Wendy Strehlow ( 1958) is an Australian television and theatre actress, best known for her role as Judy Loveday in A Country Practice.
Early life and education
Strehlow grew up in the outback outside Rockhampton, in Queensland. She is Jewish,(14 December 2018) Summer showtime The Australian Jewish News. Retrieved on 14 December 2018 and her family originally migrated to Australia from Europe. Strehlow's considers that her family name may have been anglicised from 'Stralov'. She had a large extended family, who were farmers and ran a bakery.
She took ballet lessons from the age of four, before joining Rockhampton Little Theatre at age 11, where she played Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, cementing her love for acting. She went on to study drama at Flinders University in South Australia in 1977, and graduated the following year, in 1978. She then studied a Bachelor of Dramatic Art in Acting at Sydney's NIDA, graduating in 1980.
In 1993, Strehlow studied a post-graduate course in Movement Studies at NIDA, and has since taught Movement, Text and Acting for Camera at NIDA, Australian Theatre for Young People and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
Career
Strehlow has appeared in numerous television series. She was cast in the 1982 TV movie A Step in the Right Direction, straight out of NIDA. She then won the role of much-loved nurse sister Judy Loveday in the soap opera A Country Practice from the pilot episode in 1981. Her character did not appear for some time, because while they were waiting to see if the series was greenlit, Strehlow was offered a year of work with the South Australian Theatre Company and a role in For the Term of His Natural Life. She was, however, asked back to continue playing Judy at the end of that year, and went on to appear as the character until 1986, for 217 episodes. The role won her a Logie Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1985.
After her tenure on A Country Practice, Strehlow won the role of Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion at the Phillip Street Theatre in Sydney. She has appeared in numerous other theatre productions, including The Greening of Grace, The Memory of Water, Travesties, Broken Glass, Machinal and the Pulitzer Prize winning production, Clybourne Park. She has also performed in several Shakespeare works, including Henry IV, The Tempest, Love’s Labour’s Lost and an all-female version of The Taming of the Shrew.
From mid-2005 to 2008, Strehlow played the role of paramedic Lorraine Tanner in the Seven Network medical drama All Saints. Her other television credits include E Street, Blue Heelers, McLeod's Daughters, Home and Away and The Saddle Club.
Strehlow was nominated for a Sydney Theatre Award and a Glugs Theatrical Award for her role as Jackie in a 2012 stage production of I Want to Sleep with Tom Stoppard. In 2019, Strehlow and her fellow cast members were nominated for an Equity Ensemble Award for their performance in the boxing drama miniseries On the Ropes.
In 2023, Strehlow appeared at an event for A Country Practice, where fans had gathered at locations, including the Wandin Valley hospital.
In 2023, Strehlow appeared as Christine in a Q Theatre production of The Village, Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Queen Margaret in Richard III.
For many years, Strehlow has been a spokesperson on the rights of artists and the need for arts to be on the Australian national policy agenda.
She has worked as front of house manager at Seymour Centre / Carriageworks in Sydney since 2010.
Personal life Strehlow is married to a television sound technician and is the mother of soap actress Sophie Hensser. They have appeared on screen together in The Saddle Club and The Snip. Strehlow is a grandmother through Sophie, who has two children of her own.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Type 1981 Hoodwink Martin's Sister Feature film 1999 Dead End Det. Maggie Layton Feature film 2001 Dalkeith Miss Denham Feature film 2005 The Libertine Woman Film short2009 Dear Diary Rhonda Film short The Storymaker Grinning Gaol-Keeper Film short Clown Porn Bubbles Film short 2015 Swingers Carol Film short 2017 Falling Older Rebecca Film short 2018 Toe-Sucker Terri Film short2019 The Snip Mathilda Farrugia Film short Mystic Pines Carol Film short2020 The Complex Mum Film short Diving In Wendy Film short 2023 Wonder Down Under Barb Barrett / Wonder Down Under
Television Year Title Role Type1981 Film Continuity Herself Film documentary short A Step in the Right Direction Robyn TV film 1981–1986 A Country Practice Sister Judy Loveday 217 episodes 1982 For the Term of His Natural Life Jenny Miniseries, 3 episodes 1988 The Dirtwater Dynasty St Lukes Sister (as Wendy Stehlow) Miniseries, 1 episode1990 How Wonderful! Perfect Mum / Francine Raymond / Politician's Mistress TV film Family and Friends Janet Simmonds TV Celebrity Dance Party Singer with The Madrigirls TV special1991 Act of Necessity Cressa Buchanan TV film E Street Ruth Sloman 1 episode 1992 G.P. Alice Meyer Season 4, 1 episode 1993 Bay City Sue Walker Miniseries, regular role 1993–1994 Ship to Shore Denise Garney Season 2, 3 episodes1996 The Adventures of the Bush Patrol Maggie Dean 1 episode Natural Justice: Heat Council Clerk TV film 1997; 2000 Blue Heelers Anita Harvey / Maxine Ambrose Season 4 & 7, 2 episodes 1999 Halifax f.p. Carol Witherspoon Episode 14: "A Murder of Crows"2001 The Saddle Club Chelsea Owens 2 episodes Crash Zone Mrs. Sparks 1 episode2002 McLeod's Daughters Helen 1 episode Don't Blame the Koalas Mrs. Krantz 9 episodes 2002; 2005–2008 All Saints Jennifer Neal 1 episode 2002; 2007 Home and Away Jane Wallis 1 episode 2005–2008 All Saints Lorraine Tanner 28 episodes 2013 Skit Box 1 episode 2014 Soul Mates Cersei 1 episode2016 Here Come the Habibs Border Security 1 episode Hyde & Seek Elaine Miniseries, 1 episode 2017 Drop Dead Weird Aubrey 1 episode 2018 On the Ropes Gloria Miniseries, 4 episodes 2019 Hardball Wanda 3 episodes 2020 Tales for Uncertain Times Stepmother 3 episodes 2022 Remember My Name Doctor Keats 1 episode 2025 The White Lotus Australian tourist Season 3, 1 episode
