Gina Riley is an acclaimed actress, writer, singer, and comedian best known for her unforgettable characters on the sketch shows Fast Forward, Full Frontal, Big Girl’s Blouse, and Something Stupid. She co-created, wrote, and executive produced four hugely successful seasons of Kath & Kim—also lending her voice to its iconic opening titles—as well as the telemovie Da Kath & Kim Code and the feature film Kath & Kimderella.

Her work has earned her multiple honours, including Helpmann, TV Week Logie, AFI, Green Room, and AWGIE awards.

On television, Gina has appeared in Please Like Me, The Beautiful Lie, Open Slather, The Games, The Bob Downe Show, Bligh, Acropolis Now, and While You’re Down There.

Her stage credits are equally impressive, with standout roles such as Duchess Estonia Dulworth in Nice Work If You Can Get It, Matron Mama Morton in Chicago, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, as well as performances in Merrily We Roll Along, Falsettos, and The New Rocky Horror Show (as Janet). She has also appeared in the feature films Just Us and Bad Eggs.

In 2016, Gina starred as Mrs Thornhill in the return season of North By Northwest and reprised her role as Donna in the fourth season of Please Like Me. She also played Charlotte Shelton—the sharp-tongued mother and nemesis of Ryan Shelton—in How To Life, a short-form comedy for Channel 4, and performed with Melbourne Theatre Company in Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband.

Most recently, Gina captivated audiences as Mrs Lovett in the 40th Anniversary production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Awards

HELPMANN AWARDS Nominee – Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Chicago (2009)
TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS Winner – Most Outstanding Miniseries/Telemovie for Kath & Kim (2008)
TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS Nominee – Most Outstanding Miniseries/Telemovie for Da Kath & Kim Code (2006)
TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS Nominee – Most Outstanding Comedy Program for Kath & Kim (2005)
TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS Nominee – Most Popular Actress for Kath & Kim (2005)
TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS Nominee – Most Popular Light Entertainment / Comedy Program for Kath & Kim (2003, 2004 & 2005)
AFI AWARDS Nominee – Best Screenplay in Television for Kath & Kim (2004)
TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS Winner – Most Outstanding Comedy Program for Kath & Kim (tie with CNNNN) (2004)
AFI AWARDS Nominee – Best Comedy Series, Sitcom or Sketch for Kath & Kim (2003, 2004)
AFI AWARDS Nominee – Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama or Comedy for Kath & Kim (2003, 2004)
TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS Winner – Most Outstanding Comedy Program for Kath & Kim (2003)
AFI AWARDS Winner – Best Television Drama Series for Kath & Kim (2002)
AFI AWARDS Winner – Best Screenplay in a Television Drama for Kath & Kim (2002)
VICTORIAN GREEN ROOM AWARDS Winner – Best Female Artist in a Leading Role for Falsettos (1995)
AWGIE AWARDS Winner – Comedy Revue / Sketch for Big Girl’s Blouse (1995)

Television

KATH & KIM (20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL)
Role: Kath. Dir. Ted Emery, Seven Network 2022
FISK (Season 2)
Role: Maureen. Dir. Kitty Flanagan & Tom Peterson, Origma 45 Pty Ltd / ABC 2022
HOW TO LIFE (Web Production)
Role: Charlotte Shelton. Dir: Tim Bartley, Stand Up Productions Pty Ltd 2016
PLEASE LIKE ME (Series 4)
Role: Donna. Dir: Matt Saville, Please Like Me Series Four Pty Ltd 2016
DENISE
Role: Aynne. Dir: Nicholas Bufalo, 7 Network 2015
PLEASE LIKE ME (Series 3)
Role: Donna. Dir: Matt Saville, Please Like Me Series Three Pty Ltd 2015
THE BEAUTIFUL LIE
Role: Catherine. Dir: Glendyn Ivin & Peter Salmon, Endemol Australia Productions 2015
OPEN SLATHER
Role: Various. Dir: Natalie Bailey, McWaters Productions 2015
KATH & KIM
Role: Kimberly ‘Kim’ Day Craig / Trude / Robyn Nevinish. Riley Turner Productions 2002 – 2007
‘LITTLE BRITAIN’ DOWN UNDER (TV Movie Documentary)
Role: Kim Day Craig. Dir: Mike Christie, Little Britain Productions 2007
DA KATH & KIM CODE (TV Movie)
Role: Kim Craig / Trude. Dir: Ted Emery, Riley Turner Productions 2005
THE BOB DOWNE SHOW
Role: Coralee Hollow. Red Heart Productions 2000 – 2001
THE GAMES
Role: Gina. ABC TV 1998 – 2000
SOMETHING STUPID
Various Characters. Network 7 1998
BIG GIRL’S BLOUSE
Various Characters, Creator, Writer. Network 7 1994
A ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY (TV Movie)
Role: Peter Harvey. Dir: John Clarke, Network 7 1993
THE MAKING OF NOTHING (TV Movie)
Role: Lyndal Roberts. Dir: Ted Emery, Artist Services 1993
FULL FRONTAL
Role: Guest Performer. Network 7 1993
FAST FORWARD
Various Characters, Writer. Network 7 1990 – 1992
BLIGH
Role: Elizabeth Macarthur. Network 7 1992
ACROPOLIS NOW
Role: Demi Cashimides. Network 7 1990
WHILE YOU’RE DOWN THERE
Various Characters. ABC TV 1986

Film

KATH & KIMDERELLA
Role: Kim Craig née Day / Trude. Dir: Ted Emery, Riley Turner Productions 2012
BAD EGGS
Role: AMW Host. Dir: Tony Martin, A Million Monkeys 2003
JUST US
Role: Cathy. Dir: Gordon Glenn, Entertainment Media 1986

Theatre

SWEENEY TODD
Role: Mrs Lovatt. Dir: Theresa Borg, TEG Life Like Company 2019
AN IDEAL HUSBAND
Role: Lady Markby. Dir: Dean Bryant, Melbourne Theatre Company 2018
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
Role: Mrs Thornhill. Dir: Simon Phillips, Kay & McLean Productions Pty Ltd 2015
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT
Role: Duchess Estonia Dulworth. Dir: Roger Hodgman, The Production Company 2015
CHICAGO
Role: Mama Morton. Gordon Frost Organisation 2009
INTO THE WOODS
Role: The Baker’s Wife. Dir: Roger Hodgman, Melbourne Theatre Company 1998
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
Role: Mary. Dir: Wayne Harrison, Sydney Theatre Company 1996
THE NEW ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Role: Janet. Dir: Nigel Triffitt, Paul Dainty Group 1992
CHICAGO
Role: Mama Morton. Gordon Frost Organisation 2009
FALSETTOS
Role: Trina. Dir: Wayne Harrison, Sydney Theatre Company 1994