Melissa Tkautz
{{Short description|Australian actress and musician (born 1974)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Melissa Tkautz
| image = Melissa Tkautz 2017.jpg
| image_size =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Melissa Natalie Tkautz
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|01|24|df=yes}}
| origin = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actress, singer, model, presenter
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active = 1989–present
| label = Phantom, Westside, JRB Music, Big, Rajon, Central Station, independent
| spouse =
| website =
| module = {{Infobox person |embed=yes |known_for=Cast member of The Real Housewives of Sydney}}
}}
Melissa Natalie Tkautz (born 24 January 1974) is an Australian actress, singer, model, and presenter. She played the role of Nikki Spencer on the popular Australian TV soap opera E Street, from September 1990 to May 1993. During the early 1990s she had a solo music career, performing mononymously as Melissa, and had top 20 hits on the ARIA Singles Chart with "Read My Lips" (Number One, June 1991), "Sexy (Is the Word)" (No. 3, September) and "Skin to Skin" (No. 16, April 1992). "Read My Lips" also became a Number One hit in Sweden. Her debut album, Fresh, was released in June 1992 and peaked at No. 15 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
After her stint on E Street, Tkautz has appeared on Paradise Beach (1993–94), Pacific Drive (1996–98), All Saints (2001–02, 2004), Swift and Shift Couriers (2008, 2011) and Housos (2011). Her modelling career has included early child modelling, then as a teen in various pop entertainment magazines and from 1996 on fashion and men's magazines. On 4 December 2005, she issued her second solo album, Lost & Found, which provide a single, her cover version of "The Glamorous Life", which appeared in the top 40. In August 2011 she issued a compilation album, The Hits & More. In February 2009, Tkautz married finance businessman Kwesi Nicholas, her partner of five years; outside her performance career, she uses her married name, Melissa Nicholas.
Television career
Tkautz was born in Sydney in 1974.{{Cite web | title= Melissa Tkautz Biography | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090420172125/http://celebritiestime.com/bio_melissa_tkautz.html | url=http://celebritiestime.com/bio_melissa_tkautz.html| publisher = CelebritiesTime.com | year = 2005 | archivedate = 20 April 2009 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} According to Tkautz "I had very strict parents ... I wasn't allowed to do anything".{{cite news | url = http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/melissa-tkautz/story-e6frewt9-1226122100214 | title = There's Something About Melissa Tkautz | last = Moran | first = Jonathon | work = The Sunday Telegraph | publisher = News Limited (News Corporation) | date = 28 August 2011 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} Her father, Stefan Tkautz, is from Austria and her mother's family are Maltese.{{cite web | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061106002346/http://www.accessallareas.net.au/artists/melissatkautz.php | url = http://www.accessallareas.net.au/artists/melissatkautz.php | title = Melissa Tkautz Interview | publisher = Access All Areas (AAA Entertainment Pty Ltd) | archivedate = 6 November 2006 | year = 2006 | accessdate = 9 June 2013 }}{{cite web | url = http://www.okmalta.com/blog-town/ramona-portelli/celebrity-blog/2011/09/05/celebrity-melissa-tkautz/15056475/ | title = Interview with Melissa Tkautz | last = Portelli | first = Ramona | publisher = okmalta.com (Ramona Portelli, Mark Bugeja) | date = 5 September 2011 | accessdate = 9 June 2013 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120319151418/http://www.okmalta.com/blog-town/ramona-portelli/celebrity-blog/2011/09/05/celebrity-melissa-tkautz/15056475/ | archivedate = 19 March 2012 | df = dmy-all }} As a young child she studied drama, dance and singing; she began modelling and appearing in commercials.{{cite web | url = http://auspop.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/interview-melissa-tkautz.html | title = Interview: Melissa Tkautz | publisher = auspOp | date = 25 September 2012 | accessdate = 9 June 2013 }} By the age of 17, she had appeared in over 160 television and print commercials. Some of these included ads for Qantas and Cadbury. She started modelling and then began acting in TV soap operas, Richmond Hill and Home & Away in the late 1980s. In 1989 she entered the Miss Teen Australia contest.{{cite news | url = http://televisionau.com/2012/11/1992-november-8-14.html | title = It's Melissa and Melissa | work = TV Week | publisher = Televisionau.com | date = 8–14 November 1992 | accessdate = 8 June 2013}}
In September 1990, at the age of 16 years, Tkautz was cast in the role of Nikki Spencer on the popular Australian soap opera, E Street.{{cite news | url = http://televisionau.com/2010/09/1990-september-22-28.html | title = Briefly... | work = TV Week | publisher = Televisionau.com | date = 22–28 September 1990 | accessdate = 8 June 2013}} She described her role, "Nikki is everything I don't want to be ... She smokes and she's really the sort of girl most parents would be horrified to have their daughters associating with". Tkautz soon became one of the show's main stars due to the popularity of her character. During this time, she attended the Australian Academy of Dramatic Art in Sydney, graduating in 1991. During that year she appeared on numerous Australian editions of magazine covers including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, TV Week, Smash Hits and Dolly. In 1991 readers of TV Hits voted her as the Hottest Woman on Earth. Tkautz also had a supporting role in the mini-series, The Girl from Tomorrow (1992).
