Wikipedia

Ursula Yovich

Ursula Yovich
Born
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Occupation(s)Actress, singer

Ursula Yovich is an Aboriginal Australian actress and singer. She is known for numerous stage appearances, for co-writing and appearing in the rock musical Barbara and the Camp Dogs (2017), and several film and TV appearances.

Early life and education

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Yovich was born in 1977[1] in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, also growing up there. Her father, Slobodan Jović, was a Bosnian Serbian immigrant who anglicised his name to Stan Yovich. Her mother is an Aboriginal Burarra woman from north-west Arnhem Land near the Blyth River, with the closest community being Maningrida.[2] Raised in Darwin with her Dad, both her parents spoke English as a second language.[3]

Yovich started singing when she was young, and at the age 13, began formal music training when her father enrolled her in singing classes. She later joined one of the local youth theatre groups.[3] She eventually left Darwin to study in Perth,[4] graduating from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts in 1996,[5] before eventually relocating to Sydney.[4]

Career

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Yovich has appeared in more than 50 theatre and musical theatre productions, including Capricornia, Mother Courage and her Children, The Sapphires, Natural Life, Nailed, The Sunshine Club, Jerry Springer the Opera, Nathaniel Storm, and The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom.[6][7][8][9]

Yovich co-wrote the libretto and songs for rock musical Barbara and the Camp Dogs with Alana Valentine, and appeared in the show alongside Elaine Crombie.[10][11] She wrote and starred in her own one-woman cabaret, Magpie Blues and also wrote The Man with the Iron Neck, which toured Australia from 2018 to 2019.[12]

Yovich featured in Australia’s first Aboriginal opera, Pecan Summer. She toured both locally and internationally with the musicians of Black Arm Band in Dirtsong. She has also performed in the all-girl group, Barefoot Divas.[12]

Yovich's film credits include drama Jindabyne (2006), Baz Luhrmann epic Australia (2008), Around the Block (2013), crime thriller Goldstone (2016)[13][14][15] and romantic comedy Top End Wedding (2019).[12]

She has appeared in television series' including Redfern Now, season 2 of the crime drama series Mystery Road, and the comedy series Preppers.[16] Other television credits include Wakefield, Wanted, The Code, The Gods of Wheat Street.[12] Rake, The Moth Effect, The Twelve, Irreverent, How to Stay Married, Doctor Doctor, Faboriginal and Devil's Dust.[15]

Yovich is a writer on the NITV animated children’s TV series Little J & Big Cuz, in which she also voiced the characters of Nanna and Levi.[12] Additionally, she was the subject of an episode of the SBS documentary series Blaktrax.[16]

In 2019, while filming for Mystery Road, Yovich announced that after 22 years, she was stepping away from the theatre, saying she couldn't pretend that she wanted to pursue theatre any longer.[17] In 2024, she made a theatre comeback, appearing in The Lewis Trilogy.[18]

Awards and nominations

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Year Work Award Category Result Ref
2002 Ursula Yovich Tudawali Awards Bob Maza Memorial Award Won [19][20]
2007 Capricornia Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Won [21]
2010 Magpie Blues Helpmann Awards Best Cabaret Performer Nominated [22]
2015 Ursula Yovich Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards Outstanding Body of Work in Theatre Won [23]
2016 The Eulogy (pitch/unwritten) Balnaves Foundation Indigenous playwrights award Won [24]
2017 Barbara and the Camp Dogs Sydney Theatre Awards Best New Australian Work Nominated [25]
Sydney Theatre Awards Best Original Score Nominated [25]
Sydney Theatre Awards Best Female Actor Nominated [25]
2018 AWGIE Awards Music Theatre AWGIE Nominated [25]
2019 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Musical Won [26]
Helpmann Awards Best Original Score Won [26]
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting (with Alana Valentine) Nominated [27]
Top End Wedding AACTA Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [22]
2020 Top End Wedding Film Critic’s Circle of Australia Awards Best Supporting Actor Won [22]
2021 Ursula Yovich Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director's Award Won [28]

