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Zoe Terakes

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Zoe Terakes
Born
Australia
OccupationActor
Years active2017–present

Zoe Terakes (/təˈrækɪs/[1]) is an Australian actor. They[a] are known for playing Reb Keane in the series Wentworth (2020–2021) and Hayley in the horror film Talk to Me (2022).

Early life and education

Terakes attended SCEGGS Darlinghurst for high school.[citation needed] Terakes had not considered acting as a career, until their grade 11 drama teacher recommended visiting an agent who ended up securing their work.[3] They completed their HSC whilst appearing on stage in A View from the Bridge, a theatre production in Sydney from director Iain Sinclair.[4][5]

Career

Their work on A View from the Bridge led them to receive Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production, and as joint winner, the Best Newcomer Award.[6] The production also scored Terakes a Helpmann Award nomination.[7][8]

At the age of 17, Terakes made their on-screen debut in the role of Pearl Perati, a homeless teenager, in ABC's Janet King alongside Marta Dusseldorp.[5][9][10][3]

Other theatre credits of Terakes include Metamorphoses and The Wolves for The Old Fitz and Henrik Ibsen's theatre production of A Doll's House Part 2 at the Melbourne Theatre Company.[10][6]

Terakes played Reb Keane, a trans man, in season eight of Australian TV series Wentworth, the critically acclaimed reboot of Prisoner: Cell Block H. About the experience of obtaining the role, Terakes stated: "I really fought for it. I emailed the producers to let them know how important it was to have a trans person telling this story. It was also terrifying, because suddenly I had the role and I felt the weight of the trans community on my shoulders. I didn't want to get it wrong."[11] Their character, Reb, was a trans man (assigned female at birth) and was terrified of being sentenced to prison after a robbery goes wrong.[9][10]

In 2020, the feature film Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) was released where Terakes plays the title role of Abbie.[12][13] In the same year, Terakes appeared in the Foxtel drama about euthanasia titled The End.[8]

In 2021, Terakes played wellness retreat worker Glory alongside Nicole Kidman, Asher Keddie and Melissa McCarthy in Nine Perfect Strangers.[5][14]

In 2022, Terakes joined the cast of the Marvel project Ironheart.[15]

In 2023, Terakes appeared in Australian horror film Talk To Me and appeared in 2 episodes of Creamerie.[16] While Talk to Me garnered success during its release, it was banned in Kuwait, reportedly for Terakes' appearance in the film.[17][18] Terakes expressed their disappointment about the news on social media.[18] On 9 August, the Kuwaiti authority formally announced the ban of Talk to Me, claiming that it was to protect "public ethics and social traditions".[19]

In 2023, Terakes was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Talk To Me[20] and took out GQ's Actor of the Year Award.[21] On 19 August 2024, Terakes was named as part of the cast for the Australian adaptation of The Office.[22]

Personal life

Terakes is of Greek ancestry.[23][24] They identify as non-binary and transmasculine, and came out to the acting industry at the age of 19.[5] In 2022, Terakes confirmed news of their gender-affirming surgery.[25]

In November 2020, Terakes signed a petition criticizing the lack of LGBTQ representation in the Australian production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and expressing "disappointment" over the casting of actor Hugh Sheridan in the lead role of Hedwig, whom many believe to be a transgender character.[26][27] They, along with David Campbell, Michaela Banas, and others, shared an open letter on Instagram addressed to the Sydney Festival, explaining why trans representation is vital when telling the story of a trans character.[27][26] The Australian producers, Showtune Productions, cancelled the show.[28] Sheridan later came out as non-binary in an Instagram post on 26 June 2021,[29] and also bisexual,[30] speaking of the hurt and serious mental health issues that arose from the cyberbullying around this incident.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2018 The Craft Priscilla Short film
2020 Her Own Music Tessa
Sunburn Em
Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) Abbie
2021 Right Here Short film
Are You Still Watching? Jamie
2022 Unravelling Chook
Talk to Me Hayley

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Janet King Pearl Perati Recurring role; 7 episodes
2020 The End Scarlet 2 episodes
Bondi Slayer Kristy 1 episode
2020–2021 Wentworth Reb Keane Recurring role; 12 episodes
2021 The Moth Effect Employee 2 episodes; miniseries
Nine Perfect Strangers Glory Main role; miniseries
2023 Creamerie Sea Captain 2 episodes
2024 The Office Stevie Main role; 5 episodes
TBA Ironheart TBA Upcoming miniseries

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2021 AACTA Best Lead Actor Ellie and Abbie Nominated [31]
2023 GQ GQ Actor of the Year Themselves Won [32]
2024 AACTA Award Best Supporting Actor Talk to Me Nominated [33]

Notes

  1. ^ Terakes goes by they/he pronouns.[2] This article uses they/them for consistency.

