Catherine McClements

{{short description|Australian actress}}

{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Catherine McClements

| image = Catherine McClements at the 2011 Logie Awards.jpg

| caption = McClements at the 2011 Logie Awards

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1986–present

| known_for = Rachel Goldstein in Water Rats
Kerry Vincent in Rush
Christine Williams in Tangle

| spouse = Jacek Koman (c. 1990–present)

| children = 2

|education = National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)

}}

Catherine McClements is an Australian stage, film, and television actress, and television presenter. She is known for her TV roles in Water Rats and Tangle, for which she won Logie Awards, and has performed in stage productions for theatre companies such as Belvoir St Theatre, the Melbourne Theatre Company, the Sydney Theatre Company and the State Theatre Company of South Australia.

Early life and education

Catherine McClements was born in Melbourne, Victoria,{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} the daughter of Frank, a high school teacher, and Pamela.{{cite web |last=Connolly |first=Paul |date=9 February 2013 |title=What I know about men |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/what-i-know-about-men-20130205-2dw89.html |access-date=22 November 2024 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}

She attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), graduating in 1985, alongside Baz Luhrmann, Sonia Todd, and Justin Monjo.[http://www.nida.edu.au/ALUMNI/default.aspx Alumni] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014011919/http://www.nida.edu.au/ALUMNI/default.aspx |date=14 October 2013 }} National Institute of Dramatic Art{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/13/1055220767086.html|title=Good cop, bad cop|last=Morgan|first=Joyce|date=14 June 2003|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=10 May 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=mXgQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3957,1911022|title=Chiltern lives again – just for television|last=Bone|first=Pamela|date=15 May 1986|work=The Age|access-date=10 May 2010}} In 1988, McClements, along with a number of other people including Baz Luhrmann, set up an experimental theatre ensemble called Six Years Old and worked on expanding the play Strictly Ballroom, which was first produced in their second year of NIDA in 1984.{{cite book|last=Albert|first=Jane|title=House of Hits: The great untold story of Australia's first family of music|year=2010|publisher=Hardie Grant Books|location=Prahran,VIC}}

Personal life

McClements' husband is actor Jacek Koman, who also guest-starred in The Secret Life of Us as Dominic, though they were not on the show at the same time.{{cite news |last=Rose |first=Colin |date=8 June 2003 |title=Double Trouble |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/08/1055010872308.html |access-date=10 May 2010 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald}} They have two children.

McClements' brother is Brendan McClements, who {{as of|lc=yes|2013}} was the CEO of Victorian Major Events Company, who is 18 months older than her and her "best friend growing up".

McClements is good friends with fellow actress Claudia Karvan, whom she met at the AFI Awards in 1990 and starred with in the film Redheads in 1992.[http://www.lifeassurance.com.au/life-assurance-articles/2008/10/31/cool-cat/ Cool Cat] The Age, 31 October 2008

Career

=Screen=

In 1993, McClements had a role in The Girl from Tomorrow Part II: Tomorrow's End.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} She is best known, however, for her starring role as Rachel Goldstein in the Australian police drama Water Rats from 1996 to 1999.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} She followed this up with a recurring guest role on The Secret Life of Us in 2001, for which she won the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

She starred as Rosie in the 2003 drama series CrashBurn and appeared in the Network Ten telemovie Mary Bryant in 2005.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

From 2008 she played Inspector/Superintendent Kerry Vincent in the Australian police drama Rush, and psychologist Christine Williams in the Showcase drama Tangle. A second and third season of Tangle and Rush respectively were announced in 2009 and both aired in 2010.[http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/11/second-season-for-tangle.html Second season for Tangle] TV Tonight[http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/09/rush-wins-third-season-on-ten.html Rush wins third season on Ten] TV Tonight Tangle and Rush were commissioned for new seasons, both to start filming in mid-2011.[http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/12/renewed-tangle.html Renewed: Tangle] TV Tonight[http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/11/renewed-rush.html Renewed: Rush] TV Tonight In 2010, McClements won an AFI Award for her role in Tangle.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} She has also won ASTRA Awards for her role in Tangle in 2011 and 2013.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110822103413/http://www.astraawards.com/winners.php 2011 Winners]}} Astra awards

In 2011, McClements guest starred in a YouTube and Facebook-only show called Queer as F**k, playing Mel, a friend of main character Aaron (Gary Abrahams).{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

