Denise Roberts

• Name — Denise Roberts • Education — Ensemble Theatre (2005) Australian Film, Television and Radio School (1998) Metro Screen (2003) • Occupation — Actress, director, teacher • Years Active — 1980–present • Known for — G.P. Packed to the Rafters Denise Roberts, is an Australian actress, director, and founder of film and television acting school Screenwise in Sydney. She is known for her roles on TV in 1980s/90s medical drama G.P. and 2009 series Packed to the Rafters.

Roberts became passionate about screen acting as a young child, but as screen acting schools did not exist at the time, she attended theatre school instead. Her mentor was Hayes Gordon, with whom she studied under for three years at Sydney's Ensemble Theatre, graduating in 2005. In her later career, Roberts studied script editing (1996) and producing (1998) at Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), followed by directing (2003) at Metro Screen.

Roberts has worked in theatre, film and television since 1980. She came to fame playing Julie Winters in the ABC TV medical drama G.P. for seven years, from 1989 to 1996. Her portrayal earned her nominations at the Logie Awards, the People's Choice Awards and the AACTA Awards, including an AACTA win for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama. During her tenure on G.P., she also taught film and television for Hayes Gordon, at his Ensemble Studios. Roberts was the creator and Associate Producer of the ABC's 1995 drama miniseries, Correlli, which gave Hugh Jackman his big Australian break. She also featured in two episodes. In 1998, Roberts starred in Road to Nhill, which saw her nominated for a Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Supporting Actress award. The same year, the 10-minute, 16mm short thriller Stairwell (1998), which Roberts directed, was screened at the LA International Short Film Festival. From 2001 to 2003, Roberts played town matriarch Isabelle Turnbull in Always Greener and had a starring role as university registrar Jessica Andrews in Roberts 7's HeadLand from 2005 to 2006. She played the role of Helen Jones in 2007 television film Joanne Lees: Murder in the Outback, a retelling of the real-life Peter Falconio case. That same year, she starred as Aunty Barbara in mockumentary feature film Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance. From 2009, Roberts played the recurring guest role of Bonnie Bright, the Scottish psychic sandwich lady in Channel 7's Packed to the Rafters, and again in 2012. She also played Faye in the feature film Subdivision, which premiered in August 2009. The following year, she played the regular role of Inspector Diane Pappas in the Nine Network police drama Cops L.A.C.. In 2013, Roberts featured in psychological thriller Nerve, alongside Gary Sweet, who played her character's husband. In 2014, she starred in television film Schapelle, playing Schapelle's mother Rosleigh Rose Corby, which saw her nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well and a Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actress in a Television Drama. Further accolades followed with Best Supporting Actress nominations for Roberts' roles in 2015 film Nerve at the International World Film Festival, and 2016 thriller Concealed at the Sydney Indie Film Festival. From 2020 to 2022, Roberts played the ongoing role of Bev Boyce in web series Grey Nomads. Roberts' television guest credits are numerous, and have included A Country Practice, Sons and Daughters, Home and Away, Rafferty's Rules, E Street, Correlli, Snowy River: The McGregor Saga, Wildside, Pizza, All Saints, Underbelly: Razor, The Moodys, Wonderland, Five Bedrooms and God's Favorite Idiot – the latter opposite American actress Melissa McCarthy. Her other film credits include Going Sane (1987), The Dish (2000) and Opal Dream (2006). Roberts' theatre performances include starring roles in the one-woman theatre shows Late Nite Catechism and Shirley Valentine. Further stage credits include The Vagina Monologues and Lovers at Versailles, the latter of which earned her a Chief Glugs Award at the 2004 Glugs Theatrical Awards Excellence Behind the Scenes. She also starred in Charitable Intent, which earned her a Sydney Theatre Critics Award nomination in 2006. Roberts has also directed numerous theatre productions, including Lovers at Versailles at the Playhouse (Sydney Opera House) as well as Fully Committed, Educating Rita and The Oldest Profession all for Ensemble Theatre.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1985 — The Boy Who Had Everything — Rita — Feature film • 1986 — For Love Alone — Mrs. Ashley — Feature film • 1987 — Going Sane — Mrs. Chubb — Feature film • 1997 — Road to Nhill — Gwen — Feature film • 2000 — The Dish — Bronwyn — Feature film • 2003 — Kangaroo Jack — Tansy — Feature film • 2006 — Opal Dream — Vera Dunkley — Feature film • One Last Shot — Waitress — Short film • 2007 — Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance — Barbara — Feature film (mockumentary) • Boys Own Story — Aunt Eileen — Short film • 2009 — Subdivision — Faye — Feature film • Benefit — Mother — Short film • 2010 — Dying Ice — Elder — Short film • Anyone You Want — Jenny • 2012 — Leech — Betty — Short film • 2013 — Nerve — Sally Livingston — Feature film • 2014 — The Half Dead — The See-er — Post-production • 2015 — Spirit of the Game — Sister Bingham — Feature film • 2017 — Concealed — Irene — Feature film • Shadow Wars — The See-er — Post-production • Juvenescence — Headmistress Audrey Hammersmith — Post-production