Personal life

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As of 2009 Yovich was married to Stewart O'Connell, a lawyer, and the couple has one daughter.[29]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 My Bed Your Bed Della Short film
2006 Jindabyne Alice
2008 $9.99 Camille (voice) Animated film
Australia Daisy
2010 Aesop's Way Adrian's Wife Short film
2013 Destiny in the Dirt Danni Short film
Around the Block Chrissie
2014 Spirit Stones Eva Short film
2016 Goldstone Maria
2019 Top End Wedding Daffy Ford
Totem and Ore Testimonies reader Documentary
2023 The Royal Hotel Carol
TBA It Will Find You Aunty Completed
TBA Whale Shark Jack Hazel In post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2002 Blue Heelers Elvira Cook Episode: "Reflection"
2012 Devil's Dust Pauline Gordon Miniseries, 2 episodes
2012–2013 Redfern Now Nic Shields Episodes: "Stand Up", "Pokies"
2014 Rake Holly Episodes: "3.4", "3.5"
The Gods of Wheat Street Eden Freeburn Regular role, 6 episodes
The Code Kitty Boyd Recurring role, 5 episodes
2017–2021 Little J & Big Cuz Levi 37 episodes
2018 Wanted Shirley Episode: "3.3"
2020 Mystery Road Pansy 6 episodes
2021 The Moth Effect Megan Episode: "Have You Heard of the White Ant?"
Preppers Kelly 6 episodes[30]
Doctor Doctor Magistrate Episode: "Reasonable Doubt"
Wakefield Maria 1 episode
2022 The Twelve Hope Saunders 4 episodes
Irreverent Grace 6 episodes
2023 Deadloch 6 episodes
Home and Away Victoria Hudson 2 episodes
Faraway Downs Daisy 6 episodes
2024 Total Control Robin Episode: #3.4[31]
Blakball Various roles
Pleasant Avenue Iris King Miniseries, 4 episodes
Troppo Ronnie 8 episodes
2025 Playing Gracie Darling Zarah Cusic 1 episode
Top End Bub Daffy Ford 8 episodes

Theatre

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As performer

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
1999 The Sunshine Club STC / QTC [5]
2001 The Small Poppies Lep Belvoir, Sydney [5]
2001–2002 My Girragunji Various roles Bell Shakespeare
2002 The Dreamers Meena Belvoir, Sydney
The Anatomy Lesson of De Ryush Rachel Vitalstatistix
2003–2004 The Threepenny Opera Polly Belvoir, Sydney, Bogata Festival, Columbia
2004 Riverland Milly Windmill Theatre Co [5]
2004–2005 The Sapphires Julie MTC, Belvoir, Sydney [32][1]
2005 Nailed May Griffin Theatre Company [33]
2006 Capricornia Tocky O'Cannon Belvoir, Sydney
Seven Stages of Grieving Solo show STC [5]
Afternoon of the Elves Jane Windmill Theatre Co [5]
2007 The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom Ragged Blossom Belvoir, Sydney / Windmill Theatre Co
2008 Romeo & Juliet Nurse STC
An Oak Tree Guest Belvoir, Sydney
2009 Jerry Springer: The Opera Andrea Sydney Opera House [1]
One Night the Moon The Tracker's Wife Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne [22][34]
The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Sydney Theatre with Windmill Theatre Co and STC [35]
2009–2010 Magpie Blues International Cabaret Festival, Adelaide, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Cabaret Festival, Garma Festival, Arnhem Land, Melbourne International Arts Festival [1]
2010 Waltzing the Willarra Elsa Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, Perth [1]
Pecan Summer (opera) Singer [1]
2011 Bloodland Cherish STC
2012; 2013 Barefoot Divas Sydney Festival, Queensland Music Festival [1]
2012; 2014 The Magic Hour Solo show Deckchair Theatre, Perth, Australian tour with Performing Lines [36]
2013 The Secret River Dhirrumbin STC [1]
Mother Courage and Her Children Mother Courage QPAC with QTC [37][1]
2014 A Christmas Carol Mrs Cratchett Belvoir, Sydney [22]
20 Questions Belvoir, Sydney [38]
Santos Opening Night Concert MC Garmalang Festival, Darwin [39]
2015 Dirt Song Performer NZ tour with Black Arm Band
Love and Information Various roles STC / Malthouse Theatre
Four Little Birds Garmalang Festival, Darwin [39]
2016 The Golden Age Elizabeth STC
Power Plays TV Producer STC
Creature: Dot & the Kangaroo Kangaroo QPAC, Brisbane with Stalker Theatre for Out of the Box festival [22][40]
2017 Heart is a Wasteland Raye Brown Cab Productions / Malthouse Theatre
Diving for Pearls Barbara Griffin Theatre Company
1967: Songs in the Key of Yes Adelaide Festival, Sydney Opera House for Sydney Festival with Secret Chord [22][41]
2017; 2019 Barbara and the Camp Dogs Barbara Belvoir, Sydney [42]
2018 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Givola STC
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (development) Performer Force Majeure
Dubboo – Life of a Songman Artist Carriageworks, Sydney with Bangarra Dance Theatre
2018–2019 Man with the Iron Neck Rose Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival, Darwin Festival with Legs on the Wall [43][12]
2019 Badu Gili (live music series) Sydney Opera House [22]
2020 The 5th Baiame's Performer Ngunnhu Festival 2020
2021; 2024 Well-Behaved Women Ensemble Cast Neglected Musicals / Belvoir, Sydney [44]
2022; 2023 An Evening with Ursula Yovich Solo performer Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Sydney Festival [39]
2023 Aretha: A Love Letter to the Queen of Soul Performer Sydney Opera House
2024 The Lewis Trilogy Norma / Cherry / Malcolm Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company [18]
2025 The Black Woman of Gippsland Auntie Rochelle / Ensemble MTC [45]
Natural Life [33][1]
Nathaniel Storm [33]
Corrugation Road Black Swan State Theatre Company [5]
Darlinghurst Nights Darwin Theatre Company [5]
Winyanboga Yurringa Carriageworks, Sydney [22]
Red Carpet Cabaret Darlinghurst Theatre [22]

