Australia may be far away from the ‘rest of the world’, but we’ve certainly produced our fair share of acclaimed Hollywood stars.
Our homegrown actresses, in particular, have come to dominate Tinseltown, with the likes of Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie taking over the silver screen (and in the case of Bombshell, doing it together), after cutting their teeth in local films and Australian soaps.
So, to celebrate some of our locally loved stars turned international A-listers (as well as their Hollywood makeovers), we pulled together a then-and-now evolution to see just how far they’ve come.
Keep scrolling to see them all.
Isla Fisher
Although Isla Fisher may be an esteemed Hollywood actress known for her incredible comic timing today (pictured left in 1990, and pictured right at the 2020 Golden Globes), the Australian star actually had her breakout role in Home and Away in 1994, after several years of appearing in commercials.
Cate Blanchett
One of the greatest Australian actresses to have ever trod the boards, Cate Blanchett started her career in theatre opposite Geoffrey Rush in the early ’90s. Today, Blanchett (pictured left in 1994, and right in February 2020) is one of the country’s greatest exports and a true icon of both stage and screen.
Nicole Kidman
Like Blanchett, Nicole Kidman ranks amongst some of the greatest Australian actresses to take Hollywood by storm (pictured on the right at the 2020 SAG Awards). Although the Kidman started acting in local films with her natural red curls in 1983 (as pictured on the left), she debuted ‘blonde bombshell’ hair in 1995, when she appeared in Batman Forever opposite Val Kilmer, cementing the look that has now come to be her signature.
Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne made her local onscreen debut in the film Dallas Doll in 1994, before landing her first leading role in the 2000 film The Goddess of 1967(pictured left in the same year, pictured right in January 2020). She has since starred in numerous commercially and critically successful projects including the blockbuster Bridesmaids and the psychological thriller series Damages, for which she earned two Emmy Award nominations.
Naomi Watts
Home and Away alum Naomi Watts has had quite the stellar career (now matched by an equally stellar asymmetrical bob). From making her Australian film debut in 1986 (pictured left in her pre-fame headshot from the same year) to being nominated for multiple Academy Awards for ‘Best Actress’, Watts’ career trajectory is certainly nothing to be sneezed at.
Margot Robbie
From a nose-ring sporting soap star on Neighbours (pictured left in 2009) to a perfectly coiffed, Oscar-nominated actress (pictured right at the 2020 Academy Awards), Margot Robbie’s before-and-after Hollywood beauty evolution is definitely one for the history books.
Nathalie Kelley
Sydney-raised actress Nathalie Kelly of Dynasty reboot and Unreal fame may have favoured long and tumbling locks once upon a time (pictured left in 2006, and right in 2019), but these days her Instagram is a veritable treasure trove for bob and lob hairstyle inspiration.
Samara Weaving
Earning her stripes in local TV shows Out of The Blue and Home and Away, Samara Weaving (pictured left in 2009, and right in 2019) landed her first Hollywood lead role in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since, with the now-‘bronde’ Weaving starring in Ryan Murphy’s highly anticipated Netflix series, Hollywood.
Toni Collette
Easily one of Australia’s most well-respected stars, Toni Collette’s illustrious career began in 1990 and today spans film, TV, production and stage, as well as singing and songwriting. And while her quote-worthy performance as the titular character in Muriel’s Wedding is easily one of her most memorable, Collette (pictured left in 1994, and right in January 2020) has since starred in a number of commercial and independent Hollywood productions, including The Sixth Sense, Knives Out and The Hours.
Teresa Palmer
Ride Like A Girl actress Teresa Palmer kick-started her acting career in 2005 and has gone from strength to strength since. The actress, who currently stars in the hit TV series A Discovery Of Witches, is now also an entrepreneur, having co-founded parenting site Zen Mamas and plant-based supplements brand, Lovewell.
Phoebe Tonkin
Phoebe Tonkin‘s career began in 2006 with the iconic tween series, H20: Just Add Water. Since then, Tonkin, 33, has appeared in an array of television shows and movies, including Tomorrow When The War Began, The Vampire Diaries, and The Originals. This year, Tonkin, who is also a Chanel ambassador, will return to Australian screens in Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe adaptation.
Caitlin Stacey
Although Caitlin Stasey‘s first role was on the Sleepover Club, it was her portrayal of Neighbours‘ Rachel Kinski that really won over Australia’s hearts. Since graduating from Ramsey street, Stasey has featured in Tomorrow When The War Began, Please Like Me, and Smile. Her most recent project, Class of ’07, follows a group of women whose ten-year high school reunion is thrown into chaos by a tidal wave.
Sarah Snook
You’d be forgiven for thinking Succession‘s Sarah Snook was American. But before she was Shiv Roy, this Aussie actress appeared in Steve Jobs, The Glass Castle, and Black Mirror internationally, as well as Australian titles like Predestination, Sisters Of War, and These Final Hours.
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