Zahra Newman is a Jamaican-born Australian actress.
Early life and education Newman was born in Port Antonio Jamaica and spent her formative years in Kingston before migrating to Australia at the age of 14 with her mother. Her interest in the performing arts was nurtured through her involvement with Father HoLung and Friends, the Caribbean-style music and theatre arts group associated with Missionaries of the Poor. Later, in Brisbane Australia, performance opportunities with Harvest Rain Theatre Company served to cement her passion for and commitment to the stage. She graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2008.
Career She appeared as Nabalungi in the original Australian cast of The Book of Mormon.
Newman has performed extensively with leading theatre companies in Melbourne and Sydney. Her theatre credits include Miss Julie, The Effect, The Mountaintop, The Cherry Orchard, Clybourne Park, The Drowsy Chaperone, Richard III and Rockabye for Melbourne Theatre Company; Rosalind in As You Like It for Bell Shakespeare; The Blind Giant is Dancing, Ivanov and Private Lives for Belvoir; Love and Information for Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company; The Government Inspector for Belvoir and Malthouse Theatre; and Random for the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Theatre Company and Brisbane Powerhouse. She also appeared in the original Australian cast of the musical An Officer and A Gentleman.
Her television and film credits include Wentworth, Rush, Childhood's End and Neighbours.
Filmography Film +YearTitleRoleNotesRef2024Addition Film2023Our HauntAbbyShort2022Thirteen LivesOlivia Taft2021Long Story ShortLeanneFeature film2015TruthDana Roberson2012HoldLilyShort film
Television Year Title Role NotesRef 2010 Rush Kara Davidson 2 episodes2015 Childhood's End Bridget Rodricks Episode: "The Overlords" 2016 Comedy Showroom Fran Wright Episode: "Bleak" 2017 Wentworth Iman Farah 5 episodes Sisters Felicity 4 episodes 2019 Diary of an Uber Driver Beck 6 episodes 2020 Rosehaven Amy 2 episodes 2020–2021 Neighbours Audrey Hamilton Recurring character2021SpreadsheetHelena8 episodes2022Pieces of HerSgt Wilson2 episodes2023Erotic StoriesLelia1 episode (Imperfect Paw Paw)2024-25AustinMonica3 episodes2026Last SeenIsabel PenaTV series
Stage In 2024, Newman would play all 23 characters in Sydney Theatre Co's Dracula. Newman would also played music legend Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill . In 2023, Newman appeared alongside Bert La Bonté in Fences. +YearTitleRoleNotesRef2024DraculaVariousSydney Theatre CoThe Hate RaceMaxineSydney Theatre Co2023Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and GrillBillie HolidayMelbourne FencesRose MaxonSydney Theatre Co2022A Raisin in the SunRuth YoungerSydney Theatre Co2021Girl From North CountryMarianne Lane2019-20Wake in FrightJohn GrantSydney Theatre Co / Malthouse2019Cat on a Hot Tin RoofMaggieSydney Theatre Co2018randomVariousBelvoir St2016The Mill on the FlossMaggie2016Miss JulieKristinSydney Theatre Co2012An Officer and a GentlemanSeegar
Awards and nominations In 2014, Newman was nominated for Helpmann Awards for both Best Female Actor in Play for The Mountaintop and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for The Government Inspector. She received a Green Room Award for Female Actor for Random in 2012.
References
External links
Zahra Newman at Shanahan Management