Georgina Naidu

{{Short description|Australian actress, stage writer and university lecturer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}

{{Use Australian English|date=March 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Georgina Naidu

| birth_place =

| birth_date =

| image = Georgina Naidu.jpg

| caption = Naidu in 2017

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1990–present

| spouse =

| children =

}}Georgina Naidu is an Australian actress, stage writer and university lecturer from Melbourne.

Early life and education

Georgina Naidu is from Melbourne and has Anglo-Indian ancestry.{{cite web |last1=Ross |first1=Kay |title=Media details |url=https://www.caap.org.au/in-the-media/20-media-details |website=caap.org.au |accessdate=25 January 2019}} She said that her family knew she wanted to act following an impromptu dance piece at the age of three.

Naidu took part in amateur acting from 1984 until 1991 with the St Martin's Youth Theatre in South Yarra, Victoria. In 1991 she trained at Prahran College of Performing Arts. She attended the Victorian College of the Arts and graduated in 1994.{{cite web |last1=Kary |first1=David |title=Monthly Archives: April 2006 |url=https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/2006/04/page/2/ |website=Sydney Arts Guide |accessdate=26 January 2019 |date=8 April 2006}}

She later studied law at La Trobe University.{{cite web |title=The 24 Hour Experience by Em Andersenn |url=https://www.pozible.com/project/176011 |website=Pozible |accessdate=25 January 2019}}

Acting career

When Naidu first started attending auditions, she was shocked because she felt that casting directors were pigeonholing her because of her ethnicity. After her first year of auditioning she became passionate about trying to change things.{{cite web |last1=Menon |first1=Aneeta |title=Over the fence: What do our Neighbours look like in 2017? |url=http://www.indianlink.com.au/over-the-fence-what-do-our-neighbours-look-like-in-2017/ |website=Indian Link Australia |accessdate=10 February 2019 |date=25 May 2017}}

= Screen =

In 1990 she played an extra in the Paul Cox film Golden Braid.{{cite web |title=Georgina Naidu |url=https://1f24cc00937a1230a96f-2437100503ff9cc276920383987adacc.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com//1719db3b-09e9-4dc7-bc54-91c9695d6aa7.pdf |website=Lisa Mann Creative Management |accessdate=25 January 2019}}

Her television career began with small roles in the children's shows The Gift and Lift Off. Then came a guest role in the Australian drama series G.P. She gained a supporting role in the 1998 film Dead Letter Office as the office worker Mary.{{cite web |title=Dead Letter Office (1998) |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8044f5ff |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119053409/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8044f5ff |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 November 2018 |website=British Film Institute |accessdate=25 January 2019}}{{cite web |title=Dead Letter Office |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/dead-letter-office-1200454703/ |website=Variety |accessdate=25 January 2019 |date=17 August 1998}} She also had guest roles in the late 1990s in the films Road to Nhill and Mallboy, and in the television series Blue Heelers.

In 1998, Naidu secured one of her most prominent television roles, playing Phrani Gupta in the ABC TV drama SeaChange. The role made her a favourite with viewers.{{cite web |title=SeaChange – Phrani Gupta |url=http://abc.net.au/seachange/phrani.htm |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=25 January 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001013100728/http://abc.net.au/seachange/phrani.htm |archivedate=13 October 2000 |date=13 October 2000}}{{cite web |title=Law court drama series starring Indian Australian to debut in Feb |url=https://www.theindiansun.com.au/2017/01/08/law-court-drama-series-starring-indian-australian-debut-feb/ |website=The Indian Sun |accessdate=25 January 2019 |date=8 January 2017}} Naidu liked the role because Phrani is not a clichéd Indian woman.{{cite web |title=SeaChange – Georgina Naidu |url=http://www.abc.net.au/seachange/georgina.htm |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=25 January 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001018000539/http://www.abc.net.au/seachange/georgina.htm |archivedate=18 October 2000 |date=18 October 2000}} At the time Australian actors organised a strike over pay disputes, and her SeaChange co-star Kevin Harrington claimed that Naidu had been underpaid by those in charge of the programme.{{cite web |title=Melbourne actors go on strike |url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/melbourne-actors-go-on-strike-20030717-gdw2a7.html |website=The Age |publisher=(Fairfax Media) |date=17 July 2003}}

Following SeaChange, Naidu secured guest roles in Blue Heelers, Stingers, Guinevere Jones, and Something in the Air.

