Biography
Deborah Mailman is an Australian actress. Born on 14 July 1972 in Mount Isa, Queensland, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in performing arts from Queensland University of Technology. She first gained recognition for her performance in the 1998 film Radiance, becoming the first Aboriginal actress to win the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Mailman is known for her role as Mavis in the 2002 film Rabbit-Proof Fence. Other film credits include The Sapphires (2012), Paper Planes (2014) and Oddball (2015). On television she has appeared in The Secret Life of Us (2001–2005), Offspring (2010–), Redfern Now (2012–2013), Cleverman (2016) and Boy Swallows Universe (2024). She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and, in 2026, became the first Indigenous person inducted into the Logie Awards Hall of Fame.
