Rachel Griffiths

Born: 1968-12-18 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Known For: Acting

Biography

Rachel Anne Griffiths AM (born 18 December 1968) is an Australian film and television actress. She came to prominence with the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in Hilary and Jackie (1998). She is best known for her portrayals of Brenda Chenowith in the HBO series Six Feet Under and Sarah Walker Laurent on the ABC primetime drama Brothers & Sisters. Her work in film and television has earned her a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and three Australian Film Institute Awards. Griffith attended Melbourne University, studying philosophy, before attending the drama department at Victoria School of the Art. After college, she began working with the touring youth company Woolly Jumpers Theater Company, as well as the Melbourne Theater Company, where she appeared in numerous dramas. Griffiths made a name for herself in 1991 when she wrote and performed in the short film "Barbie Gets Hip,” which was screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival. She landed a few TV spots before she was cast as Rhonda, Toni Collette's sidekick in P.J. Hogan's "Muriel's Wedding" (1994), winning her an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Supporting Actress. These successes jump-started her career, landing her numerous dramatic and comedic roles in overseas productions, before making her American cinema debut with her second P.J. Hogan collaboration, "My Best Friend's Wedding” (1997). In the fall of 2001, Griffiths accepted her first major television series role and came aboard Alan Ball’s HBO series "Six Feet Under." Griffith stayed with the show during its five years of critical acclaim, while at the same time, continued to appear an lend her voice to screen and direct-to-video features before returning to telvision to star in "Brothers and Sisters" to much similar acclaim.

Filmography

2025

Sam Pang Tonight as Self - Guest
When The War Is Over as Self - Presenter
The Idea Of Australia ... (Creator)

2024

Madam as Mack Leigh

2023

Anyone But You as Innie
Seeing Through the Mists of Oblivion as Woman Underwater (archived footage)
Bring Him to Me as Veronica
A Savage Christmas as Doctor Gabrielle

2022

The King's Daughter as Abbess
Bali 2002 as Fiona Wood
Great Southern Landscapes as Self - Presenter

2021

Aftertaste as Margot
Finding the Archibald as Self - Presenter

2020

The Wilds as Gretchen Klein
The Sound as Self - Host
Strangers To The World as Etty Hillesum

2019

Total Control as Rachel Anderson
Ride Like a Girl ... (Director)
Total Control as Rachel Anderson

2018

Dead Lucky as Grace Gibbs

2017

Making Muriel as Self
Don't Tell as Joy Conolly
When We Rise as Diane Jones
David Stratton: A Cinematic Life as Self

2016

Hacksaw Ridge as Bertha Doss
Science Fiction Volume One: The Osiris Child as General Lynex
Mammal as Margaret
Barracuda as Samantha Taylor

2015

Deadline Gallipoli as Lady Hamilton

2013

Nowhere Boys ... (Director)
Saving Mr. Banks as Aunt Ellie
Patrick as Matron Cassidy
Butterflies as Claire
Camp as Mackenzie 'Mack' Granger
Paper Giants: Magazine Wars as Dulcie Boling

2012

House Husbands as Belle
Underground: The Julian Assange Story as Christine Assange

2011

Burning Man as Miriam

2009

Beautiful Kate as Sally Kendall

2008

Q&A as Self - Panellist
Comanche Moon as Inez Scull

2007

Brothers & Sisters: Family Album as Self/Sarah Whedon
The Sounds of Aus as Self

2006

Brothers and Sisters as Sarah Walker
Step Up as Director Gordon
Genesis: Total Rock Review as Self - Interviewer

2005

Angel Rodriguez as Nicole
DeKronos - Il Demone del Tempo ... (Director)
Six Feet Under: In Memoriam as Herself

2004

Plainsong as Maggie Jonas

2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
Ned Kelly as Susan Scott
The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina as Albertine (voice)
After the Deluge as Annie
Land of the Morning Star as Narrator (voice)
After the Deluge as Annie

2002

V Graham Norton as Self
Kath & Kim as Rachel Griffiths
The Rookie as Lorri Morris
Roundabout ... (Director)
The Hard Word as Carol

2001

Six Feet Under as Brenda Chenowith
Blow as Ermine Jung
Very Annie Mary as Annie Mary Pugh
Blow Dry as Sandra

1999

Rove as Self
Me Myself I as Pamela Drury

1998

Since You've Been Gone as Sally Zalinsky
Amy as Tanya Rammus
Tulip ... (Director)
Divorcing Jack as Lee Cooper
Hilary and Jackie as Hilary Du Pré
Welcome to Woop Woop as Sylvia
Among Giants as Gerry

1997

My Best Friend's Wedding as Samantha Newhouse
My Son the Fanatic as Bettina / Sandra

1996

Cosi as Lucy
Children of the Revolution as Constable Anna Welch
To Have and to Hold as Kate
Once a Thief
Jude as Arabella

1994

Muriel's Wedding as Rhonda Epinstalk
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as Self

1993

Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
The Feds as Angelia Braglia