Top 21 famous actors, models, hosts, presenters, comedians, TV stars who call Bayside home
From models and movie stars to comedians and TV presenters, some of Australia’s most famous faces – and most acclaimed international exports – have put down roots in Melbourne’s beachy suburbs. Here are Bayside’s top 21 most influential people.
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Given the current climate with coronavirus and the smack down the arts and entertainment industry has taken, we thought it would be great time to take a look at a snapshot of Bayside’s most influential media, arts and entertainment community.
Here’s more than a handful of the talent that fills our beachy suburbs.
1. Magda Szubanksi
Bayside’s resident funny girl and one of Australia’s most loved performers is none other than the wonderful Magda Szubanski. She’s a television and film actress, comedian, writer, author and in more recent years played a pivotal role as a campaigner for same sex marriage in Australia. Known for the D-Generation, Fast Forward, Big Girls Blouse and Kath and Kim, Magda is the creator of much-loved characters Pixie-Anne Wheatley, Chenille and “I said love, I said pet” Lynne Postlethwaite. Her most famous creation is Sharon Strzelecki who’s pashed Warnie, interviewed Heath Ledger on the red carpet and most recently created an iconic dance video to thank our front line health workers. A talented force of nature, she’s acted in many feature films including Babe, Babe: Pig in the City and Happy Feet Two. Her television, stage and film credits are lengthy and not surprisingly she received an Order of Australia. In 2015 she released her memoir Reckoning, winning the 2016 Douglas Stewart Prize for Nonfiction, and Book of the Year and Biography of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards. Magda has been a spokeswoman for Jenny Craig and featured in commercials for Telstra and Uber Eats. She is a patron of Twenty/10. Awards and nominations for Magda are endless and include numerous Logies, AFI Awards, AWGIE’S and more. She is a powerhouse of talent and influence and has a legion of fans worldwide.
2. Rachel Griffiths
Hitting our screens in the 90s with bona fide star power was Rachel Griffiths. She is an award-winning actor, producer and director and newly appointed Melbourne International Film Festival Ambassador for 2020. Rachel first came to Australia’s attention as Rhonda in Muriel’s Wedding and from there it was a leap across the pond to Hollywood for roles in My Best Friend’s Wedding, Six Feet Under, Blow, Me Myself I, Hilary and Jackie, Brothers and Sisters and more. She’s an Academy Award and Emmy Nominee and a Golden Globe Winner. She has performed opposite Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Heath Ledger, Toni Collette, Sally Field and Orlando Bloom to name a few. She’s performed on Broadway to rave reviews and returned to Australia in 2012. In 2015 she made her debut as a television director with the Australian teen drama Nowhere Boys. She had her feature film debut in 2019 with the highly acclaimed Ride Like a Girl. Like many of her fellow Star of the Sea alumni Rachel is a proud feminist and a strong voice for women. She famously ran through the opening of Crown Casino topless in 1997 in active protest and most recently has worked as a patron of Hagar Australia, a human rights group that aims to end people trafficking and slavery. She successfully lobbied former senator Derryn Hinch to have child sex offenders banned from receiving passports and to crack down on paedophile sex tourism. Rachel really is quite remarkable and someone we can all aspire to be more like. She’s married to visual artist Andrew Taylor and has three children Banjo, Adelaide and Clementine.
3. Eric Bana
Our resident Hollywood movie star Eric Bana hit screens in the 90s on Tonight Live with Steve Vizard. It wasn’t long before he joined Full Frontal TV-series and had Aussies laughing at his hilarious impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise and “Columbo”. His big screen debut was in the iconic Aussie classic The Castle and in that same year he went on to play Mark “Chopper” Read in the film Chopper. His performance captured the eye of Hollywood and went on to win many awards including Best Actor at the 2000 Stockholm Film Festival and AFIs. After heading to Tinseltown he co-starred in Black Hawk Down, Hulk and Troy playing against Brad Pitt before going on to work on the film on Munich with Steven Spielberg. Bana is a passionate St Kilda football club fan and a self confessed motorhead. Bayside residents often hear Eric well before he has arrived in his hotted up 1974 Ford Falcon which also featured in the documentary Love the Beast. Last year he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his performing arts and to charitable organisations. If you’re lucky you might catch Eric and Rebecca walking their dog around Elsternwick Park, popping into Mr & Mrs P or grabbing a coffee from St Martin’s. Eric lives in Brighton with his wife Rebecca and their two children Klaus and Sophia. What a local legend!
