Acting
Apr 11, 1961
Liverpool, England, UK
Magda Szubanski
Acting
Biography
Magda Szubanski AO (born Magdalene Mary Therese Szubanski 12 April 1961) is an Australian television and film actress, comedian, writer and LGBT rights activist. Szubanski's career started as a writer and performer of sketch comedy and has since progressed to production of TV, film acting, and musical theatre. In 1985, while performing in a University of Melbourne revue of Too Cool for Sandals, Szubanski, Michael Veitch, Tom Gleisner and others were talent-spotted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) producers, which led to The D-Generation television sketch comedy show. Szubanski was one of the creators and performers of the Fast Forward television sketch comedy for the Seven Network, in which she played various characters, including Pixie-Anne Wheatley, Chenille from the Institute de Beauté, Wee Mary MacGregor, Joan Kirner and Michelle Grogan. Szubanski famously played Sharon Strzelecki on Australian comedy show Kath & Kim which ran for four seasons. In 2015, Szubanski released her first book; a memoir titled Reckoning which had themes of familial trauma and accepting her sexual identity as a lesbian. It won the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non fiction, as well as "Book of the Year" and "Biography of the Year" at the Australian Book Industry Awards. Szubanski released a follow-up memoir, I Can't Tell You But I Will, in September 2026. The book chronicles her complicated relationship with—and the demise of—her mother, as well as her cancer diagnosis and recovery.
Feature Films (29)
In a parallel universe, after overhearing a shocking secret, precocious orphan Lyra Belacqua trades her carefree existence roaming the halls of Jordan College for an otherworldly adventure in the far North, unaware that it's part of her destiny.
The Golden Compass
A scientist & inventor in 1907, Dr Plonk, predicts that the world will end in 101 years, unless something is done about it.
Dr. Plonk
Babe, fresh from his victory in the sheepherding contest, returns to Farmer Hoggett's farm, but after Farmer Hoggett is injured and unable to work, Babe has to go to the big city to save the farm.
Babe: Pig in the City
Babe is a little pig who doesn't quite know his place in the world. With a bunch of odd friends, like Ferdinand the duck who thinks he is a rooster and Fly the dog he calls mum, Babe realises that he has the makings to become the greatest sheep pig of all time, and Farmer Hoggett knows it. With the help of the sheep dogs, Babe learns that a pig can be anything that he wants to be.
Babe
Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!
Happy Feet
The squabbling mother and daughter, Kath and Kim, embark on an excursion into the unexplored crannies of life at Lagoon Court, Fountain Lakes.
Da Kath & Kim Code
Television & Series (24)
Kath and Kim, a dysfunctional mother-daughter duo, navigate through relationship troubles, personal issues and life while trying to stay sane.
Kath & Kim
The D-Generation was a popular and influential Australian TV sketch comedy show, produced and broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for two series, between 1986 and 1987. A further four specials were broadcast on the Seven Network between 1988 and 1989.
The D-Generation
A freak accident during an experimental space mission catapults Astronaut John Crichton across a thousand galaxies to an alien battlefield.
Farscape
Full Frontal was an Australian sketch comedy series which debuted in 1993. The show first aired on the Seven Network on 13 May 1993, and finished on 18 September 1997. In 1998 a spin-off of the show moved to Network Ten under the name Totally Full Frontal, losing most of the original cast in the process and finished in 1999. Since 2008, re-runs have begun screening on The Comedy Channel as part of the channel's "Aussie Gold" block of locally made, classic comedy programming.
Full Frontal
Fast Forward was Australia’s highest rating, longest running and most critically awarded commercial television sketch comedy show, broadcast for 90 one hour episodes from 12 April 1989 to 26 November 1992. The show was produced by Steve Vizard, who was also the Executive Producer, writer and performer, and starred Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Magda Szubanski, Marg Downey, Michael Veitch, Peter Moon, Alan Pentland, Steve Blackburn, Geoff Brookes, Ernie Dingo, the Rubbery Figures satirical puppets, and numerous guests and supporting stars, such as Gerry Connolly and Brian Dawe. Fast Forward was succeeded by the related series Full Frontal, and subsequently Totally Full Frontal, which were broadcast from 1993 to 1999 and which starred many of the original Fast Forward cast as well as many iconic performers including Eric Bana, Stephen Curry, Glenn Robbins, Shaun Micallef, Kitty Flanagan and Julia Morris. Fast Forward was directed by Ted Emery. In its second and subsequent series, Andrew Knight joined Steve Vizard and Ted Emery as Executive Producers of the show. They went on to establish the leading Australian Production house, Artist Services, which produced 1400 hours of prime time television including SeaChange, Big Girls Blouse, Tonight Live with Steve Vizard, the Eric Bana show, the Shaun Micallef Pogram.