Due to her popularity, the producers of E Street decided to have Tkautz record a song, which would be used in the show as part of a dream sequence, where her character imagines she is a pop star. This resulted in a recording career for Tkautz, she later recalled "I loved singing and I had trained as a singer, but everything happened so quickly, it was just a crazy whirlwind. One minute I'm watching E Street in my lounge room, the next minute I’m starring in E Street and I've got a number one single in the charts". However, in November 1991, due to the pressures of juggling two full-time careers, and a conflict with the producer, Forrest Redlich, Tkautz left E Street to concentrate on her music career.{{cite news | url = http://televisionau.com/2011/12/1991-november-23-29.html | title = Melissa's Shock Exit | work = TV Week | publisher = Televisionau.com | date = 23–29 November 1991 | accessdate = 8 June 2013}} At the TV Week-sponsored Logie Awards she was nominated for Most Popular New Talent in 1992.{{cite news | url = http://televisionau.com/2012/03/1992-march-8-14.html | title = What an Awesome Foursome | work = TV Week | publisher = Televisionau.com | date = 8–14 March 1992 | accessdate = 8 June 2013}} By November 1992 Tkautz had returned to E Street. However, the network decided to axe the series in May 1993.
In 1993 and 1994, Tkautz appeared on Paradise Beach, playing Vanessa Campbell, the manipulative ex-girlfriend of Sean Hayden (played by Ingo Rademacher).{{cite news | url = http://televisionau.com/2013/05/1993-may-23-29.html | title = Paradise Bitch! | work = TV Week | publisher = Televisionau.com | date = 23–29 May 1993 | accessdate = 8 June 2013}} Tkautz described her character "[s]he's a bit of a psycho, a real bitch ... She is nothing like Nicki in E Street. This one's a real troublemaker". In 1995, she had a role in Echo Point. In 1996, Tkautz joined the series Pacific Drive, where she played a model, Bethany Daniels. This role had a major effect on Tkautz, who played the first long-term HIV positive character on Australian TV.{{cite news | url = http://www.scenemagazine.com.au/music/pop-electro/melissa-tkautz-read-her-lips | title = Melissa Tkautz: Read Her Lips | last = Pearson | first = Sean | work = Scene Magazine | publisher = Eyeball Media Pty Ltd | date = 8 August 2012 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} She described how "I did a lot of research on the role and a lot of charity work with HIV [patients], especially young kids who had contracted the disease". The series later gained a cult following.{{Citation | title = Melissa Tkautz – People and Organisations | journal = Trove | publisher = National Library of Australia | date=2009 | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-681055 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} When Pacific Drive was cancelled in 1998, Tkautz joined the cast of Medivac (1998) as Nurse Evie Morrison. Tkautz later appeared in the series, All Saints (2001–02, 2004).
From 1996, Tkautz modelled for fashion and men's magazines Black+White, Australian Playboy, Ralph and FHM. In 2001 she appeared on the Myer Intimacy Apparel runway, modelling underwear,{{cite news | url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/gallery-e6frf7jo-1111120062567?page=28 | title = Melissa Tkautz: Modelling ... Melissa hits the runway for Myer | work = Herald Sun | publisher = News Limited (News Corporation) | accessdate = 9 June 2013 }} and followed with a stint at the Australian Fashion Week, that year.