4. Bec Judd
TV and radio presenter, model, speech pathologist, homeware and clothing designer add to that brand ambassador and influencer and we’re wondering if there’s anything Bec Judd can’t do! She came to the nation’s attention in that red dress at the Brownlow Medal with then boyfriend now hubby Chris Judd. Originally from Perth, we’ve been happy to claim Bec as a Baysider. Bec has modelled extensively for many campaigns including Head and Shoulders Shampoo, Nestle, Coca Cola, JVC, McArthur’s Whiskey, Lynx, Pizza Hut and Close Up. She was also a house mode’ for Chanel and walked the catwalk for Gucci, Prada, Calvin Klein, La Perla and Dior. In 2008 she landed the prized role of Racing Ambassador for retail giant MYER, a position she held for 5 years. Bec is also the face of Paul Bram Diamonds as well as being a regular brand ambassador for Christian Dior watches, R. Corporation, Melbourne City Landrover, Jaguar and more. In short everything Bec touches turns to gold and people clamour for her brand approval. She’s been a regular on Channel 9 where she is the sole host of travel show Postcards and presents the weather the weekend 6pm Melbourne bulletin. She made the move to radio where she co-hosts the 3pm pick-up on Kiis FM. On top of all of this she is the wife of AFL superstar Chris Judd and a mum to Darcy, Billie, Oscar and Tom. In short Bec Judd is a degree educated power house. Whipsmart, a trend setter and the original influencer and she’s still only in her 30s. WOW!
5. Glenn Robbins
There must be something in the water Bayside because funny seems to run rife. Glenn Robbins is another who calls Bayside home. He’s a comedian, writer, actor, television, radio and podcast presenter. He caught the attention of Australia as Uncle Arthur in Channel 10s the Comedy Company and took character Russel Coight to his own TV timeslot. Glenn is probably best known as Kel Knight in the global success Kath and Kim. He began his acting career in the early 80s with stints on Prisoner and sketch show The Eleventh Hour. It was his hilarious characters on The Comedy Company however that took his star into overdrive. Following this he joined Fast Forward and also appeared on Full Frontal, Jimeoin and Something Stupid. He’s a regular on our television screens, radio and has a podcast with fellow funnyman Dave O’Neil. Robbins is another who is able to create Aussie characters that audiences love. He created the iconic Russell Coight in All Aussie Adventures and played the role of Kel in the television comedy series Kath & Kim. Most recently he has appeared as Wayne Wheeler in Upper Middle Bogan. No stranger to feature films, he was in the award-winning Australian film Lantana and in 2006 co-starred with Mick Molloy in the comedy feature Boy Town. This legend has been nominated for a Logie several times including for Most Popular Actor in 2003 and 2004 for his role in Kath & Kim. His wife Selina is a front liner working as a nurse and they have a daughter Tarn. You can tune into her Tik Tok channel to see Glenn being total dad goals and getting in on the action.
6. Chris Lilley
Another who got a fair whack with the funny stick is Chris Lilley who is known for his mockumentary-style television series and iconic characters such as Ja’mie King, Jonah Takulua, Mr G and most recently Gavin McGregor and Joyce Jeffries. The writer, actor and producer is a born and bred Sydneysider who now calls Bayside home. He first hit screens in the Big Bite on Channel 7 where audiences were first introduced to the legendary Mr G. Next came the ABC hit We Can Be Heroes which was Australia’s first taste of Ja’mie schoolgirl. Lilley is a true chameleon with the uncanny ability to become the character he inhabits. This creative genius just keeps on racking up the hits from Summer Heights High to Angry Boys to Ja’mie: Private School Girl to Jonah from Tonga and most recently Lunatics. He’s a Logie award winner and nominee many times over. As big fan girls of Chris Lilley’s comedy we’re super pleased he has decided to call Bayside home and can’t wait for what’s next.