In 2012, McClements was cast as Meg Jackson in Wentworth, a contemporary reimagining of the Australian classic Prisoner. She was cast in a leading role for Season One of Wentworth, but her character did not appear beyond episode one.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Earlier in 2013, McClements was cast in new ABC telemovie The Broken Shore, alongside Don Hany, Dan Wyllie and Claudia Karvan. It premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2013 and aired on the ABC in early 2014.[http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2013/04/abc-announces-top-cast-for-the-broken-shore.html ABC announced the top cast for The Broken Shore] TV Tonight, 2 April 2013

In September 2013, McClements was cast in the film The Menkoff Method, directed by David Parker.[http://if.com.au/2013/09/06/article/Cast-is-set-for-The-Menkoff-Method/XMZRMZJXRB.html Cast is set for The Menkoff Method] Inside Film

In 2019 she starred in Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries as Birdie Birnside.{{Cite web|url=http://www.everycloudproductions.com.au/news/ms-fishers-modern-murder-mysteries-announces-cast/p/157|title=Ms Fisher's MODern Murder Mysteries Announces Cast - Every Cloud Productions}}

In August 2022 she played the part of a teacher in the State Theatre Company South Australia and Sydney Theatre Company co-production Chalkface, written by Angela Betzien. The play opened at the Dunstan Playhouse in Adelaide.{{cite web | title=Catherine McClements goes back to school in Chalkface | website=InDaily| first=Suzie|last= Keen | date=29 July 2022 | url=https://indaily.com.au/inreview/theatre/2022/07/29/catherine-mcclements-goes-back-to-school-in-chalkface/ | access-date=31 July 2022}}

In 2023, McClements was announced as part of the cast for SBS series Erotic Stories.{{cite web |title=Seductive SBS Original drama series 'Erotic Stories' premieres 26 October |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/whats-on/article/seductive-sbs-original-drama-series-erotic-stories-premieres-26-october/4ffqc0ung}} She was also announced as part of the cast of the third and final season of ABC drama Total Control,{{cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=June 2023 |title=Total Control filming third and final series | TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/05/total-control-filming-third-and-final-series.html |website=TV Tonight}} as well as ABC drama Return to Paradise.{{Cite web |last=Slatter |first=Sean |date=2024-04-09 |title=Anna Samson to lead ABC's 'Return to Paradise' as production commences on NSW South Coast |url=https://if.com.au/anna-samson-to-lead-return-to-paradise-as-production-commences-on-nsw-south-coast/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=IF Magazine |language=en-AU}} On 21 November 2024, it was announced that McClements was a part of the cast for ABC drama The Family Next Door.{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=NEW DRAMA SERIES THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR MOVES INTO BAYSIDE MELBOURNE |url=https://vicscreen.vic.gov.au/news/new-drama-series-the-family-next-door-moves-into-bayside-melbourne |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=VicScreen |language=en}} McClements was also named for Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar.{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |date=19 November 2024 |title=Apple Cider Vinegar Cast Plot |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/apple-cider-vinegar-series |access-date=23 November 2024 |website=Netflix.com}} On 31 January 2025, McClements was announced as part of the cast for the Netflix series The Survivors.{{Cite web |last=David |first=Knox |date=2025-01-31 |title=Cast announced for The Survivors {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/01/cast-announced-for-the-survivors.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}} On 17 April 2025, McClements would return for the second series of Return to Paradise as the show would enter production again.{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2025-04-17 |title=Filming begins on Return to Paradise S2 {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/04/filming-begins-on-return-to-paradise-s2.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}

=Stage=

McClements has also appeared in stage productions for many theatre companies, including Belvoir St Theatre, the Melbourne Theatre Company, the Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, State Theatre Company of South Australia, and the Malthouse Theatre.