In late 2008, Tkautz starred in Swift and Shift Couriers (created by the same crew that created Fat Pizza), which aired on SBS ONE. Filming took place in early 2008, with some episodes being shot in Thailand and Egypt. The first season had eight episodes that aired on TV during October–November 2008. She returned for a second season in 2011. Tkautz was also a guest star in controversial comedy series, Housos (from October 2011) and residents of housing commission units wanted the show banned.{{cite news | url = https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/not-in-our-backyard-call-to-ban-show-20110507-1ed55.html | title = Not in Our Backyard: Call to Ban Show | last = Aston | first = Heath | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | publisher = Fairfax Media | date = 8 May 2011 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} In May 2012, Tkautz was interviewed by Sonia Kruger and David Campbell on Mornings and described her career after E Street in the segment, "Where Are They Now?".{{cite web | url = http://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/where-are-they-now-melissa-tkautz/xtx1dcv?cpkey=8fb833b1-3f10-47cc-8a69-5d7d2cbe4950%257c%257c%257c%257c | title = Mornings: 'Where Are They Now": Melissa Tkautz | last1 = Campbell | first1 = David | authorlink1 = David Campbell (Australian musician) | last2 = Kruger | first2 = Sonia | authorlink2 = Sonia Kruger | last3 = Tkautz | first3 = Melissa | work = Mornings | publisher = ninemsn (Nine Entertainment Co. & Microsoft) | date = 10 May 2012 | accessdate = 9 June 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
On 22 July 2016, it was announced Tkautz would be one of seven women appearing on the first season of The Real Housewives of Sydney.{{cite web|title=The Real Housewives of Sydney is Coming in 2017!|url=http://www.arenatv.com.au/first-look-real-housewives-sydney/|website=Arena|accessdate=22 July 2016|date=22 July 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Sean|first1=Dillion|title=The 'Real Housewives of Sydney' Have Been Revealed & Our Bodies Are Ready|url=https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/entertainment/the-real-housewives-of-sydney-have-been-revealed--/39b93691-13e1-46a4-b43e-8f9bfc299016.htm|website=Pedestrian|date=21 July 2016 |accessdate=22 July 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Skelly|first1=Katie|title=The Real Housewives of Sydney cast has been revealed!|url=http://www.womansday.com.au/celebrity/australian-celebrities/the-real-housewives-of-sydney-cast-has-been-revealed-16000|website=Woman's Day|accessdate=22 July 2016}}
Music career
Tkautz was signed to Westside Records, a label created by E Street{{'}}s producers, and recorded her debut single, "Read My Lips". Redlich described why Tkautz was chosen ahead of her fellow actresses "I thought it was too raunchy for Toni Pearen and too teeny-bopper for Alyssa-Jane Cook". It was promoted via the show and released in May 1991, which reached the number-one position on the ARIA Singles Chart in July.{{Cite web | url = http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melissa+%5bAU%5d&titel=Read+My+Lips&cat=s | title = Melissa [AU] – 'Read My Lips' | publisher = Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien | last = Hung | first = Steffen | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} The track was written by Tony King and Roy Nicolson,{{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | title = 'Read My Lips' at APRA search engine | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Read%20My%20Lips | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} and was produced by Leon Berger. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 it won Highest Selling Single for the previous year.{{Cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | authorlink1 = Ian McFarlane | title = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Melissa' | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20040627033817/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=481 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=481 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 | year = 1999 | publisher = Allen & Unwin | location = St Leonards, NSW | archivedate = 27 June 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/1992 |title=ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 1992: 6th Annual ARIA Awards |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |accessdate=13 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514001240/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1992 |archivedate=14 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://alldownunder.com/oz-p/aria/1992-aria.htm |title=Australia 1992 ARIA Awards |publisher=ALLdownunder.com |accessdate=5 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223160316/http://www.alldownunder.com/oz-p/aria/1992-aria.htm |archivedate=23 February 2009 }} The song was parodied by Gina Riley on the comedy TV series, Fast Forward, as "Pout Your Lips". The single's B-side is "Say Goodbye" and was written by Berger, Alston Koch and Doug Henderson.{{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | title = 'Say Goodbye' at APRA search engine | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Say%20Goodbye | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} Since 1991, Tkautz has re-recorded "Read My Lips" twice: the first version as the "Read My Lips (Electro Pushers Remix)",{{cite news | url = https://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/kn5gIXlvkIA | title = 'Read My Lips (Electro Pushers Remix)' (Rare) | work = NME | publisher = IPC Media (Time Inc.) | accessdate = 9 June 2013 }} which was to be included as a bonus track on her proposed third album, Glamorous Life; and the second version as the "Read My Lips (Neon Stereo Remix)", which was performed live by Tkautz on Channel 7's The Morning Show.