7. Vincent Fantauzzo
Bringing the art Bayside is Vincent Fantauzzo. This super talent is known for his winning portraits of Heath Ledger, Matt Moran, Brandon Walters, Emma Hack, Baz Luhrmann, wife Asher Keddie and his son Luca. He has won the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the Archibald Packing Room Prize, and the Archibald People’s Choice Award four times. Migrating to Australia as a child he has a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) and a Master of Fine Art from RMIT University, Melbourne. Vincent has enjoyed solo exhibitions at Dianne Tanzer Gallery in Melbourne in 2007 and 2008 and in Mumbai India in 2007. He won the 2003 Tolarno RMIT Partnership Prize and was a finalist in the 2007 Shirley Hannan Portrait Prize, DLAP, Whyalla Art Award and Duke Gold Coast Art Prize. In 2008 he was awarded an artist’s residency at Chancery Lane Gallery in Hong Kong where he had a solo exhibition. He has also had solo exhibitions at the L.A. Art Fair and at Sydney’s Boutwell Draper Gallery, which coincided with the opening of the Archibald. He was a finalist in 2008’s Metro 5 Art Award, EMSC Award and Duke Gold Coast Art Prize. Fantauzzo is father to Luca and Valentino and is married to the actress Asher Keddie.
8. Asher Keddie
Our very own gold Logie award winner actress living bayside. Asher Keddie is mainly known for her work in television hits such as Offspring and Love My Way, she’s also taken the silver screen with legend Hugh Jackman in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Dubbed the ‘Golden Girl of Australia Television’ she’s been on our screens since the mid 80s when she kickstarted her success story in the series Five Mile Creek. She’s also tread the boards many times including for the Melbourne Theatre Company production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses as Madame de Tourvel. She won the Logie Award for Most Popular Actress five times in a row between 2011 and 2015 and in 2013 won the Gold Logie award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, for her role as Dr Nina Proudman in the Network Ten drama Offspring. In total she has seven Logie Awards. Keddie was also in the television series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and Rush. One of her most memorable roles was playing the Australian icon Ita Buttross in the ABC1’s telemovie Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, the story of Buttrose’s rise to success as the editor of Cleo magazine. In 2014, Keddie starred in Party Tricks as Premier Kate Ballard. Most recently Keddie starred in the ABC1 acclaimed series The Cry and in this years six-part series Stateless. Keddie is married to Vincent Fantauzzo with whom she has a son Valentino.
9. Gina Liano
“I’ll give you my opinion and you better be ready to hear it” says Gina Liano! Long before she was a real housewife of Melbourne, Gina Liano was a real barrister of the law courts. Gina is Bayside born and bred and another Star of the Sea alumni. In 1985, Liano went into business with her sisters running a chain of boutiques creating the 90s iconic Bettina Liano jeans. While the rest of us were partying to Prince like it was 1999 she was being admitted to the Victorian Bar. Gina currently practices in criminal law, intentional torts, commercial, family and employment law. It was a natural progression for ‘powerhouse’ Gina to hit our screens and slay The Real Housewives of Melbourne which she has dominated since 2014. Her autobiography, Fearless, was published in April 2015. She also joined the cast of Neighbours for a stint setting her on a performance trajectory including playing the wicked stepmother in the pantomime production of Cinderella at the State Theatre. Gina has a Bevilles Jewellers range, her famous Tan in a Can products and her three perfumes Gina, Fearless and Luminous. Gina always keeps it accessible – which is why we love her. She’s had her battles too, in 2003, she confronted and beat cancer and has gone on to be a valued Ambassador for the Victorian Cancer Council. She announced her new role as celebrant in line with marriage equality laws and not surprisingly has been in hot demand since. Super surprising – she won’t be contributing to our champagne consumption as she’s a non-drinker. We’d love her as our new BFF – and designated driver. We predict Uber Gina for 2021!