References

  1. ^ "Zoe Terakes Answers Fan Questions about Nine Perfect Strangers". Prime Video AU & NZ. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  2. ^ Terakes, Zoe. "@zoeterakes". X. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b Groves, Don (4 August 2019). "Zoe Terakes proudly represents her community on stage and screen". IF Magazine. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  4. ^ Moran, Jonathon (19 October 2017). "Juggling HSC with a debut in Miller play". dailytelegraph. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d McManus, Bridget (21 August 2021). "As Wentworth closes up for good, new doors open for star Zoe Terakes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Zoe Terakes". WEAR IT PURPLE. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  7. ^ "How actress Zoe Terakes juggled the HSC with her stage debut". 7NEWS. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  8. ^ a b Williams, Sue (2 October 2019). "My travel life: Zoe Terakes". Traveller. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Zoe Terakes lands a career-defining role in 'Wentworth'". IF Magazine. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b c "Non-Binary Actor Zoe Terakes Brings Authenticity to 'Wentworth's Reb". Distractify. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Wentworth's Kate Box and Zoe Terakes: "It's not over for us"". Now To Love. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  12. ^ Piccoli, Dana (29 August 2020). "Outfest 2020: "Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt)" is a teen rom-com with a serious side". Queer Media Matters. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  13. ^ "The Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) trailer comes out". Cinema Australia. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  14. ^ Walsh, Savannah; Puckett-Pope, Lauren (18 May 2021). "Hulu's Star-Studded 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Will Premiere in August". ELLE. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  15. ^ Cooper, Brenna (12 August 2022). "Marvel's Ironheart casts transgender non-binary star Zoe Terakes". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  16. ^ "New Zealand Television: Creamerie: Episode 2.06".
  17. ^ Ritman, Alex (4 August 2023). "'Talk to Me' Banned in Kuwait Over Inclusion of Trans Actor". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Kuwait Bans Horror Film Featuring Trans Actor". Agence France-Presse. 7 August 2023 – via Barron's.
  19. ^ Bassam, Laila; Gebeily, Maya (9 August 2023). Chopra, Toby; Macfie, Nick; Navaratnam, Shri (eds.). "Lebanon moves to ban 'Barbie' film for 'promoting homosexuality'". Reuters. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  20. ^ Waterhouse, Jonah (6 December 2023). "Zoe Terakes is your 2023 GQ Actor of the Year". www.gq.com.au.
  21. ^ Lennox, Will (6 December 2023). "Every celebrated winner from 2023's GQ Men of the Year awards". www.gq.com.au.
  22. ^ Knox, David (19 August 2024). "Airdate: The Office (Australia) | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  23. ^ Rout, Milanda (3 February 2023). "Australian actor Zoe Terakes steps into the Marvel universe". The Australian. I have always been bigger and a bit blokey and gay and Greek, and 10 years ago any of those things meant you weren't going to have a career in Australia. ...
  24. ^ "Zoe Terakes claims GQ Actor of the Year, acknowledges other trailblazers in trans community". Neos Kosmos. 8 December 2023. Greek Australian indie horror actor Zoe Terakes, star of the successful film Talk To Me, has clinched the GQ Actor of the Year award at the Men of the Year Awards in Bondi.
  25. ^ "Actor Zoe Terakes shares news of gender-affirming surgery". QNews. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  26. ^ a b "Hedwig Postponed Over Casting Of Hugh Sheridan As Trans Lead". HuffPost. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  27. ^ a b "Australian production of 'Hedwig – The Musical' cancelled". OUTInPerth. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  28. ^ Button, James (19 November 2021). "'They cancelled me as a human': What nearly killed Logie winner Hugh Sheridan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  29. ^ "Packed to the Rafters star Hugh Sheridan identifies as non-binary". New Zealand Herald. 27 June 2021.
  30. ^ "Australian actor Hugh Sheridan comes out as 'non-binary bisexual human'". GAY TIMES. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  31. ^ "Zoe Terakes becomes first non-binary actor in consideration for AACTA Best Lead Actor award". 14 October 2021.
  32. ^ "Zoe Terakes claims GQ Actor of the Year, acknowledges other trailblazers in trans community". 8 December 2023.
  33. ^ "Talk to Me, the New Boy and the Newsreader lead AACTA Award nominations". 8 December 2023.
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