She continued to pursue on-camera work, taking a role in legal and medical drama MDA and acting the short film Tackle. She secured guest roles on further Australian television series including Tripping Over, Satisfaction, City Homicide, Mr & Mrs Murder, The Time of Our Lives, Winners & Losers, and The Beautiful Lie.{{cite web |title=Meet the Team – Minnie & Liraz |url=https://www.mtc.com.au/discover-more/backstage/meet-the-team-minnie-and-liraz/ |website=Melbourne Theatre Company |accessdate=26 January 2019 |language=en}} She also played Paula in the 2009 film The Boys Are Back.{{cite web |title=The Boys Are Back (2010) |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8d00f754 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303060541/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8d00f754 |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 March 2017 |website=British Film Institute |accessdate=26 January 2019 |language=en}}

In 2011, she appeared in the ABC1 drama At Home With Julia as Georgina. The show's cast won a 2012 Equity Ensemble Award for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Television Comedy Series".{{cite web |title=Australian television ensembles honoured by their peers |url=http://www.equityfoundation.org.au/news-newsbites/australian-television-ensembles-honoured-by-their-peers.html |website=Equity Ensemble Awards |accessdate=26 January 2019}}

In 2016, Naidu guest starred in Offspring, Wentworth, and Please Like Me. That year in August it was announced that Naidu had secured the main role of Helena Chatterjee in Newton's Law and had begun filming.{{cite web |title=Shooting begins on Claudia Karvan starrer Newton's Law from Miss Fisher team |url=https://www.if.com.au/Shooting-begins-on-Claudia-Karvan-starrer-Newtons-Law-from-Miss-Fisher-team/ |website=If Magazine |accessdate=25 January 2019 |date=28 August 2016}} The series, which debuted on 9 February 2017 on the ABC network, was created by Deb Cox, who also created SeaChange.{{cite web |last1=Carroll Harris |first1=Lauren |title=Newton's Law: it's light and sweet – but maybe that's what we need right now |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/09/newtons-law-its-light-and-sweet-but-maybe-thats-what-we-need-right-now |website=The Guardian |publisher=(Guardian Media Group) |date=9 February 2017}}

In 2017 she made a guest appearance in the season finale of Rosehaven, playing Jocelyn.{{cite web |title=Season 2017 Casting Update |url=https://www.mtc.com.au/discover-more/backstage/news-season-2017-casting-update/ |website=Melbourne Theatre Company |accessdate=25 January 2019 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=McManus |first1=Bridget |title=Picks of television viewing on Wednesday, December 13 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/m09tvwed-20171117-gznt5i.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=(Fairfax Media) |accessdate=25 January 2019 |date=1 December 2017}} She had a part portraying a university lecturer in the film Ali's Wedding, and secured the supporting role of Toni Chadha in the 2018 Network Ten drama series Playing for Keeps.{{cite web |title=PFK credits Ten 102 |url=https://images.tenplay.com.au/~/media/TV%20Shows/Playing%20For%20Keeps/Credits/PFK_credits_Ten_102.pdf |website=Tenplay |accessdate=25 January 2019}} She then made a guest appearance in an episode of Network Ten's How to Stay Married.{{cite web |title=HTSM Ep4 Credits |url=https://images.tenplay.com.au/~/media/TV%20Shows/How%20To%20Stay%20Married/Credits/HTSM%20Ep4%20Credits.pdf |website=Tenplay |accessdate=25 January 2019}}

In 2019, Naidu reprised her role as Phrani Gupta for a new series of SeaChange.{{cite web |title=Georgina Naidu |url=https://creativerep.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/NAIDU-Georgina-CV.pdf |website=Creativerep.com.au |access-date=31 May 2022}} In 2021 Naidu played Alison Chen in ABC drama series Harrow, Alice Pike in ABC comedy Fisk, and Prisha Kapoor in the Netflix mini-series Clickbait. She then took on the role of school teacher Mrs Allen in Paramount+ comedy drama Spreadsheet. In 2022, she appeared as Barb in SBS drama, A Beginner's Guide to Grief.