10. Andy Sumpter
Legendary club owner and DJ, Andy Sumpter is a Bayside identity owning and operating the most successful club in Melbourne – the iconic 161 for 20 years. During corona, 161 has been lifestreaming on weekends keeping the faithful entertained and dancing hard as they have since 1999 – a good year to party, accommodating the young and old who are young at heart (like us). Referenced as “cruisy cocktail hangout to all-out club environment” as a local school dad, Andy also looks after the school mums who don’t like the queues. Andy is a rock and roll die hard and passionate about his team, which is responsible for its unrivalled success. The formula works, from the red roped queues and the low-key hole-in-the-wall entrance, once you’ve made it up the stairs, if you can’t squeeze onto the Saturday Night Fever-style dance tiles then you can cruise the loungeroom layout and make some new friends. Andy has had this city partying for twenty years, he crosses generations and we are sure 161 will out party coronavirus and party like it’s 2021. PM us for the door list.
11. Olympia Valance
In March 2014, Valance would make her acting debut in the long-running soap opera Neighbours. Valance had been a successful model prior to her casting and was initially contracted for three years and she made her screen debut as Paige in June 2014. She has been nominated for Most Popular New Talent at the Logie Awards and Best Daytime Star at the Inside Soap Awards in 2015. In January 2016, Valance was the ambassador of the Jeep Marquee for the annual Jeep Portsea Polo event. That same month, she revealed that she signed with California-based agency Roar after they came looking for her. Valance joined the cast of Network Ten’s sports drama Playing For Keeps in May 2018. In January 2019, Network Ten announced Valance would compete on the sixteenth season of Dancing with the Stars. 2020 Australias’ Got Talent appointed her as a judge, cementing her Aussie star status. With stepdad Aussie rock performer Ross Wilson, and stepsister actress Holly Valance, she is carving her own path as Aussie starlet. Recently partnering with Thomas Bellchambers former AFL player, she moves between Melbourne and Daylesford, currently selling up her bachelorette pad.
12. Pia Miller
One half of a Hollywood power couple, these days Pia has always been a force to be reckoned with. Pia, 36, is a model, actress and television presenter now engaged to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell (worth $440 million) with a “watch this space” overhead.
Miller arrived in Melbourne aged 4, won Dolly’s annual modelling competition at 14, and later competed in the second series of Search for a Supermodel. She was a mum at 19 and has pursued her passion for acting secondary to her tight knit family. Miller has appeared in various advertising campaigns and became the co-host of Qantas’ in-flight entertainment programs in 2010. After taking acting lessons in 2009, Miller became a presenter on the travel show Postcards and made guest appearances in several television shows, including East West 101 and Neighbours. In 2015 Miller joined the regular cast of Home And Away and was Logie nominated for Best New Talen”. She found appealing her character was a strong and resilient policewoman, who was not sexualised in any way. After three years, her character was killed off in the season finale in 2017. In 2018 she set her sights on Hollywood, and landed some major roles while back home she was cast in the Nine Network drama Bite Club. She voiced the character of Sabrina in 2019’s Dora and The Lost City of Gold. After months of speculation, Pia Miller finally confirmed her romance with talent agent Patrick Whitesell in late 2019 and last November, the former Home And Away actress and the Hollywood heavyweight made their relationship red-carpet official as they attended a movie premier in Hollywood. Whitesell’s clients include Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. We’re sure Pia is in good hands as her star continues to rise.
13. Mike Amor
On our television screens night presenting the news on Channel 7 these days you’ll find the award-winning Mike Amor who swapped his Los Angeles foreign correspondent digs for local beachside ones. Amor is one of Australia’s most experienced TV correspondents and presenters and won the prestigious Edward R Murrow National Award in the Breaking News category for his moving report of the rescue of a toddler after the Haiti earthquake. He’s been nominated for not one but two Logie awards and has also won two Quill Awards! Amor has covered many of the biggest stories the world has seen from earthquakes to hurricanes to terror attacks and now the coronavirus pandemic. He was on the ground in New York during the September 11 attacks. Helped rescue Australian tourists trapped in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Amor has led Seven’s coverage for three US elections, including Barack Obama’s historic win in 2008. His credits just keep on coming. He’s also an experienced war correspondent having covered the Libyan rebellion, the Gaza war and two Fijian coups. He also covered the Norway massacre, Colorado cinema shooting, the Virginia Tech massacre, the death of Pope John Paul II, the Italian earthquake, the death of Michael Jackson, the handover of Hong Kong to China and the United Nations debate in the lead up to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It hasn’t all been serious though, he has also seen four shuttle take offs (including the final mission), numerous Oscar red carpets and has been to four Olympics and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Since returning to Australia he’s settled back into Bayside life easily, you might spot him around the streets with wife Tracy and son Addison.
