Judy Davis

Famed for playing unorthodox characters, Australian Judy Davis was born April 23, 1955, in Perth. Leaving home at 17, she soon found herself enrolled at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, where she trained with fellow Aussie Mel Gibson.

After a stint on stage and a bit part in High Rolling (1977), Davis rose to stardom with her portrayal of the willful Sybylla Melvyn in My Brilliant Career (1979). Davis earned raves for her work in 1981's Hoodwink and snagged an Oscar nod for her turn as the adventurous Adela Quested in A Passage to India (1984). The actress has also scored a slew of Emmy nominations, winning in 1995 for Serving in Silence, in 2001 for Life with Judy Garland, and in 2007 for The Starter Wife.

Davis's later films include 1992's Husbands and Wives (netting her another Oscar nod), Absolute Power (with Clint Eastwood, 1997) and The Break-Up (2006).

Filmography