Heidi Arena

Since graduating from NIDA in 2002, Heidi Arena has gained a reputation as one of Australia’s most loved chameleon actresses of both comedy and drama, best known for her recent portrayal as Mrs Gonsha in the Logie and ‘Prix Jeunesse International’ winning Little Lunch and lead cast member in all 4 series of the award-winning Thank God You’re Here.

More recently Heidi co-created and appeared in Part-Time Private Eyes (10) and received rave reviews as faux chef Audrey in Working Dog’s ABC book and cooking series Audrey’s Kitchen as well as Matchbox’s hugely successful franchise Nowhere Boys. Heidi has also enjoyed playing loved comic characters including Dawn in 3 series of ABC’s hit comedy series The Librarians as well as appearing in many other favorites including True Story with Hamish and Andy, Upper Middle Bogan, The InBESTigators, Mad As Hell, It’s A Date and Get Krackin!. Her extensive TV credits also include many loved Australian drama’s including playing Christine Nixon in Fat Tony & Co, and more recently appearing in Shantaram, LOVE Me, Jack Irish, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, and many more. Heidi has also appeared in several recent Australian films including Emo the Musical, Spirit of the Game (US release), Now Add Honey and Nowhere Boys: The Book of Shadows.

On stage, Heidi most recently appeared with Eddie Perfect in his satire The Beast in Sydney and Melbourne and has appeared with Geoffrey Rush in the sell-out season of MTC’s The Drowsy Chaperone and award-winning play August: Osage County with Robyn Nevin. She also more recently appeared in the MTC’s World Premiere American plays The Other Place, Born Yesterday and Admissions.

Heidi is now enjoying growing credits as a creator/writer with Plan G (Pilot) co-created and written with Sarah Lambert (ABC & Easy Tiger) and Part-Time Private Eyes for Channel Ten, which won the cumulative ratings for Pilot Week. Heidi currently has several other TV writing projects in development with KOJO , CJZ, ACTF, and GUESSWORK TELEVISION.

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Heidi Arena

Television

FISK (Series 3)
Role: Lisa. Dir: Kitty Flanagan & Tom Peterson, Porchlight Films | ABC, 2024
THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE (Series 6)
Guest. Dir: Peter Lawler & Rob Sitch, Working Dog Productions | Network Ten, 2024
GOING UNDER (Web Series)
Role: Sam. Dir: Greta Lee Jackson. West Street Sports Pty | 2024
THE HAIRY MARYS (Web Series)
Role: Queen Nwa. Dir: Tamara Whyte. Ffunky Munky Productions | 2024
THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE (Series 5)
Guest. Dir: Peter Lawler & Rob Sitch, Working Dog Productions | Network Ten, 2023
GOLD DIGGERS
Role: Sharon. Dir. Helena Brooks, Bjorn Stewart, Kojo Studios | ABC, 2023
LOVE ME (Series 2)
Role: Delphine. Dir: Bonnie Moir, Warner Bros | Binge, 2023
THE DISPOSABLES
Role: Carina. Dir: Renny Wijeyamohan & Sonia Whiteman, Photoplay | ABC ME, ABC iview, 2022
SHANTARAM
Role: Lauren Marks. Dir: Justin Kurzel, Apple TV+ | Paramount, 2022
MS FISHER’S MODERN MURDER MYSTERIES (Series 2)
Role: Marjorie Mereweather. Dir: Kevin Carlin, Ms Fisher’s Modern Season 2 Pty Ltd 2021
CELEBRITY NAME GAME
Guest. Fremantle Media Australia Pty Limited 2019
PART TIME PRIVATE EYES (Pilot)
Writer / Co-Producer / Role: Val. Dir: Damian Davis, Worldwide Production Services Pty Ltd 2019
GET KRACK!N (Series 2)
Role: Gayle. Dir: Hayden Guppy, Get Krack!n Series Two Pty Ltd 2019
THE INBESTIGATORS
Role: Joanna. Dir. Robyn Butler, Gristmill 2019
THE HOUSEMATE
Role: Marg. Dir: Hayden Mustica, Chips and Gravy Films 2018
BACK IN VERY SMALL BUSINESS
Role: Madeleine. Dir: Robyn Butler, Gristmill 2018
JACK IRISH (Series 2)
Role: Helen Dapcevich. Dir: Various, Easy Tiger Productions 2018
THE DOCTOR BLAKE MYSTERIES (Series 5)
Role: Helen Murphy . Dir: Daina Reid, December Media 2017
SHAUN MICALLEF’S MAD AS HELL (Series 7)
Role: Carson. ABC TV 2017
TRUE STORY WITH HAMISH & ANDY (Season 1)
Role: Barbara. Dir: Tim Bartley & Richard Franc, Radio Karate 2017
LITTLE LUNCH (Series 2)
Role: Mrs Gonsha. Dir: Various, Gristmill 2016
UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN (Series 3)
Role: Cassie. Dir: Wayne Hope, Gristmill 2016
LITTLE LUNCH (Series 1)
Role: Mrs Gonsha. Dir: Various, Gristmill 2015
NOWHERE BOYS (Series 2)
Role: Kathy Ferne. Dir: Various, Matchbox Pictures 2014-2015
IT’S A DATE (Series 2)
Role: Antoinette. Dir: Jonathan Brough, ABC TV 2014
THE WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE, AGAIN!
Role: Ms Albiston. Dir: Darren Ashton, ACTF 2014
FAT TONY & CO
Role: Christine Nixon. Dir: Peter Andrikidis, Screentime 2014
AUDREY’S KITCHEN (Series 2)
Role: Audrey Gordon. Dir: Tom Gleisner. Working Dog Productions 2013
NOWHERE BOYS (Series 1)
Role: Kathy Ferne. Dir: Various, Matchbox Pictures 2013
AUDREY’S KITCHEN (Series 1)
Role: Audrey Gordon. Dir: Tom Gleisner. Working Dog Productions 2012
OFFSPRING (Series 3)
Role: Cathy. Dir. Elissa Down, Southern Star 2012
WOODLEY
Role: Extras Casting Director. Dir: Trent O’Donnell, ABC TV 2012
THE LIBRARIANS (Series 3)
Role: Dawn McConnichie. Dir. Wayne Hope, ABC TV / Gristmill 2010
SLEUTH 101
Role: Bea. Dir: Jon Olb, Hoodlum Entertainment 2010
THE LIBRARIANS (Series 2)
Role: Dawn McConnichie. Dir. Wayne Hope, ABC TV / Gristmill 2009
THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE (Series 4)
Role: Ensemble Cast. Dir: Peter Ots & Rob Sitch, Working Dog Productions 2009
CITY HOMICIDE (Series 2)
Role: Jacqui Charteris. Dir: Daina Reid, Southern Star Entertainment 2009
THE LIBRARIANS (Series 1)
Role: Dawn McConnichie. Dir. Wayne Hope, ABC TV / Gristmill 2007
THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE (Series 3)
Role: Ensemble Cast. Dir: Peter Ots & Rob Sitch, Working Dog Productions 2007
KICK
Role: Miki’s Agent. Dir: Esben Storm, Film Victoria 2007
THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE (Series 2)
Role: Ensemble Cast. Dir: Peter Ots & Rob Sitch, Working Dog Productions 2006
THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE (Series 1)
Role: Ensemble Cast. Dir: Peter Ots & Rob Sitch, Working Dog Productions 2006
LAST MAN STANDING
Role: Charlotte Hooper. Dir: Various, Burberry Productions 2005
LITTLE OBERON (Telemovie)
Role: Claudia. Dir: Kevin Carlin, Christie Films 2005
BLUE HEELERS (Series 11)
Role: Captain Marissa Craddock. Dir: Various, Southern Star 2004
BLUE HEELERS (Series 10)
Role: Captain Marissa Craddock. Dir: Various, Southern Star 2003
SECRET LIFE OF US (Series 3)
Role: Sally. Dir. Claudia Karvan, Southern Star Entertainment 2003

