# Danielle Cormack
**Danielle Cormack** (born 1970) is a New Zealand actress, director, and producer whose career spans more than 35 years of screen work in New Zealand and Australia. She is best known for playing [Bea Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/bea-smith-wentworth) in the prison drama *Wentworth* (2013–2017), Kate Leigh in *Underbelly: Razor* (2011), and Scarlet "Red" Meagher in *Rake*, and she won Best Actress at the New Zealand Film Awards for *Topless Women Talk About Their Lives* (1997).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) • [2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/danielle-cormack/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970, Auckland, New Zealand[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/danielle_cormack) |
| Breakthrough roles | Teenage cast member of the soap *Gloss* (1987); nurse Alison Raynor in the first season of *Shortland Street* (1992)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/59682/danielle-cormack) |
| Signature role | Bea Smith in *Wentworth*, 2013–2017, 47 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) |
| Film awards | Best Actress, NZ Film Awards, for *Topless Women Talk About Their Lives* (1997); Best Actress, Fantasporto International Film Festival, for *Siam Sunset* (1999)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) |
| Television awards | Most Outstanding Actress, 2015 TV WEEK Logie Awards; Most Outstanding Performance by a Female, 2015 ASTRA Awards; AACTA Best Lead Actress nominee 2015 and 2016[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danielle-cormack/bio/3030538513/) |
| Behind the camera | Co-founded Four One One Productions in 2017 with Nicole da Silva; co-produced and directed the short film *Why We Fight* (2024), nominated for Best Short Film at the 2025 AACTA Awards[6](https://www.equityfoundation.org.au/events/the-actor-and-the-director-of-photography-danielle-cormack-in-conversation-with-martin-mcgrath-acs/) • [2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/danielle-cormack/) |
| Recent work | *The Twelve* (2025, 8 episodes as Gabe Nicholls), *Madam* (2024, 8 episodes as Deziyah), *Year Of* (2023, as Lucinda Prichard)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/59682/danielle-cormack) |
## Early career in New Zealand
Cormack began acting on stage before joining television. In 1987, while still a teenager, she joined the cast of the popular New Zealand soap *Gloss*, and in 1992 she appeared as nurse Alison Raynor in the first season of *[Shortland Street](https://www.edgepedia.org/shortland-street)*, a role that helped make her a household name in New Zealand.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/59682/danielle-cormack) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/danielle_cormack) She was one of the first of the original cast to leave the soap, departing after a year because she felt she had learned what the format could teach her.[7](https://www.nzonscreen.com/interviews/danielle-cormack-growing-up-on-screen/) • [8](https://www.whoosh.org/issue12/icorm1.html)
Her screen career rose sharply in the mid-1990s. She played Ephiny in *Xena: Warrior Princess* and appeared in the companion series *Hercules: The Legendary Journeys* before moving into other genres.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/danielle_cormack) In 1997 she starred as Liz in [Harry Sinclair](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-sinclair)'s *Topless Women Talk About Their Lives*, acting in both the television series and the feature film; her real-life pregnancy was written into the storyline, and she gave birth on screen a week after giving birth in real life.[7](https://www.nzonscreen.com/interviews/danielle-cormack-growing-up-on-screen/) The role won her the Best Actress award at the 1997 New Zealand Film & Television Awards.[9](https://johnsonlaird.com/assets/documents/1321/1321_actor_biography.pdf)
**A run of New Zealand features followed.** After *Topless Women*, she quickly made four more films, including a double role as Chrissy/Carol in *Via Satellite* (1998), the lead as Grace in *Siam Sunset* (1999), and the lead as Lucinda opposite [Karl Urban](https://www.edgepedia.org/karl-urban) in Harry Sinclair's rural romance *The Price of Milk* (2000).[2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/danielle-cormack/) • [9](https://johnsonlaird.com/assets/documents/1321/1321_actor_biography.pdf) Her performance as Grace in *Siam Sunset* won Best Actress at the Fantasporto International Film Festival in 2000.[9](https://johnsonlaird.com/assets/documents/1321/1321_actor_biography.pdf) Screen International critic Allan Hunter called her "the centre around which Sinclair weaves a tangled tale of birth, marriages and deaths" in his review of *Topless Women*.[2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/danielle-cormack/)
## Australian television and Wentworth
After a substantial New Zealand career, Cormack came to prominence in Australia through television. Her Australian credits include a series-regular role as Scarlet "Red" Meagher in *[Rake](https://www.edgepedia.org/rake-australian-tv-series)* (2010, returning in seasons 3, 4, and 5), Kate Leigh in *Underbelly: Razor* (2011, 13 episodes), *East West 101*, *Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries*, *City Homicide*, and *The Strip*, as well as a recurring role as Shota in the United States series *Legend of the Seeker*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/danielle_cormack) • [10](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-131694/filmographie/)