=Theatre=

Naidu appeared in six theatrical productions during 2003 and 2004. She then played various roles in the Belvoir production of Run Rabbit Run, at the Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney.{{cite web |title=Run Rabbit Run program |url=https://belvoir.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Run-Rabbit-Run_program.pdf |website=Belvoir |accessdate=26 January 2019}}

Naidu also writes for theatre. On 20 September 2005, her autobiographical play Yellowfeather opened at the Sydney Opera House.{{cite web |title=Georgina Naidu |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/deepend/georgina-naidu/3364374 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=25 January 2019 |date=20 September 2005}} It was delivered as a one-woman show and featured Naidu documenting her life with a comedic tone. The full stage production toured around Australia and then internationally.{{cite web |title=Meet the Team – Cybec Electric 2017 |url=https://www.mtc.com.au/discover-more/backstage/meet-the-team-cybec-electric-2017/ |website=Melbourne Theatre Company |date=2 February 2017| accessdate=25 January 2019 |language=en}} The following year she appeared in Gorkem Acaroglu's live stage documentary The Habib Show.{{cite web |last1=Perrett |first1=Bill |title=The Habib Show |url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/the-habib-show-20060910-ge30y6.html |website=The Age |publisher=(Fairfax Media) |accessdate=26 January 2019 |date=10 September 2006}}

In 2009, she also returned to the stage for The Melbourne Town Players production of Attract/Repel.{{cite web |last1=Piening |first1=Simon |title=Attract/Repel – The Melbourne Town Players |url=https://www.australianstage.com.au/200909252865/reviews/melbourne/attract/repel-%7C-the-melbourne-town-players.html |website=Australian Stage |accessdate=26 January 2019 |language=en-gb |date=25 September 2009}} in 2013 she joined the touring production of Ganesh Versus The Third Reich.{{cite web |title=Ganesh Versus The Third Reich |url=http://fta.ca/en/archive/ganesh-versus-the-third-reich/ |website=Festival TransAmériques |accessdate=26 January 2019}}

In 2017, she took another main theatre role in Lally Katz's production Minnie & Liraz.{{cn|date=February 2025}}

Other activities

Naidu also works as a university lecturer and legal researcher.

She is a member of the Main Stage Green Room Panel, which helps recognise talent in theatre productions, and is also a member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Equity Diversity Committee.

In December 2023 Naidu was appointed executive director of Western Edge, a not-for-profit arts organisation that provides opportunities for young people in the western suburbs of Melbourne to develop their talents.{{cite web |title=Western Edge announces Georgina Naidu as new Executive Director |website=Western Edge |date=21 December 2023 |url=https://westernedge.org.au/georgina-naidu-new-executive-director/ |access-date=19 February 2025}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

scope="row"| 1990

| Golden Braid

| Diner (extra)

| Feature film

| Babcia Babcia

| Ms Macetti

| Film

scope="row"| 1995

| God I Missed You Baby

| Lina

| Short film

| Interlude

| Rose

| Film

scope="row"| 1997

| Road to Nhill

| Dr. Ewing

| Feature film

scope="row"| 1998

| Dead Letter Office

| Mary

| Feature film

rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2000

| Mallboy

| Helen

| Feature film

Cheek to Cheek

| Katherine Davenport

| Short film

Return Trip

| Ticket Inspector

| Film

scope="row"| 2004

| Tackle

| Susan

| Short film

| Mommy's Boy

| Shantini

| Short film

2008

| Playing for Charlie

| Lynne

| Film

scope="row" | 2009

| The Boys Are Back

| Paula

| Feature film

scope="row" | 2013

| Vessel

| Devon

| Film

scope="row" | 2017

| Ali's Wedding

| University Lecturer

| Feature film

scope="row" | 2022

| Run Rabbit Run

| Andrea

| Feature film

scope="row" | 2024

| Jason is my Dad

| Kate

| Short film

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

scope="row"| 1995

| G.P.