In 2013, McClements returned to the stage in Sharr White's play The Other Place for Melbourne Theatre Company and Phèdre for Bell Shakespeare.{{cite web |title=Phèdre |website=AusStage |date=6 June 2013 |url=https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/104719 |access-date=22 November 2024}}

Awards

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=November 2024}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"

! style="background: #f9f9f9;" | Year

! style="background: #f9f9f9;" | Award

! style="background: #f9f9f9;" | Category

! style="background: #f9f9f9;" | Title

! style="background: #f9f9f9;" | Result

rowspan=1|1990

|rowspan=1|AFI Award

|Best Actress in a Lead Role

| Weekend with Kate

|{{won}}

rowspan=1|1993

|Asia-Pacific Film Festival

|Best Supporting Actress

|Redheads

|{{won}}

rowspan=1|1994

|rowspan=1|Green Room Award

|Best Female Actor in a Play

| Angels in America

|{{nom}}

rowspan=3|1998

|rowspan=2|Logie Award

|Most Popular Actress

|Water Rats

|{{nom}}

Most Outstanding Actress

|Water Rats

|{{won}}

rowspan=1|People's Choice Award

|Favourite Actress in a Drama or Serial

|Water Rats

|{{nom}}

rowspan=1|1999

|rowspan=1|AFI Award

|Best Actress in a Lead Role

|Water Rats (episode 4.17: I'm Home)

|{{nom}}

rowspan=1|2000

|rowspan=1|Logie Award

|Most Outstanding Actress

|Water Rats

|{{nom}}

rowspan=1|2001

|rowspan=1|AFI Award

|Best Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Series

|The Secret Life of Us

|{{won}}

rowspan=1|2007

|rowspan=1|AFI Award

|Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama

|Call Me Mum

|{{nom}}

rowspan=1|2008

|rowspan=1|Helpmann Award

|Best Female Actor in a Play

|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

|{{nom}}

rowspan=2|2010

|rowspan=1|Astra Award

|Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor

|Tangle

|{{nom}}

rowspan=1|AFI Award

|Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama

|Tangle

|{{won}}

rowspan=2|2011

|rowspan=1|Astra Award

|Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor

|Tangle

|{{won}}

Logie Award

|Most Outstanding Actress

|Rush

|{{nom}}

rowspan=2|2013

|rowspan=1|Logie Award

|Most Outstanding Actress

|Tangle

|{{nom}}

rowspan=1|ASTRA Award

|Most Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor

|Tangle

|{{won}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

1986

| Just Us

Jessica TaylorTelemovie
1987

| The Right Hand Man

Sarah RedbridgeFeature film
rowspan="2" | 1990

| Struck by Lightning

Jill McHughFeature film
Weekend with KateKate MuirFeature film
1992

| Redheads

Diana FerraroFeature film (aka Desperate Prey)
rowspan="2" | 2000

| Waiting at the Royal

Dinny WestonTelemovie
Better Than SexSamFeature film
rowspan="2" | 2003

| After the Deluge

Nikki KirbyTelemovie
FloodhouseAva50 minute film
2005

| Mary Bryant

MarleenTelemovie
rowspan="2" | 2006

| Call Me Mum

KateTelemovie
Sexy ThingMumShort film
2007

| Fast Lane

LouiseShort film
2008

| Emerald Falls

Rosalie BaileyFeature film
2013

| The Broken Shore

Erica BurgouyneTelemovie
2014

| The Menkoff Method

MajorieFeature film

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"

|+

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

1986

| My Brother Tom

Margaret 'Peggy' McGibbonMiniseries
1993

| The Girl from Tomorrow: Tomorrow's End

LorienMiniseries
1993

| G.P.

Heather RyanTV series, 1 episode: "Close Encounters"
1996–99

| Water Rats

Rachel GoldsteinTV series, 109 episodes
2001–02

| The Secret Life of Us

CarmenTV series, 10 episodes. Won AFI award for episode: "Love Sucks"
2003

| CrashBurn

Rosie Denton HarfieldTV series
2006

| Real Stories

JillianTV series, episode 8
2008–11

| Rush

Kerry VincentTV series, all 70 episodes
2009–12

| Tangle

Christine WilliamsFoxtel series
2010

| The Pacific

Catherine LeckieTV series, 1 episode: "Home"
2013

| Wentworth

Meg JacksonFoxtel series, 4 episodes
2014

| The Time of Our Lives

Diana SoutheyTV series, season 2
2015

| The Beautiful Lie

Tess du PontTV series
2016

| Rake

JulieTV series, season 4
2017

| Sisters

GenevieveTV series, 7 episodes
2019

| Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries

Birdie BirnsideTV series
2022

| Pieces of Her

Grace JunoNetflix series, 6 episodes
rowspan="2" |2023

|The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

|Sarah

| TV miniseries, 2 episodes

Erotic StoriesSamAnthology TV series, 1 episode: "Philia"
2024

|Total Control

Marion BeaumontTV series, season 3, 4 episodes
2024-present

|Return to Paradise

| Senior Sergeant Philomena Strong

| TV series, 6 episodes

2024

|Bump

|Gaby

|TV series: 1 episode

rowspan="3" |2025

|Apple Cider Vinegar

|Julie Gibbs

|TV series: 5 episodes

The Survivors

|Trish Birch

|TV series: 6 episodes

The Family Next Door

|TBA

|In production

=Other appearances=

class="wikitable" style="width:55%;"