14. Jennifer Hansen
Bayside loves waking up with Jen Hansen, our resident Smooth FM breakfast presenter and alumni Firbank Girls’ Grammar School. Hanson is a television and radio presenter, a journalist and blogger, actress and TV newsreader. She began her career at Ten News and was a familiar face presenting the weekend news and summer bulletins for nine years. She then moved into current affairs on Ten’s Alan Jones Live. In 1996 she was appointed the role of co-presenter with Mal Walden and held this role for ten years. After leaving Network Ten, she decided to pursue a long-held interest in acting. She has featured in newsreader roles in various drama series over the years, including Prisoner, Neighbours, and the movie BoyTown. In 2006, she played the lead role in the stage play Chasing Pegasus, which was part of the Fringe Festival and played at Gasworks Theatre. She also had a cameo in the horror movie Prey. In 2008 she read the news for the ABCs presentation of the Olympics, which extended into a news reading role that ran into 2009. A super smart businesswomen, Hansen also formed Uber Savvy – Ideas for Living, to create, develop and sell novel products. Her first invention, Booty-Up which is sold in Myers has gone on to become a wardrobe staple. The boot filler sits snugly inside women’s boots, enabling them to stand upright and prevents ‘boot droop’. Jen is married to actor Alan Fletcher and together they have two children Veronica and Tom.
15. Alan Fletcher
He might be Dr Karl to us but he’s so much more to Neighbour’s fans the world over. He’s also a musician and a photographer! Pre-pandemic you may have caught him jamming at The Elephant and Wheelbarrow on Fitzroy St with his band Waiting Room. fletcher is a seasoned theatre actor and began his career with Perth Theatre Company. Heading to Sydney he quickly graduated to our television screens. He’s appeared in The Young Doctors, Cop Shop, Sword of Honour, Love Boat and of course Neighbours. He has had numerous guest appearances on Australian television series and comedy including three radio series of the satirical ABC comedy program Don’t Get Off Ya Bike”. He’s performed with the Melbourne Theatre Company and has been nominated for numerous awards. As a result of his work on Neighbours Alan has travelled numerous times to the UK and has performed in seven pantos including Aladdin and Peter Pan. His band Waiting Room has produced two albums In the Waiting Roo m and Live at the Elephant. During his long running role on Neighbours he has also performed with The Production Company in the stage musicals Mame and Sweet Charity and two reality TV shows The Great Australian Dog of the Year and Soapstart Superstar. If you’re lucky you might run into Alan and Jen Bayside. Take it from us, they are one of the loveliest couples in the industry so if you’re feeling brave – you should muster up the courage and say hi.
16. Vince Colosimo
This AFI Award winning television, stage and screen actor is perhaps most known for his hilarious portrayal of Frank in the films The Wog Boy and The Wog Boy 2: Kings of Mykonos. Colosimos’ role alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Body of Lies is yet another testament to his talents, which saw him feature in The Great Gatsby as a coffee shop owner – truly fitting for an Aussie Italian. His role as Alphonse Gangitano in Underbelly and its spin-off series Fat Tony & Co saw his true star power punch us hard through the screen in a memorable role which saw him nominated for an AFI and Logie. Locally he is regularly seen with partner Sabella Sugar where they make a hard to miss pair.
