Bessie Holland is a proud Worimi and Biripi actor and director.

Bessie is most noted for their stellar lineup of stand out theatrical performances. They have performed for many of Australia’s leading theatre companies, including Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company. Productions include Accidental Death of an Anarchist, The House of Bernarda Alba, Blaque Showgirls, Summertime in the Garden of Eden, The Sovereign Wife, Cosi and The Lower Depths. In 2019 they reprised the role of Cherry in Cosi for Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company, which earned them a Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Their most recent role has been behind the scenes, where they were Assistant Director to Sarah Goodes on MTC’s Home, I’m Darling.

On camera, Bessie has appeared in Foxtel’s long-running series Wentworth as Stella Radic. They have also featured in the ABC’s contemporary reimagining of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, A Beautiful Lie, as well as the satirical breakfast television show, Get Krack!n. They recently appeared in the ABC series Wakefield, directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse and Fisk, directed by Kitty Flanagan and Tom Peterson.

In 2022 Bessie will feature in The Exhibitionists, a docu-comedy celebrating women in the arts.

Television

RFDS (Series 3)
Role: Andrea. Dir: Shawn Seet, Endemol Shine Australia | Seven Network, 2024
THE STRANGE CHORES (Series 3)
Role: Gina. Dir: Scott Vanden Bosch, Ludo Studio| ABC, 2023
THE SPOOKY FILES
Role: Celebrant. Dir: Guy Edmonds, Megaboom Pictures | ABC, 2023
FISK (Series 2)
Role: Peggy. Dir: Kitty Flanagan & Tom Peterson, Origma Productions Pty Ltd | ABC, 2022
IRREVERANT
Role: Renee  Dir: Jonathan Teplitzky, Matchbox Pictures | Peacock, 2022
THE EXHIBITIONISTS (Documentary)
Role: Themself / Ms Fire. Dir: Helena Brooks, Northern Pictures Productions Pty Ltd 2022
THE TOURIST
Role: Andrea. Dir: Christopher Sweeney, Highview Productions 2021
FISK
Role: Peggy. Dir: Kitty Flanagan & Tom Peterson, Entitled Productions Pty Ltd 2020
WAKEFIELD
Role: Tessa Knight. Dir: Jocelyn Moorhouse, Wakefield TV PTY LTD 2020
GET KRACK!N (Series 2)
Role: Astrid. Dir: Hayden Guppy, Katering Productions 2018
WENTWORTH (Series 6)
Role: Stella Radic. Dir: Various, Fremantle Media / Foxtel 2017
WENTWORTH (Series 5)
Role: Stella Radic. Dir: Various, Fremantle Media / Foxtel 2016
WENTWORTH (Series 4)
Role: Stella Radic. Dir: Various, Fremantle Media / Foxtel 2015
A BEAUTIFUL LIE
Role: Bride. Dir: Peter Salmon, Endemol / ABC 2015
WENTWORTH (Series 3)
Role: Stella Radic. Dir: Kevin Carlin, Fremantle Media / Foxtel 2014
WENTWORTH (Series 2)
Role: Stella Radic. Dir: Kevin Carlin, Fremantle Media / Foxtel 2014

Theatre

BLITHE SPIRIT
Role: Ruth Condomine.  Sydney Theatre Company 2022
COSI
Role: Cherry. Dir: Sarah Goodes, Melbourne Theatre Company / Sydney Theatre Company 2019
ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST
Role: Inspector Pisani. Dir: Sarah Giles, Sydney Theatre Company 2018
THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA
Role: Magda. Dir: Leticia Caceres, Melbourne Theatre Company 2018
BLAQUE SHOWGIRLS
Role: Ginny Jones. Dir: Sarah Giles, Malthouse Theatre 2016
SUMMERTIME IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN
Role: Big Daddy. Dir: Declan Greene, Sisters Grimm / Griffin Theatre Theatreworks 2013
THE SOVEREIGN WIFE
Role: Mr Scott. Dir: Declan Greene, Sisters Grimm / Melbourne Theatre Company 2013
COSI
Role: Cherry. Dir: Denis Moore, Hit Productions 2010
THE LOWER DEPTHS
Role: Kavashnya. Dir: Ariette Taylor, Ariette Taylor Productions 2009

Film

THE POUT-POUT FISH
Role: Baz. Dir: Ricard Cussó & Rio Harrington, Like A Photon Creative | 2024
THE DRY
Role: Sally. Dir: Robert Connolly, The Dry Production Pty Ltd 2020
BILLY THE KID (Short)
Role: Ruby. Dir: Leticia Caceres, Leticia Caceres Productions 2017

Directing

HOME, I’M DARLING
Assistant Director. Melbourne Theatre Company 2020

Nominations

SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS Nominated – Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role for Cosi (2019)

Training

Voice and Dialect Coach – Jenny Kent
The Actors Coach, Acting for the Camera – Kevin Harrington / Shane Connor 2011
Bachelor of Arts – Performing Arts, University of Ballarat 2007