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

1999Doing TimeNarrator10-part TV documentary
2009Whale PatrolNarratorTV documentary
2011Things on Sunday: SexPanel memberMalthouse Theatre
2015Sperm Donors AnonymousNarratorTV documentary

Theatre work

McClements' work on stage includes:{{cite web |title=Catherine McClements |website=AusStage |url=https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/2250 |access-date=22 November 2024}}

class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"

! Name

! Year

! Character

! Venue

1984Holiday MakersSashaNIDA
1984Impromptu at Versai (part of Three French Farces)Mrs MolièreNIDA
1984All's Well That Ends WellHelenaNIDA
1984; 1986Strictly BallroomBarbara PierceNIDA, Bratislava
1985DreamplayNIDA
1985The Unseen Hand (part of Hallucinogenics? 3 plays from the 60s)NIDA
1985The War (from The Greeks trilogy)IphigeniaNIDA & St Martins Youth Arts Centre
1985Once in a LifetimeNIDA
1986And a Nightingale SangJoyceSydney Opera House with Gary Penny Productions
1987Much Ado About NothingHeroPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987Shepherd on the RocksRhonda Moffat / News team member / Female whale saverPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987The Winter's TalePerdita; ServantPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987Les Liaisons dangereusesCecile de VolangesPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1987AwayMegPlayhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1988Molière (aka The Cabal of Hypocrites)ArmandoKey Studios, Melbourne with Australian Nouveau Theatre for Spoleto Melbourne Festival of the Arts
1989; 1990The Imaginary InvalidAngeliqueNew Fortune Theatre for Perth Festival, Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, Universal Theatre, Melbourne, Armoury Lawns for Adelaide Festival with Australian Nouveau Theatre
1990Crystal ClearThomasinaUniversal Theatre
1991The CrucibleAbigail WilliamsSydney Opera House with STC
1993; 1994Angels in AmericaHarper Amity PittRussell Street Theatre, Melbourne & Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC, Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA
1994Seeing Violet (part of Unsettled trilogy)Isabel HopeNapier Street Theatre, Melbourne with $5 Theatre Company
1994No Family (part of Unsettled trilogy)DorisNapier Street Theatre, Melbourne with $5 Theatre Company
1994At Dusk (part of Unsettled trilogy)LilyNapier Street Theatre, Melbourne with $5 Theatre Company
1995The Blind Giant Is Dancing| LouiseBelvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2000Suddenly Last SummerCatharineBelvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2000Emma Celebrazione!Gasworks Arts Park, Melbourne
2003MacbethLady MacbethBelvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2005Cruel and TenderAmeliaFairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
2006It Just StoppedBethMalthouse Theatre & Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2007Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?MarthaBelvoir St Theatre, Sydney
2008AppetiteLouiseDunstan Playhouse, Adelaide, Sydney Opera House, Fairfax Studio, Melbourne
2011Happy Ending (part of the Cybec Readings)LouiseLawler Studio, Melbourne
20128 – The PlaySandy StierHer Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne & Sydney Town Hall
2012Never Did Me Any HarmSouthbank Theatre Force Majeure & STC for Melbourne Festival
2013The Other PlaceJuliana SmithtonArts Centre Melbourne with MTC
2013PhèdrePhèdreMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne & Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare
2013White Rabbit, Red RabbitMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne
2016; 2018The EventsClaireGranville Town Hall, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA for Adelaide Festival, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Festival, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Studio Underground, Perth, IMB Theatre, Wollongong
2017Three Little WordsTessSouthbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
2018Antony and CleopatraCleopatraSydney Opera House, Canberra Theatre Centre, Arts Centre Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare
2022The Sound InsideBella BairdFairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
2022ChalkfacePat NovitskyDunstan Playhouse with STCSA & Sydney Opera House with STC

References

{{reflist|30em}}