Tkautz' second single from her debut album, "Sexy (Is the Word)", was issued in September 1991 and peaked at No. 3.{{Cite web | url = http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melissa+%5bAU%5d&titel=Sexy+%28Is+The+Word%29&cat=s | title = Melissa [AU] – 'Sexy (Is the Word)' | publisher = Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien | last = Hung | first = Steffen | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} It was written by Berger, King and Nicholson and produced by Berger, Koch and Henderson. She performed the track at the 1991 Rugby League Grand Final. At the end of that year Tkautz toured nationally as a support act on American dance-pop and hip hop group, C+C Music Factory's Australian Tour. Her third single, "Skin to Skin", appeared in April the next year, which reached No. 16, and was written and produced by the same team as "Sexy (Is the Word)".{{Cite web | url = http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melissa+%5bAU%5d&titel=Skin+To+Skin&cat=s | title = Melissa [AU] – 'Skin to Skin' | publisher = Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien | last = Hung | first = Steffen | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} In June that year, having left E Street, Tkautz released her debut album, Fresh, which peaked at No. 15 on the ARIA Albums Chart.Peak (ARIA Chart) positions for singles and albums in Australia:
- Top 50 peaks: {{Cite web | url = http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Melissa+Tkautz | title = Discography Melissa Tkautz | publisher = Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }}
- Top 100 peaks to December 2010: {{cite Ryan|page=184}}
- "My House": {{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716153430/http://i.imgur.com/oyPN1pW.jpg|url=http://i.imgur.com/oyPN1pW.jpg|archivedate=16 July 2015|title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 15 July 2015|accessdate=4 October 2015|publisher=Imgur.com}}
- "All I Want": {{cite journal | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020220130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020221-0000/www.aria.com.au/issue572.pdf | url = http://www.ariacharts.com.au/about/faq#q6 | title = ARIA Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 8 November 2005 | journal = The ARIA Report | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association | issue = 821 | pages = 2–3, 7, 12–13, 17 | archivedate = 21 February 2002 | date = 8 November 2005 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 | url-status = dead }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- "Easily Affected": {{cite journal | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020220130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020221-0000/www.aria.com.au/issue572.pdf | url = http://www.ariacharts.com.au/about/faq#q6 | title = ARIA Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 6 November 2006 | journal = The ARIA Report | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association | issue = 870 | pages = 2, 4, 7, 9, 14 | archivedate = 21 February 2002 | date = 6 November 2006 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 | url-status = dead }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- "I Want Your Love": {{cite journal | archiveurl = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020220130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020221-0000/www.aria.com.au/issue572.pdf | url = http://www.ariacharts.com.au/about/faq#q6 | title = ARIA Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 14 April 2008 | journal = The ARIA Report | publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association | issue = 946 | pages = 2–3, 7, 11, 15, 17 | archivedate = 21 February 2002 | date = 6 November 2006 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 | url-status = dead }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- "The Key": {{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/YB9G1Kg.gif|title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 19 July 2017|publisher=Imgur.com|accessdate=19 July 2017}} Tkautz promoted the album by a national tour, a further single, "Is It...?", was issued in July 1993 and reached the top 40,{{Cite web | url = http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melissa+%5bAU%5d&titel=Is+It...%3F&cat=s | title = Melissa [AU] – 'Is It...?' | publisher = Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien | last = Hung | first = Steffen | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} but a proposed second album was shelved and Tkautz refocused on her acting career.