Film

SPIRIT OF THE GAME
Role: Mary Condie. Dir: Darran Scott, The Steve Jaggi Company 2016
EMO THE MUSICAL
Role: Sister Kathleen. Dir: Neil Triffett, Matthewswood Productions 2016
NOWHERE BOYS: THE BOOK OF SHADOWS
Role: Kathy Ferne. Dir: David Caesar, Screen Australia 2016
NOW ADD HONEY
Role: Rhonda. Dir: Wayne Hope, Gristmill 2015
SPIDER WALK (Short)
Role: Mrs Thompson. Dir: Raphael Sammut, 2011
BILLY (Short)
Role: Mum. Dir: Damian McLindon, 2010
SMOKING WILL KILL YOU (Short)
Role: Sammy. Dir: Raphael Sammut, 2010
HUMAN LIE DETECTOR (Short)
Role: Restaurant Woman. Dir: Gordon Napier, Holscope 2006
TUCK AND COVER (Short)
Role: Nicole. Dir: John Benson, AFTRS 2003
THE MORMON CONQUEST (Short)
Role: Bronwyn. Dir: Jackie Schulz, Radhart Pictures 2003

Theatre

EMILIA
Role: Shakespeare. Dir: Morgan Lloyd Malcom, Essential Theatre 2022
ADMISSIONS
Ginnie Peters. MTC 2022
CYBEC ELECTRIC
Reader. MTC 2020
BORN YESTERDAY
Roles: Mrs Hedges/Helen/Manicurist. Dir: Dean Byrant, MTC 2017
THE BEAST
Role: Sue. Dir: Simon Phillips. The Ambassador Theatre Group 2016
THE OTHER PLACE
Roles: Dr Cindy Teller/Neurobiologist/Laurel/Juliana. Dir: Nadia Tass, MTC 2013
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
Role: Kitty. Dir. Simon Phillips, Melbourne Theatre Company 2010
AUGUST OSAGE COUNTY
Role: Karen Western. Dir. Simon Phillips, Melbourne Theatre Company 2010
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
Role: Katherina. Dir. Des James, Bell Shakespeare Company 2002
ALL MY SONS
Role: Lydia Lubey. Dir. Adam Cook, Ensemble Theatre 2002