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1981 — Bellamy — Bev — Episode: "Bet Your Life" • 1984 — A Halo for Athuan — Maizy — TV film • 1985 — A Country Practice — Patient / Kristine Cox — 3 episodes: "Walk Tall: Parts 1 & 2", "Work Experience: Part 2" • 1986 — Hector's Bunyip — Gladys Glum — TV film • 1986–1987 — Sons and Daughters — Kidnapper — Episode: "1.799" • Monica — Episode: "1.972" • 1987 — Two Friends — Jessie — TV film • Rafferty's Rules — Mrs. Bridges — Episode: "Kids" • 1988; 1989 — Home and Away — Woman Customer — Season 1, episode 51 • Nola Dibble — Season 2, episode 258 • 1989 — Fields of Fire III — Mrs. Anderson — Miniseries • 1989; 1990 — E Street — Myra — Season 1, episode 2-3 • Myra — Episode: "The Reverend & the Doctor?" • 1989–1996 — G.P. — Julie Winters — 317 episodes • 1992 — Sinbad the Sailor — Voice — Animated TV film • 1995 — Correlli — Helen Buckley — 2 episodes: "Solitary", "Lock-Down" • 1996 — The Man from Snowy River (aka Snowy River: The McGregor Saga) — Mary Kelly — Episode: "The Grand Opening" • 1998; 2005 — All Saints — Janice McGregor — Episode: "A Little Magic" • Margaret — Episode: "Funny Games" • 1999 — Wildside — Sheryl Cunningham — Episode: "2.19" • 2000; 2003 — Grass Roots — Evelyn Savage — Episode: "The Whole Year" • Christina — Episode: "Investigation" • 2001 — Water Rats — Meredith Dillon — Episode: "The Thin Edge" • Pizza — Jackie / Mum Stanko — 2 episodes: "Politically Incorrect Pizza", "Girlfriend Pizza" • 2001; 2002 — BackBerner — Beryl Todd — Episode: "3.4" • Various — Episode: "1.134" • 2001–2003 — Always Greener — Isabelle Turnbull — 50 episodes • 2004 — Home and Away — Valerie Squires — Season 17, 8 episodes • 2005–2006 — Headland — Jessica Andrews — 26 episodes • 2007 — Joanne Lees: Murder in the Outback — Helen Jones — TV film • 2009 — East West 101 — Janet Miller — Episode: "Men of Conscience" • 2009; 2012 — Packed to the Rafters — Bonnie Bright — 3 episodes: "Having It All", "Look Into My Eyes", "Putting the House in Order" • Episode: "Sign of the Times" • 2010 — Cops L.A.C. — Detective Inspector Diane Pappas — 13 episodes • 2011 — Underbelly: Razor — Alice Twiss — Miniseries, episode: "Jerusalem Revisited" • Blood Brothers — Sue O'Farrell — TV film • 2012 — Mrs Biggs — Annie Pitcher — 2 episodes: "1.3", "1.4" • 2013 — Cliffy — Molly — TV film • Wonderland — Episode: "The Exes" • 2014 — Schapelle — Rosleigh Rose — TV film