In September 2005, Tkautz released a new single, a cover version of "The Glamorous Life", a 1984 song by Sheila E and written by Prince,{{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | title = 'The Glamorous Life' at APRA search engine | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=The%20Glamorous%20Life | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }}{{Cite web | publisher = Talk About the Music | title = Australian Top 50 Singles (12/9/2005 – 18/9/2005) | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080121102406/http://www.talkaboutthemusic.com/group/rec.music.misc/messages/248647.html | url=http://www.talkaboutthemusic.com/group/rec.music.misc/messages/248647.html | archivedate = 21 January 2008 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} which peaked at No. 31 on the ARIA Singles Chart.{{Cite web | url = http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Melissa+Tkautz&titel=The+Glamorous+Life&cat=s | title = Melissa Tkautz – 'Is It...?' | publisher = Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien | last = Hung | first = Steffen | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} Her second album, Lost & Found, was issued on 4 December that year. Also that year, she re-recorded "Sexy (Is the Word)", which was included as a bonus track on Lost & Found. Tkautz travelled to Sweden in early 2006 to work with 2N and while there she recorded her next single, "Easily Affected", and "Not Enough". Her version of "The Glamorous Life" had some success internationally. It was released in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, Russia, Dubai and UAE, and Canada. In February 2008 she performed "Easily Affected", "True Love", "Read My Lips (Neon Stereo Remix)" and her new single, "I Want Your Love" at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day.{{cite news | url = http://www.thehothits.com/artists/365/melissa-tkautz# | title = Melissa Tkautz – Bio | work = The Hot Hits | publisher = MCM Media | year = 2009 | accessdate = 9 June 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120325183848/http://www.thehothits.com/artists/365/melissa-tkautz | archive-date = 25 March 2012 | url-status = dead }}
In January 2012, Australian comedian Sam Kekovich released a music video as an ad for Australian lamb meat, which was a rendition of Aqua's hit "Barbie Girl"; it featured vocals by Tkautz and an appearance by hip-hop dance and pop music group, Justice Crew.{{cite web| author1 = Fiedler, Nikki | author2 = Deeth, Courtney | url = http://nine-to-five.whereilive.com.au/lifestyle/story/sam-kekovich-channels-aqua-for-australia-day/ | title = Sam Kekovich Channels Aqua for Australia Day | work = Nine to Five | publisher = News Community Media | date = 26 January 2012| accessdate = 26 January 2012 }} Meat and Livestock Australia's marketing manager, Andrew Cox, declared "[i]t's the most successful lamb campaign ever in terms of lamb sales ... people were able to share our 'Barbie Girl' song on Facebook and Twitter".{{cite news | url = http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/03/28/461961_sheep.html | title = Sheep Sales up After Lamb Promo | last = Myer | first = Fiona | publisher = Weekly Times Now | date = 28 March 2012 | accessdate = 9 June 2013 }} In August that year Tkautz issued a compilation album, The Hits & More, and followed with a tour promoting its appearance.{{cite news | url = http://joy.org.au/joyfuldays/2012/08/10/melissa-tkautz-hits-more-interview/ | title = Melissa Tkautz (Hits & More Interview) | last = Leo | publisher = Joy 94.9 (JOY Melbourne Inc.) | work = JOYful Days | date = 10 August 2012 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }}
Tkautz released the single "The Key" in May 2017.
Personal life
In 1999, her father, Stefan, died of cancer;{{cite news | url = https://www.smh.com.au/news/music/read-her-lips--again/2005/12/01/1133311138669.html | title = Read Her Lips ... Again | agency = Australian Associated Press (AAP) | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | publisher = Fairfax Media | date = 1 December 2005 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} she co-wrote the track "Goodbye Daddy" (with Paul Wiltshire){{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | title = 'Goodbye Daddy' at APRA search engine | url = http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Goodbye%20Daddy | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} from Lost & Found in his honour. In December 2006, Tkautz told Woman's Day that she had been in love with her E Street co-star Simon Baker; the relationship ended as "she wanted a long-term commitment but he was not at that stage of his life"; and then with Marcus Graham who "betrayed her after four months".{{cite news | url = http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/23790357/melissas-pain-my-hunky-co-stars-broke-my-heart | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213447/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/23790357/melissas-pain-my-hunky-co-stars-broke-my-heart | url-status = dead | archive-date = 3 March 2016 | title = Melissa's Pain: My Hunky Co-Stars Broke My Heart | last = Agostino | first = Josephine | work = Woman's Day | publisher = Australian Consolidated Press. EBSCO Publishing | page = 33 | issue = 49 | volume = 58 | date = 4 December 2006 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} Baker had also appeared in the music video for her debut single, "Read My Lips". In February 2009, Tkautz married finance businessman Kwesi Nicholas, her partner of five years.