| Henrietta

| TV series, 1 episode

| Lift Off

| Gina

| TV series

scope="row"| 1998–2000; 2019

| SeaChange

| Phrani Gupta

| TV series, seasons 1–3, 33 episodes

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1999

| Blue Heelers

| Bronywn Slater / Rosalie Parker

| TV series, 2 episodes

25th Annual People's Choice Awards

| Presenter

| TV special

rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2002

| Stingers

| Dr. Baragwanath

| TV series, season 5, 1 episode

Something in the Air

| Ms. Gibbs

| TV series, 1 episode

Guinevere Jones

| Marion Haynes

| TV series, guest role

scope="row"| 2003

| MDA

| Siobhan Ray

| TV series, 1 episode

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2006

| Tripping Over

| Dr. Ngabo

| TV series, 1 episode

City Homicide

| Shirley Symonds

| TV series, pilot episode

scope="row" | 2009

| Dirt Game

| Doctor

| TV series, 1 episode

scope="row"| 2010

| Satisfaction

| Angela Bangrove

| TV series, season 3, 2 episodes

scope="row"| 2011

| City Homicide

| Nazia Durrani

| TV series, season 4, 1 episode

scope="row"| 2011

| At Home With Julia

| Georgina

| TV series, 4 episodes

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2013

| Mr & Mrs Murder

| Janine

| TV series, 5 episodes

The Time of Our Lives

| Marla

| TV series, 4 episodes

scope="row"| 2013–14

| Winners & Losers

| Dr. Naveena Malik

| TV series, 3 episodes

scope="row"| 2015

| The Beautiful Lie

| Joni

| TV miniseries, 1 episode

rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2016

| Wentworth

| Dr. Chappell

| TV series, season 4, 3 episodes

Offspring

| Linda Mason

| TV series, season 6, 3 episodes

Please Like Me

| Nurse

| TV series, season 4, 1 episode

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2017

| How to Life

| Dr. Kathleen

| TV series, 1 episode

Newton's Law

| Helena Chatterjee

| TV series, 8 episodes

scope="row"| 2017; 2020

| Rosehaven

| Jocelyn

| TV series, season 2, episode 8 & season 4, episode 5

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2018

| Playing for Keeps

| Toni Chadha

| TV series, 5 episodes

How to Stay Married

| Principal Vencat

| TV series, 1 episode

rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2021

| Harrow

| Alison Chen

| TV series, season 3, 2 episodes

Fisk

| Alice Pike

| TV series, 2 episodes

Clickbait

| Prisha Kapoor

| TV miniseries, 1 episode

Spreadsheet

| Mrs Allen

| TV series, 2 episodes

scope="row" | 2022

| A Beginner's Guide to Grief

| Aunty Barb

| TV series, guest role

rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2023

|Love Me

| Sonia

| TV series, season 2, 2 episodes

Warnie

| Tribunal Lawyer

| TV miniseries, 1 episode

In Limbo

| Shenali

| TV series, 6 episodes

Jaffys

| Zarina’s Mum

| Web series

rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2024

|Troppo

| Devi Chandran

| TV series, season 2, 5 episodes

Apples Never Fall

| Dr. Adams

| TV miniseries, 1 episode

{{cite web | url=https://creativerep.com.au/artists/georgina-naidu/ | title=Georgina Naidu }}

Stage

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Venue / Co.