As writer/director

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
2017; 2019 Barbara and the Camp Dogs Playwright Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [46]
2018 The Fever and the Fret (development) Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney [39][47]
2018–2019 Man with the Iron Neck Playwright Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival, Darwin Festival with Legs on the Wall [43][12]
2021 Outdated Assistant Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney [39][48]
2022 A Letter for Molly Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2023; 2024 Tracker Co-writer Australian national tour with Australian Dance Theatre & Ilbijerri Theatre Company [39]

[39]

Discography

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  • Sketches EP (2004)
  • Ursula Yovich Live (2010)[39]
  • Well-Behaved Women (2023, contributing vocalist)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Sapphires". Theatregold. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  2. ^ Gibson, Joel (6 April 2009). "Best of both worlds: mixed marriages blooming". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  3. ^ a b "Ursula Yovich – Life Journey". www.deadlyvibe.com.au. 18 October 2010.
  4. ^ a b Joseph, Dione (28 September 2010). "Ursula Yovich". www.australianstage.com.au.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Wizard of Oz". www.windmill.org.au. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Baby, you've hit the big time now". Northern Territory News 30 December 2007
  7. ^ "Who's That Girl?" Archived 4 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Deadly Vibe Issue 113 July 2006
  8. ^ "Ursula Yovich" Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Song Summit Sydney
  9. ^ "The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 January 2007.
  10. ^ Litson, Jo (20 February 2019). "Review: Barbara and the Camp Dogs (Belvoir)". Limelight. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  11. ^ Tongue, Cassie (18 December 2017). "Barbara and the Camp Dogs: how one woman's anger became a rock show". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g "The Luminary Series Artists and Episodes". www.darlinghursttheatre.com. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Other Voices". Deadly Vibe. 4 August 2008.
  14. ^ "Ursula unwinds and says 'yes' to Stewart". Northern Territory News. 28 October 2008.
  15. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Belvoir was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ a b "On the box". Green Left Online. 17 October 2007.
  17. ^ Howard, Jane (13 August 2019). "Ursula Yovich on giving up theatre: 'It wasn't making me happy any more'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  18. ^ a b Guenzler, Joseph (15 March 2024). "Ursula Yovich marks stage return with The Lewis trilogy". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  19. ^ "Screen Australia's Indigenous Department celebrates 25 years". Screen Australia. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Bob Maza Fellowship". AustLit. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Meet the Territory's new star". Northern Territory News. 8 August 2007. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Well Behaved Women". AusStage. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  23. ^ "Winners of the 2015 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  24. ^ "Fellowship and Residencies". Belvoir St Theatre. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  25. ^ a b c d "Helpmann nominee Ursula Yovich to bow out on top". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  26. ^ a b "2019 Nominees and Winners". Helpmann Awards. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  27. ^ "Nick Enright Prize for Playwrighting 2019 Shortlist". State Library of NSW. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  28. ^ Cristi, A. A. "Ursula Yovich Awarded Ensemble Theatre's Sandra Bates Director's Award". Broadway World Sydney, 11 November 2020
  29. ^ Most indigenous Australians now 'marrying out', study finds Joel Gibson. The Sydney Morning Herald 6 April 2009
  30. ^ Byram, Vickii (15 November 2021). "ABC TV comedy Preppers stars a cohort of brilliant Indigenous actors and a stellar guest star line-up". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Total Control filming third and final series | TV Tonight". June 2023.
  32. ^ "The Sapphires". Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  33. ^ a b c "Ursula Yovich – Life Journey". www.deadlyvibe.com.au. 18 October 2010.
  34. ^ "One Night The Moon – Malthouse Theatre". www.australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  35. ^ Simmonds, Diana (26 October 2009). "The Wizard of Oz". www.stagenoise.com.
  36. ^ Tan, Monica (9 August 2014). "The Magic Hour review – women who fail, flail and persist nonetheless". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  37. ^ Dionysius, Bobbi-Lea (19 June 2013). "Mother Courage and Her Children". AussieTheatre.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  38. ^ "20 Questions". www. belvoir.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  39. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ursula Yovich". www.mollisonkeightley.com. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  40. ^ "Creature: An Adaptation of Dot and the Kangaroo". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  41. ^ Spring, Alexandra (18 January 2017). "1967: Music in the Key of Yes review – an impassioned retrospective on Indigenous rights". The Guardian.
  42. ^ "Barbara and the Camp Dogs". Australian Arts Review. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  43. ^ a b "Review: Man with the Iron Neck at the Dunstan Playhouse". Theatre Travels. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  44. ^ "Well-Behaved Women". Limelight. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  45. ^ "The Black Woman of Gippsland". MTC. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  46. ^ "Barbara and the Camp Dogs". Australian Arts Review. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  47. ^ "Cast Announcement: The Fever and the Fret". Ensemble Theatre, Sydney. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  48. ^ "Outdated". Ensemble Theatre, Sydney. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
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