this time as Neve Spicer in Season 35.^{[citation needed]} The same year, she appeared in another season of Underbelly – Underbelly: Vanishing Act, based on the story of financial advisor Melissa Caddick's disappearance.^{[citation needed]}

Hensser married her partner of eight years, Danny Bloom, in a Reform Jewish ceremony in Byron Bay in 2016, that was officiated by Jeffrey Kamins, senior rabbi at Emanuel Synagogue in Sydney.^[10] She gave birth to their first child, a son, in October 2018.^[11] She later a second child.^[12]

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