1988Off the TracksSt Martins Youth Arts Centre
1992Jack and the BeanstalkRuby (Mrs Giant)St Martins Youth Arts Centre with Princeless Productions
The Owl and the Pussy-CatPussy CatPrinceless Productions
Seeking out AngelsLeadOpen House, Belvoir Street Theatre
1995Learning to Waltz with Tigers and DragonsBelvoir Street Theatre, Bondi Pavilion for Sydney Fringe Festival & New Orientations 95, Asian Theatre Festival
Merry Xmas Pauline HansonClub Cockroach
Thtr YermaJaun’s SisterKoel Productions
Dangerous Le AsiansVarious rolesAsian Theatre Festival, Belvoir Street Theatre
Three Weird SistersSisterArtrage Festival, Perth
Cosmic Genie (script workshop)AyahPlaybox Theatre
One Plus OneVarious rolesMalthouse Theatre
The Saints Play (Multicultural Workshop 1 & 2)Various rolesMTC
2000MacbethConvent Gallery, Daylesford
2000Mr Ionesco & the Bald RhinocerosCo-LeadAdelaide Fringe Festival
2001A Midsummer Night’s DreamTitaniaAmphitheatre, Gateway Island, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre
2002Citizen XNurse / Various roles / DevisorSidetrack Theatre, Sydney for Carnivale Multicultural Arts Festival
2002–03The Book Keeper of Rua Dos DouradoresVarious rolesSeymour Centre, Sydney, Sidetrack Theatre, Sydney for Carnivale Multicultural Arts Festival
2003AlcestisVarious rolesSidetrack Theatre, Sydney
2003The Daphne MassacreVarious rolesRiverside Theatres Parramatta
2003Titania's BoyVarious rolesRiverina Theatre Company
2004MacbethSecond Witch / Lady MacduffTheatre Works, Melbourne, Kyneton, Colac, Bendigo, Wangaratta, Portland
2004The Perfumed GardenAyahMalthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Elephant Theatre Company
2004Run Rabbit RunHelen Grasswill / Cindy Hawkey / Rupert Murdoch / Jeff Cook / Natasha LawrenceBelvoir Street Theatre, Sydney
2004Scratch Night - 4X20: YellowSydney Opera House with Theatre 4A
2005YellowfeatherYellowfeatherSydney Opera House & Australian national tour, Theatre 4A Inc, SOH Studio, The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga , Hong Kong Fringe Festival ‘06
2005Country Energy Comedy FestivalComedianThe Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre
2006The Habib ShowMaha HabibAuspicious Arts Projects
2007Roulette: Legacy / Petroleum / HotelTaraCarlton Courthouse, Melbourne with La Mama
2008Fearless NFilm DirectorSydney Olympic Park with Theatre Kantanka
2009A Narrow Time for AngelsBlissThe Store Room, Melbourne
2009Attract/RepelGeorgina NaiduThe Store Room, Melbourne with Melbourne Town Players
2010Yet to Ascertain the Nature of the CrimeActor / Co-DevisorArts House, North Melbourne Town Hall with Melbourne Workers Theatre & La Mama
2011Ganesh Versus the Third ReichParvatiMalthouse Theatre, Back to Back Theatre
2014The Vagina MonologuesLeadMelbourne Athenaeum, Stanley Burbury Theatre, Hobart
2017Minnie and LirazNormaFairfax Studio, Melbourne, Geelong Arts Centre with MTC
2019Dance NationConnieRed Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
2020Feather in the WebPsychiatrist / various rolesRed Stitch Actors Theatre
2021HydraDramaturgeNorthcote Town Hall, Melbourne
2022LaurindaTricia / Mrs Grey / Mrs WhiteThe Sumner with MTC

{{cite web | url=https://ausstage.edu.au/ausstage/pages/searchresults/?keyword=Georgina+Naidu&minYear=1785&maxYear=2024 | title=AusStage }}{{cite web | url=https://creativerep.com.au/artists/georgina-naidu/ | title=Georgina Naidu }}

References

{{Reflist}}