**Bea Smith became her defining role.** In *Wentworth*, the Foxtel prison drama and reimagining of *[Prisoner](https://www.edgepedia.org/prisoner-tv-series)*, Cormack played top dog Bea Smith across 47 episodes from 2013 to 2017.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) The role brought her the Most Outstanding Actress award at the 2015 TV WEEK Logie Awards, the Most Outstanding Performance by a Female award at the 2015 ASTRA Awards, and nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama at the 2015 and 2016 [AACTA Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/aacta-awards), along with a Golden Nymph nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series at the 2014 Monte Carlo Television Festival.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danielle-cormack/bio/3030538513/) Her ensemble work also earned an Equity Award for Best Ensemble Cast for *Rake* in 2011.[9](https://johnsonlaird.com/assets/documents/1321/1321_actor_biography.pdf)
## Later work and producing
Cormack's screen roles have ranged widely, from 1970s hippies to barristers and criminals.[2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/danielle-cormack/) In 2019 she won a New Zealand TV Award for Best Actress for the series *Fresh Eggs*, in which she played Lulu across six episodes.[9](https://johnsonlaird.com/assets/documents/1321/1321_actor_biography.pdf) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/59682/danielle-cormack) She played independent MP Karen Koutoufides in *Secret City* (2019, 6 episodes), Vicky Michaelson in *The Secrets She Keeps* (2022), and Dr. Rory Finch in *Jack Irish* (2018).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/59682/danielle-cormack) In 2024 she starred as Deziyah in all eight episodes of *Madam*, and in 2025 she appeared as Gabe Nicholls in the third season of the mini-series *The Twelve*.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/59682/danielle-cormack)
**She has moved into directing and producing.** In 2017 she co-founded Four One One Productions with her *Wentworth* co-star [Nicole da Silva](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicole-da-silva).[6](https://www.equityfoundation.org.au/events/the-actor-and-the-director-of-photography-danielle-cormack-in-conversation-with-martin-mcgrath-acs/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) Through the company she co-produced and directed the short film *Why We Fight* (2024), which was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2025 AACTA Awards; she also served as costume designer on it.[6](https://www.equityfoundation.org.au/events/the-actor-and-the-director-of-photography-danielle-cormack-in-conversation-with-martin-mcgrath-acs/) • [2](https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/danielle-cormack/) She is developing her first feature as director, *In the Wake*, a New Zealand/German co-production she has co-written, and is slated to star in and executive produce *Who's Afraid*, based on a stage play she co-created.[6](https://www.equityfoundation.org.au/events/the-actor-and-the-director-of-photography-danielle-cormack-in-conversation-with-martin-mcgrath-acs/)
## Theatre and other work
Cormack has continued to work with prominent theater companies, including the Melbourne Theatre Company and [Sydney Theatre Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/sydney-theatre-company), where she led the world premiere of *Boys Will Be Boys* to critical acclaim.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/) Early in her career she toured a production of [Steven Berkoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-berkoff)'s play *East* to the Zurich International Art Festival and around New Zealand.[8](https://www.whoosh.org/issue12/icorm1.html) She has also worked as a costume designer, with a credit on the film *Kawa*.[11](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danielle-cormack/credits/3030538513/)
She is a mother of two and an ambassador for the charities Shine and Childfund in New Zealand and Australia.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/)
## References
1. [Danielle Cormack, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179996/)
2. [Danielle Cormack profile, NZ On Screen](https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/danielle-cormack/)
3. [Danielle Cormack, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/danielle_cormack)
4. [Danielle Cormack, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/59682/danielle-cormack)
5. [Danielle Cormack Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danielle-cormack/bio/3030538513/)
6. [Danielle Cormack in Conversation with Martin McGrath ACS, Equity Foundation](https://www.equityfoundation.org.au/events/the-actor-and-the-director-of-photography-danielle-cormack-in-conversation-with-martin-mcgrath-acs/)
7. [Danielle Cormack: growing up on screen, NZ On Screen ScreenTalk interview](https://www.nzonscreen.com/interviews/danielle-cormack-growing-up-on-screen/)
8. [An Interview With Danielle Cormack, Whoosh](https://www.whoosh.org/issue12/icorm1.html)
9. [Danielle Cormack Actor Biography, Johnson & Laird](https://johnsonlaird.com/assets/documents/1321/1321_actor_biography.pdf)
10. [Danielle Cormack filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-131694/filmographie/)
11. [Danielle Cormack credits, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danielle-cormack/credits/3030538513/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › British and Australasian soaps and characters › Australasian soap actors and production people*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license