Sianoa Smit-McPhee

{{Short description|Australian actress}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Sianoa Smit-McPhee | image =  | alt =  | caption = | birth_name =  | birth_date =  | birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia | occupation = Actress, singer | years_active = 2004–present | spouse = {{marriage|John Rush|2012}} | relatives = Kodi Smit-McPhee (brother) }} '''Sianoa Smit-McPhee''' is an Australian actress and singer. From 2005 until 2007, she played Bree Timmins in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours''. She starred in ''As the Bell Rings'', the HBO series ''Hung'', and ''The Kettering Incident''. She has also appeared in the feature films ''All Cheerleaders Die'' (2013) and ''Fallen'' (2016).

==Early life== Smit-McPhee was born in Adelaide to Sonja Smit and Andy McPhee, an actor and former professional wrestler.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/sa-weekend/the-fabulous-mcphees-from-adelaide-are-taking-the-world-of-movies-by-storm/news-story/bf8188fa861078af5d1ddb50ab2c0873|title=The fabulous McPhees from Adelaide are taking the world of movies by storm|last=Cook|first=Craig|date=27 February 2015|work=The Advertiser|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> She has six siblings from her father's three marriages, including Kodi Smit-McPhee, who is also an actor. Smit-McPhee attended Croydon Primary and Allenby Gardens Primary, before she moved to Melbourne with her family when she was seven years old.<ref name="Debelle">{{cite web|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A485746873/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=6172df08|title=Changing her tune|last=Debelle|first=Penny|date=18 March 2017|work=The Advertiser|access-date=22 February 2024|via=Gale|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Her father got her into acting when she was three years old and she starred in a number of commercials.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/acting-game-is-a-family-affair-20101017-16p0c.htmll|title=Acting game is a family affair|last=Maddox|first=Garry|date=18 October 2010|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref>

==Career== After signing to her father's agents, Smit-McPhee secured a role in police drama ''Blue Heelers'' as a girl with gender dysphoria. She had to cut her long hair for the role.<ref name="Debelle"/> Shortly after, she won the role of Bree Timmins in the long-running Australian TV series ''Neighbours'', which she played from 2005 to 2007.<ref name="Debelle"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&kw=janelle+and+neighbours&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=AGE060119JM5BB56SQKV|title=Critic's View – Tuesday|last=Dubecki|first=Larissa|date=19 January 2006|work=The Age|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref> After leaving ''Neighbours'', Smit-McPhee starred in the children's television series ''As the Bell Rings'', which aired on the Disney Channel.<ref name="Bell">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/high-school-drama-doesnt-ring-a-bell/2007/09/25/1190486315174.html?page=2|title=High school drama doesn't ring a bell|last=McManus|first=Bridget|date=27 September 2007|work=The Age|access-date=25 October 2016}}</ref> She also starred in the 2008 short film ''Hugo'', which had its Australian premiere at the Canberra Short Film Festival. The film centres on a school girl (Smit-McPhee) who finds a moth-boy and tries to win a science competition with him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-10-16/festival-attracts-australias-best-short-films/543598|title=Festival attracts Australia's best short films|last=McLintock|first=Penny|date=16 October 2008|work=ABC News|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref>

From 2009 to 2011, Smit-McPhee starred in the HBO series ''Hung'' as Darby Drecker.<ref name="Debelle"/><ref name="hung">{{cite web |title=Hung – Darby Drecker |url=https://www.hbo.com/hung/cast-and-crew/darby-drecker |website=HBO |access-date=18 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> It marked her first American television appearance.<ref name="BigBreak">{{cite magazine|date=19–25 September 2009|title=Sianoa's big break|magazine=TV Week|issue=38|page=16}}</ref> Smit-McPhee had relocated to the United States with her family, while her brother was shooting a feature film, and she was encouraged by her agent to audition for HBO. She was the first actor cast in the show.<ref name="BigBreak"/>