Theatre Source: YearTitleRoleNotes1979 The Seagull NIDA, Sydney The Caucasian Chalk Circle Chorus Sydney Opera House with STC The Fire Raisers NIDA, Sydney Saved Jane St Theatre, Sydney with NIDA Love's Labour's Lost NIDA, Sydney1980 The Women Pirates Ann Bonney and Mary Read Ginny / Elizabeth / Mabel Cormac / Creole Woman NIDA, Sydney, University of Newcastle, Playhouse, Canberra Strife Madge Thomas NIDA, Sydney 1981 For the Term of His Natural Life STCSA Fanchen Price Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA The Revenger's Tragedy Court Lady Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1982 The Two Oddments or The Long and Short Of It Nimrod, Sydney 1986 Pygmalion Eliza Doolittle Phillip St Theatre, Sydney 1987 Absurd Person Singular Playhouse, Newcastle with Hunter Valley Theatre Company1991 The Norman Conquests Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Steaming Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Regal Theatre, Perth, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane with Gary Penny Productions1992 Looking Off the Southern Edge Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts with Black Swan Theatre Co Caligula in the City Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts with Theatre Unlimited The Threepenny Opera STCSA 1994 Sixteen Words for Water Subiaco Theatre, Perth with Black Swan Theatre Co & Theatre West Sistergirl Nurse Kay / Miss Simmons Regal Theatre, Perth, Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with Black Swan Theatre Co, Theatre West & MTC2002 The Tempest Ariel New Theatre, Sydney Gabriel 2003 Portia Coughlan Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney with Octopus Theatre Broken Glass Margaret Ensemble Theatre, Sydney2004 The Vagina Monologues University of Sydney The Women of Lockerbie Olive Alison NIDA Theatre, Sydney with Cumulus Productions The Flats Sarah Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney 2005 The Drowned World 2005–2007 The Memory of Water Vi Darlinghurst Theatre, Sydney, Glen St Theatre, Sydney & NSW regional tour with Critical Stages & Whoosh Productions2007 Spirit Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company Sold Hilary Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre, Sydney with Tamarama Rock Surfers2009 Travesties Nadezhda Krupskaya Sydney Opera House with STC The Taming of the Shrew Vincentio / Tailor Theatre Royal, Hobart, SA regional tour, Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare 2010 Bang Rosalie Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney 2011 Bill W. and Dr. Bob Carriageworks, Sydney with Serenity Productions2012 Four Deaths in the Life of Ronaldo Abok Riverside Theatres Parramatta with True West Theatre The Greening of Grace Jane Theatre 19, Sydney I Want to Sleep with Tom Stoppard Jackie Bondi Pavilion, Sydney with Tamarama Rock Surfers2013 Henry IV Mistress Quickly Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Melbourne, Heath Ledger Theatre, Perth, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare Return to Earth Wendy Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Independent Machinal Clerk / Nurse / Woman Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC2014 Clybourne Park Bev / Kathy Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, The Concourse, Sydney The Crucible Mrs Putnam Leura Park Estate, Curlewis with Sport for Jove 2014–2015 A Midsummer Night's Dream Bella Vista Farm, Leura Park Estate, Curlewis with Sport for Jove 2015 The Importance of Being Earnest Miss Primm 2015–2016 Love's Labour's Lost Nathalia 2017 Hysteria Yahunda Eternity Playhouse, Sydney, Darlinghurst Theatre Company One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Cheswick Reginald Theatre, Sydney with Sport for Jove Grace Under Pressure Seymour Centre, Sydney Invasia Hustle & Flow Bar, Sydney with The Leftovers Collective 2019 The Merchant of Venice Shylock Sport for Jove 2020 Twelfth Night Maria Everglades, Leura with Sport for Jove 2021 The Museum of Modern Love: Open Rehearsal and Reading Seymour Centre, Sydney2023 The Village Christine The Joan, Penrith with Q Theatre Company A Midsummer Night's Dream Puck Everglades, Leura Richard III Queen Margaret
Awards and nominations YearTitleAwardCategoryResultRef 1985 A Country Practice Logie Awards Best Supporting Actress 2012 I Want to Sleep with Tom Stoppard Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production Glugs Theatrical Awards 2019 On the Ropes Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries or Telemovie
References
External links
Wendy Strehlow at Sue Barnett Holding the Mirror Up to Wendy - Interview with Wendy Strehlow (2014)