When we think about Australian legends in the entertainment industry, a few names come to mind. Often, we think about successful exports; the actors who have hopped a plane and made it big in Los Angeles. But equally impressive are the iconic entertainers who have been mainstays on our local TV stations for decades.
In that regard, few people are more identifiable than Deborah Mailman. A proud Bidjara and Māori actor, Mailman hails from Mount Isa in Queensland. Her career spans 26 years and counting, and she earned early success for her role in the 1998 film, Radiance. It was this role that made her the first Aboriginal woman to win the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
In the same year, she started on Play School, and it was only a few short years before roles in The Secret Life of Us and Rabbit-Proof Fence cemented Mailman as a household name.
Her impact has continued to be felt ever since. At the 2024 Logie Awards, Mailman won Best Lead Actor in a Comedy for her role as Alex Irving in Total Control. When stepping onto the stage to accept her award, Mailman said “I really wanted this”, making clear this role is a particularly important one for her.
“The show provides a really unique point of view because firstly it looks at the scrutiny female politicians face but then we add Black to that,” Deborah explained to Pario in early 2024. “We’ve never really explored anything like this on Australian television before, which meant that the writers could go anywhere and imagine anything… So, in our show, we have Australia’s very first Indigenous Prime Minister.”
Though this may be Mailman’s most recent role, it’s not the only role she’s known for. She is an actor who transcends generations. If her win at the Logies has inspired you to dive deep into Mailman’s catalogue, then be sure to bookmark this story, where we highlight a few of her most iconic roles to date.
The Secret Life Of Us
For many millennials, The Secret Life Of Us was basically the Australian answer to Friends. Mailman starred alongside Samuel Johnson and Claudia Karvan in the series, which follows a group of young adults living in the same St Kilda apartment block as they navigate their 20s. It’s hard to believe there were only four seasons of this show, though admittedly, there were 22 episodes in each season. (Mailman appeared in all but two episodes.)
Stream The Secret Life Of Us on 10Play.
Rabbit-Proof Fence
Rabbit-Proof Fence tells the true story of Molly, Gracie, and Daisy; three Aboriginal girls in Western Australia who were forcibly taken from their mothers as part of the stolen generation. It’s set in 1931 and based on the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, written by Molly’s daughter, Doris Pilkington Garimara. “I only had such a small role,” said Mailman in an interview at the time. “When I heard about them wanting to invite me on board, I just went ‘yeah’, I had no hesitation… finally to have the story of the stolen generation to be told in such a way.”
Stream Rabbit-Proof Fence on Netflix.
Offspring
Offspring expertly captured the utter mess and chaos of everyday life. Led by Asher Keddie’s Dr Nina Proudman, Mailman played midwife Cherie Butterfield, a 30-something woman who is trying to navigate being a mother and woman in her 30s.
Total Control
Total Control recently wrapped up a four-season run on ABC, for which Mailman took out an award at the 2024 Logies. The first season of the political drama kicks off in Alex Irving’s (Mailman) first weeks as an independent who is passionate about improving the lives of her constituents in the remote community she represents. As the show progresses, she climbs the ranks to become the first Indigenous Australian Prime Minister, following the power dynamics and underhanded plays often enacted by politicians and the personal toll it takes to stand up for what’s right.
Stream Total Control on ABC iView.
Redfern Now
Redfern Now is an anthology series in which each episode tells the story of an Indigenous family living in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern. Mailman appears in the third episode of season one, titled ‘Raymond’ (though we suggest you watch the whole series).
Stream Redfern Now on ABC iView or Netflix.
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