Smit-McPhee made her feature film debut in the 2011 American sports film ''Touchback'', alongside Kurt Russell.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A235718340/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=3c700d23|title=Bogan scores a touchdown|last1=Byrne|first1=Fiona|last2=Cosgter|first2=Alice|last3=Webber|first3=Nicola|date=28 August 2010|work=Herald Sun|access-date=5 April 2024|via=Gale|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a368662/touchback-kurt-russell-gives-advice-in-the-new-trailer/|title='Touchback': Kurt Russell gives advice in the new trailer|last=Armitage|first=Hugh|date=1 March 2012|publisher=Digital Spy|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> In 2012, she featured in the American Broadcasting Company's television film ''Firelight'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvandmusicnetwork.com/2012/04/20/firelight-dewanda-wise-talks-working/|title=Firelight — DeWanda Wise talks working with Cuba Gooding on ABC's Sunday night movie|last=Thomas|first=Phyllis|date=20 April 2012|publisher=TVMusic Network|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> as well as the series ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia''.<ref name="Heading">{{cite web|url=https://www.hit.com.au/story/you-won-t-believe-what-this-neighbours-star-looks-like-now-18791|title=You Won't Believe What This 'Neighbours' Star Looks Like Now!|last=Heading|first=Carly|date=21 March 2017|publisher=Hit Network|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> The following year, she starred in ''All Cheerleaders Die'', alongside her former ''Neighbours'' co-star Caitlin Stasey.<ref name="Debelle"/> Smit-McPhee and her husband also wrote and produced the song "Take a Bite of My Heart", which was featured in the film and performed by her.<ref name="Debelle"/> In 2014, she guested in an episode of ''Criminal Minds'',<ref name="Heading"/> and appeared in the thriller film ''Mall''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://silverliningentertainment.com/projects/mall/|title=Mall|work=Silver Lining Entertainment |publisher=Silver Lining Entertainment|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref>

After living in Los Angeles for around ten years, Smit-McPhee moved back to Australia to launch her music career.<ref name="Debelle"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/neighbours-cutie-bree-now-unrecognisable-sianoa-smitmcphees-all-grown-up/news-story/2843b281630257f14d5555fbf22b8a84|title=Neighbours cutie Bree now unrecognisable: Sianoa Smit-McPhee's all grown up|last=Moran|first=Jonathon|date=7 October 2016|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> She played at the Adelaide Fringe in March 2017.<ref name="Debelle"/> She also appeared in ''The Kettering Incident'', which was filmed in Tasmania, and the 2016 feature film ''Fallen''.<ref name="Debelle"/>

==Personal life==

Smit-McPhee has been married to American music producer John Rush since 2012.<ref name="Debelle"/>

==Filmography==

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Film roles |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2008 | ''Hugo'' | Desma | Short film |- |2012 | ''Touchback'' | Sasha | |- |2013 |''All Cheerleaders Die'' |Leena Miller | |- |2014 |''Mall'' |Shel | |- |2016 |''Fallen'' |Molly Zane | |}

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Television roles |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |2004 |''Blue Heelers'' |Charlie Campbell |Episode: "One of the Boys" |- |2005–2007 |''Neighbours'' |Bree Timmins |Main cast |- |2007–2009 |''As the Bell Rings'' |DJ |Main role |- |2009–2011 |''Hung'' |Darby Drecker |Main role |- |2012 |''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' |Bridesmaid |Episode: "The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre" |- |2012 |''Firelight'' |Tammy |Television film |- |2014 |''Criminal Minds'' |Sue Walsh |Episode: "Gabby" |- |2016 |''The Kettering Incident'' |Chloe Holloway |Main role |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|1873154}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smit-Mcphee, Sianoa}} Category:Living people Category:Actresses from Adelaide Category:Actresses from Melbourne Category:Australian expatriate actresses in the United States Category:Australian child actresses Category:Australian soap opera actresses Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Australian television actresses Category:Australian film actresses Category:21st-century Australian actresses