Ursula Yovich
{{short description|Australian actor-singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ursula Yovich
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| occupation = Actress, singer
}}
Ursula Yovich is an Aboriginal Australian actress and singer. She is known for numerous stage appearances, for co-writing and appearing in the rock musical Barbara and the Camp Dogs (2017), and several film and TV appearances.
Early life and education
Yovich was born and grew up in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Her father, Slobodan Jović, was a Serbian immigrant who anglicised his name to Stan Yovich. Her mother is an Aboriginal woman from north-west Arnhem Land near the Blyth River, with the closest community being Maningrida.{{cite news| url=https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/05/1238869833621.html |title=Best of both worlds: mixed marriages blooming|first= Joel |last=Gibson| work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date= 6 April 2009}}
Career
Yovich has appeared in more than 20 theatre and musical theatre productions, including Capricornia, Mother Courage and her Children, The Sapphires, Natural Life, Nailed, The Sunshine Club, Jerry Springer the Opera, Nathaniel Storm, and The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom.[http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/10/28/12411_news_pf.html "Baby, you've hit the big time now"]. Northern Territory News 30 December 2007[http://www.vibealive.com.au/vibe.asp?PageID=1404 "Who's That Girl?"]. Deadly Vibe Issue 113 July 2006[http://www.songsummit.com.au/speakers/Ursula-Yovich.htm "Ursula Yovich"]. Song Summit Sydney[http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts-reviews/the-adventures-of-snugglepot-amp-cuddlepie-and-little-raggedblossom/2007/01/01/1167500042196.html "The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom"]. The Sydney Morning Herald
She co-wrote the libretto and songs for rock musical Barbara and the Camp Dogs with Alana Valentine, and appeared in the show alongside Elaine Crombie.{{cite web | last=Litson | first=Jo | title=Review: Barbara and the Camp Dogs (Belvoir) | website=Limelight | date=20 February 2019 | url=https://limelight-arts.com.au/reviews/barbara-camp-dogs-belvoir/ | access-date=6 September 2024}}{{cite web | last=Tongue | first=Cassie | title=Barbara and the Camp Dogs: how one woman's anger became a rock show | website=The Guardian | date=18 December 2017 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/dec/18/barbara-and-the-camp-dogs-how-one-womans-anger-became-a-rock-show | access-date=6 September 2024}}
Her film credits include Jindabyne, Australia and Goldstone.[http://www.vibealive.com.au/vibe.asp?PageID=1404 "Other Voices"]. Deadly Vibe 1 May 2005[http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/10/28/12411_ntnews.html "Ursula unwinds and says 'yes' to Stewart"]. Northern Territory News 28 October 2008 Television credits include Redfern Now, series 2 of the crime drama series Mystery Road, and the comedy series Preppers.
She was the subject of an episode of the SBS documentary series Blaktrax.[http://www.greenleft.org.au/2005/617/35284 "On the box"]. Green Left Online
Awards and nominations
=Wins=
In 2002, at the Tudawali Awards, Yovich was the recipient of the inaugural Bob Maza Memorial Award from the Australian Film Commission, which recognised emerging acting talent and support professional development for Indigenous actors.{{cite web | title=Screen Australia's Indigenous Department celebrates 25 years | website=Screen Australia |date=4 June 2018| url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/backgrounders/2018/06-04-indigenous-department-25-years | access-date=16 November 2021}}{{cite web | title=Bob Maza Fellowship | website=AustLit | url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v1692 | access-date=18 December 2021}}
In 2016 she was awarded the Sidney Myer individual award as a recognition of her outstanding body of work in theatre.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} She also received the Balnaves Foundation's Indigenous playwrights award later in the same year.{{cite web | title=Fellowship and Residencies | website=Belvoir St Theatre | date=25 February 2022 | url=https://belvoir.com.au/for-artists/fellowship-and-residencies/ | access-date=27 April 2022}}
Yovich has won three Helpmann Awards: for Best Female Actor in a Play in 2007 for her performance in Capricornia{{cite web|url=http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2007/08/08/1722_ntnews.html |title=Meet the Territory's new star|website=Northern Territory News|date= 8 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212191649/http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2007/08/08/1722_ntnews.html| archive-date=12 Feb 2012}} and for Best Female Actor in a Musical and Best Original Score in 2019 for Barbara and the Camp Dogs.{{Cite web |title=2019 Nominees and Winners |website= Helpmann Awards |url=http://www.helpmannawards.com.au/2019/nominees-and-winners/industry |access-date=2022-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314233041/http://www.helpmannawards.com.au/2019/nominees-and-winners/industry/| archive-date=14 Mar 2024}}