17. Hayden Spencer & Carita Farrer Spencer
This Brighton power couple have a combined 50 years of professional excellence within the Australian and International Arts Industries. Spencer has worked with greats such as Cirque du Soleil and the world wide stage phenomenon Harry Potter & The Cursed Child and Farrer’s own extensive body of work includes National tours of Tim Finn’s box office hit musical Ladies In Black and her one woman show Larry & The Dame. Farrer is also a writer, visual artist and comedienne who has delighted locals at numerous local lunches and events. Spencer is also a writer, director performance coach known as The Performologist, training VCE students, professional performers and corporate clients. The pair runs The Grounds Cafe – a social, community hub within the Brighton Primary School grounds.
18. Tony Nikolakopoulos
Living in sunny Brighton is Tony Nikolakopoulos, a well- known Greek Australian film, television and theatre actor. Nikolakopoulos has appeared in number television shows and films but is probably best known for his work with in the films of Nick Giannopoulos including The Wog Boy and The Wannabes, and for his role as Attilio in the television series Scooter: Secret Agent. He has also performed in stage plays, including Cafe Rebetika in 2009. You might have seen him in Wentworth, Underbelly, Stingers, Blue Heelers or Sea Change on TV. Films include Kangaroo Jack, The Wog Boy 1 and 2 the iconic Head On and brilliant Predestination.
19. DJ Havana Brown
Keeping the music alive bayside is our resident DJ Havana Brown. She calls Bayside home and is an international DJ, singer and dancer. After signing with Island Records in 2008 she went on to release several songs and remixes. She has toured with Britney Spears, Rihanna, the Pussycat Dolls, Chris Brown and Enrique Iglesias. She had everyone reaching for the lasers with her hit We Run the Night, which reached number five on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The single earned Brown two ARIA Music Award nominations for Breakthrough Artist Single and Highest Selling Single. She signed a US record deal with Universal Republic via producer RedOne’s label 2101 Records. A new version of We Run the Night produced by RedOne was released, featuring American rapper Pit bull and went straight to number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart. She’s also had hits with Warrior and Big Banana. She was on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2016. No stranger to our television screens she was also in Neighbours and most recently in the film Tell Me I Love You. She calls Brighton home and we can’t wait to see her in her feature film debut.
20. Cameron Menzies
Cameron Menzies is a Helpmann Award nominated and award-winning International Australian director. His career has encompassed musical theatre, theatre, Opera and documentary filmmaking. Most recently he directed Salome for the Victorian Opera to rave reviews. Menzies has been nominated for and won awards, including 2011 Berlin New Music Opera Award, the 2008 Bayreuth Opera Award from Opera Foundation Australia, The Besen Family Artist Program (Direction) Malthouse Theatre, Australian Opera Committee scholarship, The Amy Alice McDonald Scholarship 2007 – 2011, Opus 50, scholarships from the Victorian and New South Wales Wagner Societies, and has two Green Room Award Nominations. He was the recipient of the Sydney Awards 2016 – Best Direction of an Opera, Broadway World for the Sydney Premiere of Pecan Summer at the Sydney Opera House for Short Black Opera Company. Menzies was nominated for Best Director for the Green Room Awards for Professional Theatre Excellence in Victoria. His production of The Magic Pudding is also nominated for Best Costume and Set Design, Best Conductor and won the Green Room award for Best Ensemble. He lives in Hampton with his partner Dale and their two kids.
21 Lara Shannon
If Lara Shannon looks familiar, it’s not just because she’s Bayside’s resident dog expert but also because you probably grew up watching her host your Saturday morning cartoon session in the 90s as host of Cheese TV. Since then she’s been a producer in radio, a host and producer of Eco TV, and currently presents the television show Pooches at Play on Channel 10. Our local leggy blonde is also a very talented writer and has penned a brand new book Eat, Love, Play – the ultimate guide for every dog owner. You might have seen Shannon on Channel 9 a couple of years back in the documentary Ecochick Adventures: The Trans Borneo Challenge in which she trekked through the jungle to find orang-utans. Up and coming projects include the Pet Rescuers which is another doggie show promised for 2021 – we can’t wait! Eat, Love, Play is available now, but we have it on good authority it’s already sold out – so get your name on the wait list for some doggie love!
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