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1994 — Correlli — Concept Creator / Associate Producer — Miniseries

Source:

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1983 — The Bear — Mrs Popov — Ensemble Theatre, Sydney • 1984 — A Kind of Alaska — Deborah • 1985 — When in Rome — Margaret • 1986 — The Shadow Box — Maggie • 1987 — Once a Catholic — Mother Thomas Aquinas • 1988 — Talk of the Devil — Mrs Maguire • 1990 — A Night with Robinson Crusoe — Julie — Ensemble Studios, Sydney for Festival of Sydney • 1992 — The Slab Boys — Sadie — Crossroads Theatre, Sydney with O'Punksky's Theatre Company for Festival of Sydney • Man of the Moment — Sharon — York Theatre, Sydney with Ensemble Theatre • 1993 — The Seahorse — Gertrude — Ensemble Studios, Sydney with Sydney Festival • 1994 — The Rise and Fall of Little Voice — Sadie — Adelaide Festival with STC • 1999–2000 — Shirley Valentine — Shirley Valentine — Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Bridge Theatre, Sydney with STC / Blue Sky Ent • Late Nite Catechism — Sister — Bridge Theatre, Sydney, IMB Theatre, Wollongong, Courtyard Studio, Canberra, North Adelaide Community Centre with Adrian Bohm Presents • 2000 — Girls' Night Out — Aunty Ivy — Star City Showroom, Sydney with Jacobsen Entertainment • 2001–2003 — The Vagina Monologues — Various roles — Ensemble Studios, Sydney, Valhalla Cinema, Sydney, Acton Street Theatre, Canberra with Adrian Bohm Presents • 2005 — Shirley Valentine — Shirley Valentine — Civic Theatre, Newcastle with Rock City Productions • 2006 — Charitable Intent — Amanda — Ensemble Theatre, Sydney

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1996 — Veronica's Room — Director — Ensemble Theatre, Sydney • 1997 — RIP Ripper — Director — Rat Bag Theatre Company, Sydney • Educating Rita — Director — Ensemble Theatre, Sydney • 1999 — Beautiful Thing — Director • 2000 — Wit — Associate Director • 2001 — The Oldest Profession — Director • 2002–2003 — Fully Committed — Director — Ensemble Studios, Sydney, Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne • 2004 — Lovers at Versailles — Director — Sydney Opera House • 2005 — Shirley Valentine — Director — Civic Theatre, Newcastle with Rock City Productions • 2007 — The Getaway — Director — Newtown Theatre, Sydney with Screenwise for Short+Sweet

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1982 — Counter Talk — Documentary drama • 1985 — That's Democracy — Documentary drama • 1987 — Managing the Schools (Education Department) — Documentary drama • 1989 — History of Australia — Narrator — ABC (Educational) • The Passing of Catherine — Mrs Boyle — ABC

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1998 — Stairwell — Director / Producer — Short film • 2005 — So Darn Hot! — Producer — Short film • 2006 — Well Baked — Producer — Short film • 2008 — Under a Red Moon — Associate Producer — Feature film • 2009 — The Mad Chase — Producer — Short film • 2010 — The Rose — Producer — Short film • 2012 — Contamination — Director — Short film • 2013 — Good Neighbours — Director — Short film • 2015 — After Party — Executive Producer — Short film • 2016 — Shadowbox — Producer — Short film • Our Father — Producer — Short film • No Good Deed — Producer — Short film • In the Stars — Producer — Short film • Anything for Family — Producer — Short film • An Honest Way — Producer — Short film • A Gathering — Producer — Short film • 2025 — Love Shack — Producer — Short film • Pet World: Team Building — Producer — Short film • Echo — Writer / Director/ Producer — Short film

• Year — Title — Role — Publisher — Ref. • 1995 — Get Your Act Together: The Actor's Advisory Manual — Author — Federation Press