The AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama, formerly known as the AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama, is an accolade given by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television." The award is handed out at the annual AACTA Awards, which rewards achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films.
From 2000 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards). It was then known as the AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama. When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current prize being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama.
The award was first presented in 2000 as Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series until 2002, when the title was changed to Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama. In the following year, the title was changed to Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy. By 2006, a separate comedy accolade was established, and the name changed to the current one.
The AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama is given for performances in television drama series, miniseries, telefeature, children's animation or children's drama series. Candidates for this award must be human and female, and cannot be nominated for best lead actress in a television drama in the same year, for the same production. Sacha Horler and Magda Szubanski have received two nominations each, more than any other actress in this category, with Szubanski winning one in 2000.
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years listed correspond to the year that the television programme aired on Australian television; the ceremonies are usually held the following year. The actress whose name is emphasised in boldface and highlighted in yellow have won the award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the table always lists the winning actress first and then the other nominees. (User must click on the appropriate decades to access the winners and nominees of each year.)
AFI Awards (2000–2010)AACTA Awards (2011–present)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network 2000(42nd) Lois Ramsey Grass Roots Mrs Robbins Series 1, Episode 2: "Late September" ABC Deborra-Lee Furness SeaChange Vicky Drury Series 3, Episode 3: "Hungi Jury" ABC Natalia Novikova SeaChange Francesca Series 3, Episode 2: "How Much Greener Was My Neighbour's Valley" ABC 2001(43rd) Catherine McClements The Secret Life of Us Carmen Series 1, Episode 11: "Love Sucks" Network Ten Carol Burns Blue Heelers Eunice Johnson Series 8, Episode 3: "Deadly Fascination" Seven Network Rhondda Findleton Stingers Mia Endquist Series 3, Episode 5: "Fool to Want You" Nine Network Joanne Priest Love Is a Four Letter Word Rachel Fox Episode 13: "Split" ABC
Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network 2002(44th) Magda Szubanski Kath & Kim Sharon Strzelecki Series 1, Episode 8: "Wedding" ABC Rebecca Frith Secret Bridesmaids' Business Angela ABC Sacha Horler Secret Bridesmaids' Business Lucy Dean ABC Belinda McClory All Saints Nicola Lewis Series 5, Episode 1: "Opening Night" Seven Network
Best Actress in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network 2003(45th) Essie Davis After the Deluge Beth Network Ten Maggie Dence Always Greener Sister Stern Series 2, Episode 9: "Understanding the Cry" Seven Network Sacha Horler Grass Roots Helen Manoufis Series 2, Episode 1: "Art" ABC Magda Szubanski Kath & Kim Sharon Strzelecki Series 2 ABC 2004(46th) Katie Wall Marking Time Belinda ABC Abbie Cornish Marking Time Tracey ABC Jacinta Stapleton Stingers Christina Dicheria Series 8, Episode 8: "Break and Enter" ABC Magda Szubanski Kath & Kim Sharon Strzelecki Series 3 ABC
Best Guest or Supporting Actress in Television Drama