The 2021 Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director's Award was awarded to Yovich. Cristi, A. A. [https://www.broadwayworld.com/sydney/article/Ursula-Yovich-Awarded-Ensemble-Theatres-Sandra-Bates-Directors-Award-20201111 "Ursula Yovich Awarded Ensemble Theatre's Sandra Bates Director's Award"]. Broadway World Sydney, 11 November 2020
=Nominations=
In 2019 Yovich was nominated for the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting for her original rock musical comedy, Barbara and the Camp Dogs, co-written with playwright Alana Valentine.{{cite web |title=Nick Enright Prize for Playwrighting 2019 Shortlist |url=https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/about-library/awards/nsw-premiers-literary-awards/nick-enright-prize-playwriting |website=State Library of NSW |access-date=19 April 2019}} The play had its premiere performance at Belvoir St. Theatre in Sydney in 2017, and in the 2017 Sydney Theatre Awards, Yovich was nominated for Best New Australian Work, Best Original Score and Best Female Actor. The work also received a Music Theatre AWGIE nomination.{{cite web |title=Helpmann nominee Ursula Yovich to bow out on top |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/theatre/helpmann-nominee-ursula-yovich-to-bow-out-on-top-20190614-p51xup.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 June 2019 |access-date=7 May 2022}}
She has also been nominated multiple times for lead and supporting roles in plays and musicals, and as Best Cabaret Performer in 2010 for Magpie Blues.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
Personal life
{{as of|2009}} Yovich was married to Stewart O'Connell, a lawyer, and the couple has one daughter.[https://www.smh.com.au/national/most-indigenous-australians-now-marrying-out-study-finds-20141112-9tdm.html Most indigenous Australians now 'marrying out', study finds Joel Gibson. The Sydney Morning Herald 6 April 2009]
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2006
|Alice | |
| rowspan="2" |2008
|Camille (voice) | |
| Australia
|Daisy | |
| 2010
|Aesop's Way |Adrian's Wife |Short |
| rowspan="2" |2013
|Destiny in the Dirt |Danni |Short |
| Around the Block
|Chrissie | |
| 2014
|Spirit Stones |Eva |Short |
| 2016
|Maria | |
| rowspan="2" |2019
|Daffy Ford | |
| Totem and Ore
|Testimonies reader |Documentary |
| 2023
|Carol | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2002
|Elvira Cook |Episode: "Reflection" |
| 2012
|Pauline Gordon |TV miniseries |
| 2012–2013
|Nic Shields |Episodes: "Stand Up", "Pokies" |
| rowspan="3" |2014
|Rake |Holly |Episodes: "3.4", "3.5" |
| {{sortname|The|Gods of Wheat Street}}
|Eden Freeburn |Regular role |
| {{sortname|The|Code|The Code (2014 TV series)}}
|Kitty Boyd |Recurring role |
| 2017–2021
|Levi |37 episodes |
| 2018
|Shirley |Episode: "3.3" |
| 2020
|Pansy |6 episodes |
| rowspan="4" |2021
|The Moth Effect |Megan |1 episode |
| Preppers
|Kelly |
| Doctor Doctor
|Magistrate |1 episode |
| Wakefield
|Maria |1 episode |
| rowspan="2" |2022
|Hope Saunders |4 episodes |
| Irreverent
|Grace |6 episodes |
| 2023
|Victoria Hudson |2 episodes |
| 2024
|Robin |
Theatre
In 2019, Yovich announced after 22 years that she was stepping away from the theatre where she said that she couldn't pretend that she wanted to pursue theatre any longer, at the same time she was also filming the second series of Mystery Road.{{Cite news |last=Howard |first=Jane |date=2019-08-13 |title=Ursula Yovich on giving up theatre: 'It wasn't making me happy any more' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/aug/13/ursula-yovich-on-giving-up-theatre-it-wasnt-making-me-happy-any-more |access-date=2025-04-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In 2024, Yovich made a theatre comeback appearing in The Lewis Trilogy.{{Cite web |last=Guenzler |first=Joseph |date=2024-03-15 |title=Ursula Yovich marks stage return with The Lewis trilogy |url=https://nit.com.au/15-03-2024/10228/Ursula-Yovich-marks-stage-return-with-The-Lewis-trilogy |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=National Indigenous Times}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes !Ref |
| 2025
|The Black Woman of Gippsland |Auntie Rochelle |MTC |
| rowspan="2" |2024
|Well Behaved Women | |Belvoir Street |
| The Lewis Trilogy
| |SBW Stables | |
| 2019
|Man with the Iron Neck |Rose | |
| 2017
|Barbara and the Camp Dogs |Barbara | |
| 2014
|The Magic Hour | |Mart Theatre Darwin |
| 2013
|Mother Courage and Her Children |Mother Courage |QPAC |
Discography
- Sketches EP (2004)
- Magpie Blues Live
- Well-Behaved Women(2023, contributing vocalist)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|1869661}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtHio02x9Vc&t=19s "We are in Australia: Serbian Aboriginal woman"]. RTS Short documentary about Ursula Yovich authored by Dragan Caran, 16 October 2015
{{EquityAward TVDramaCast 2010–2019}}
{{HelpmannAward PlayLeadActress 2001-2020}}
{{HelpmannAward MusicalLeadActress}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yovich, Ursula}}
Category:Australian film actresses
Category:Australian musical theatre actresses
Category:Australian television actresses
Category:Australian people of Serbian descent
Category:Helpmann Award winners
Category:Indigenous Australian actresses
Category:Indigenous Australian musicians
Category:People from Darwin, Northern Territory
Category:21st-century Australian actresses