{{cite news | url = http://womansday.ninemsn.com/celebrity/celebrityheadlines/997190/melissa-tkautz-ties-the-knot | title = Melissa Tkautz Ties the Knot | work = Woman's Day | publisher = ninemsn Pty Ltd | date = 13 February 2009 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120409010550/http://www.womansday.ninemsn.com/celebrity/celebrityheadlines/997190/melissa-tkautz-ties-the-knot | archivedate = 9 April 2012 | df = dmy-all }} She uses her married name, Melissa Nicholas, outside her professional career.{{| last = Dennehy | first = Luke | work = The Advertiser | publisher = News Limited (News Corporation) | date = 20 August 2011 | accessdate = 8 June 2013 }} Together they have two children.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable"
! Title ! Year ! Role ! Type | |||
| 1999 | Game Room | Lisa Summerfield | Feature film |
| 2017 | Boar | Sasha | Feature film |
| 2021 | The Possessed | Shania | Feature film |
=Television=
| class="wikitable"
! Title ! Year ! Role ! Type |
| 1988
| Guest role: Nicki | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1990
| Guest role: Sue | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1990-91
| E Street | Regular role: Nikki Spencer | TV series, 158 episodes |
| 1991
| Guest role: Helen Catteau | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1991
| Recurring role: Maria | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1992
| The Girl from Tomorrow II: Tomorrow's End | Recurring role: Maria | TV series |
| 1993-94
| Recurring role: Vanessa Campbell | TV series |
| 1995
| Recurring role: Jules | TV series, 17 episodes |
| 1995-98
| Regular role: Bethany Daniels | TV series |
| 1996
| Medivac | Regular role: Evie Morrison | TV series, 13 episodes |
| 2001
| Recurring role: Andrea Smart | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2003
| Pizza | Guest role: Chantelle | SBS TV series, 1 episode |
| 2004
| Guest role | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2004
| Guest | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2007
| Herself (with E Street cast – Bruce Samazan, Marcus Graham, Melissa Bell, Alyssa Jane Cook, Brooke 'Mikey' Anderson & Vince Martin | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2008-2011
| Regular role: Melissa Schembry | TV series, 18 episodes |
| 2011
| Housos | Regular role: Cheree | TV series, 9 episodes |
| 2017
| The Real Housewives of Sydney | Regular role: Herself | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 2022
| Contestant | TV series, 14 episodes |
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of albums, with selected chart positions. ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS |
|---|
| scope="row" | Fresh
|
| 15 |
| scope="row" | Lost & Found
|
| — |
| scope="row" | The Hits & More
|
| — |
| colspan="4" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Read My Lips"
| rowspan="2"|1991 | 1 | rowspan="4"|Fresh |
| scope="row"| "Sexy (Is the Word)"
| 3 |
| scope="row"| "Skin to Skin"
| rowspan="2"|1992 | 16 |
| scope="row"| "My House"
| 119 |
| scope="row"| "Is It...?"
|1993 | 39 |Non-album single |
| scope="row"| "The Glamorous Life"
| rowspan="2"|2005 | 31 |rowspan="2"|Lost & Found |
| scope="row"| "All I Want"
| 72 |
| scope="row"| "Easily Affected"
|2006 | 86 |rowspan="2"|Non-album singles |
| scope="row"| "I Want Your Love" (Nick Skitz featuring Melissa Tkautz) |2008 | 60 |
| scope="row"| "Something About You" (Nick Jay featuring Melissa Tkautz) |2011 | — | The Hits & More |
| scope="row"| "Gotta Let You Go"
|2015 | — |rowspan="5"|Non-album singles |
| scope="row"| "In the Evening" (Nick Skitz featuring Melissa Tkautz) |2016 | — |
| scope="row"| "The Key"
|2017 | — |
| scope="row"| "Not Enough" (7th Heaven featuring Melissa Tkautz) |rowspan="2"|2025 | — |
| scope="row"| "Full of Lies" (Nick Jay featuring Melissa Tkautz) | — |
| colspan="4" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Awards and recognition
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Award-giving Body | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|1992 | rowspan="2"|ARIA Award | Highest Selling Single ("Read My Lips") | {{won}} |
| Best New Talent ("Read My Lips") | {{nom}} | ||
| 1991 | Logie Award | Best New Talent (E Street) | {{nom}} |
See also
References
{{Reflist|25em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.melissatkautz.net}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0864729|name=Melissa Tkautz}}
{{Melissa Tkautz}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tkautz, Melissa}}
Category:Australian people of Austrian descent
Category:Australian people of Maltese descent
Category:Australian dance musicians
Category:Australian television actresses
Category:21st-century Australian singers
Category:21st-century Australian women singers
Category:Participants in Australian reality television series