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network 2005(47th) Anita Hegh MDA Dr. Julia Delvecchio Series 3, Episode 6: "Departure Lounge (Part 2)" ABC Alyssa McClelland Small Claims Kiara Duffy Episode 2: "White Wedding" Network Ten Alice McConnell The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant Elizabeth Network Ten Angie Milliken Through My Eyes Joy Kuhl Seven Network 2006(48th) Saskia Burmeister Blue Heelers Ashley Barker Series 13 Seven Network Emily Barclay The Silence Evelyn Hutchison ABC Margaret Harvey RAN: Remote Area Nurse Nancy Gaibui SBS Merwez Whaleboat RAN: Remote Area Nurse Bernadette Gaibui SBS 2007(49th) Vicki Saylor Call Me Mum Flo SBS Justine Clarke Love My Way Simone Showtime Lynette Curran Call Me Mum Dellamy SBS Monica Maughan The King Nana Scott TV1 2008(50th) Madeleine West Underbelly Danielle McGuire Episode 7: "Wise Monkeys" Nine Network Brittany Byrnes H2O: Just Add Water Charlotte Watsford Series 2, Episode 25: "Sea Change" Network Ten Hanna Mangan-Lawrence Bed of Roses Holly Atherton Series 1, Episode 1: "Not Worth a Cent" ABC1 Amanda Muggleton City Homicide Cathy Booth Series 1, Episode 3: "Lie Down With Dogs" Seven Network 2009(51st) Anni Finsterer 3 Acts of Murder Anne Upfield ABC1 Kathryn Beck Scorched Emily Francia Nine Network Claire Forlani False Witness Pippa Porter UKTV Kate Ritchie Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities Judi Kane Episode 4: "Business As Usual" Nine Network 2010(52nd) Deborah Mailman Offspring Cherie Butterfield Series 1 Network Ten Linda Cropper Satisfaction Loretta Hawkes Series 3, Episode 8: "Not Vanilla" Showcase Sacha Horler Hawke Jean Sinclair Network Ten Asher Keddie Hawke Blanche d'Alpuget Network Ten AACTA Awards 2011(1st) Diana Glenn The Slap Sandi Episode 3: "Harry" ABC1 Rena Owen East West 101 Mere Hahunga Season 3, Episode 5: "The Price of Salvation" SBS One Susie Porter Sisters of War Kay Parker ABC1 Lara Robinson Cloudstreet Young Rosie Pickles "Part 1" Showcase 2012(2nd) Mandy McElhinney Howzat! Kerry Packer's War Rose Mitchell "Part 2" Nine Network Shareena Clanton Redfern Now Lilly Season 1, Episode 1: "Family" ABC1 Susan Prior Puberty Blues Yvonne Hennessey Season 1, "Episode 4" Network Ten Laura Wheelwright Underground: The Julian Assange Story Electra Network Ten 2013(3rd) Kat Stewart Offspring Billie Proudman Series 4: "Episode 1" Network Ten Kris McQuade Wentworth Jacs Holt Series 1, Episode 10: "Checkmate" SoHo Heather Mitchell Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War Gretel Packer "Part 1" Nine Network Robyn Nevin Top of the Lake Jude Episode 4: "A Rainbow Above Us" UKTV 2014(4th)Chelsie Preston-CrayfordThe CodeEpisode 1ABCCharlotte BestPuberty BluesSeason 2, Episode 8Network TenPiper MorrisseySecrets & LiesEpisode 6Network TenDenise RobertsSchapelleNine Network 2015(5th)Sigrid ThorntonPeter Allen: Not the Boy Next DoorJudy GarlandEpisode 1Seven NetworkHarriet DyerLove ChildSeason 2, Episode 3Nine NetworkRarriwuy Hick Redfern NowABCHannah MonsonGlitchKirsten "Kirstie" DarrowEpisode 4ABC 2016(6th)Celia PacquolaThe Beautiful LieEpisode 3ABCCaroline BrazierRakeEpisode 8ABCSacha HorlerThe Kettering IncidentEpisode 3Foxtel/ShowcaseSianoa Smit-McPheeThe Kettering IncidentEpisode 1Foxtel/Showcase 2017(7th)Nicole KidmanTop of the Lake: China Girl Foxtel/BBC FirstEmma BoothBlue Murder: Killer CopSeven NetworkTina BursillDoctor DoctorNine NetworkAndrea DemetriadesSeven Types of AmbiguityABC 2018(8th)Deborah MailmanMystery RoadCaroline BrazierRakeNicole ChamounSafe HarbourCelia IrelandWentworthTasma WaltonMystery Road 2019(9th)Rachel GriffithsTotal ControlRachel AndersonKate BoxLes NortonLauren 'Lozza' Johnson Asher KeddieThe CryAlexandra Brooke SatchwellMr InbetweenAllyJacki WeaverBloomGwendolyn "Gwen" Reed 2020(10th)Cate Blanchett StatelessJacqueline McKenzieBloomNgaire PigramMystery Road Tasma WaltonMystery RoadJacki WeaverBloomGwendolyn "Gwen" Reed 2021(11th)Rachel GriffithsTotal ControlRachel AndersonMichelle Lim DavidsonThe NewsreaderMarg DowneyThe Newsreader Harriet DyerWakefieldNoni HazlehurstThe End 2022(12th)Brooke SatchwellThe TwelveHayley McElhinneyMystery Road: OriginJacqueline McKenzieSavage River Heather MitchellLove MeMagda SzubanskiAfter the Verdict
See also AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama AACTA Awards
Notes
B: Natalia Novikova is currently known as Natasha Novak, but was credited under the aforementioned name in SeaChange.
References