Alison Bell is an Australian stage, film and television actress and writer.
Early life and education Born in Young, New South Wales, Bell grew up in Grenfell where she attended St Joseph’s School. The family then moved to Canberra in 1984, where she went to Sacred Heart Primary School, before going on to study high school at St Clare's College, where she became School Captain.
Bell studied drama while at school, with the intent of pursuing a career as an actor. However, after her graduation she enrolled at Australian National University (ANU), completing an Arts/Law degree in 2001. While at university, she participated in several theatre productions and took a job as a researcher/editor for Butterworth's Publishing. On completion of her studies, she auditioned for both the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), ultimately undertaking the acting course at VCA and graduating in 2004.
Career Bell has worked in television, documentary film and theatre.Alison Bell Wellington City Libraries, 2010. Retrieved: 28 January 2012 In 2010, she starred in comedy drama series I Rock, as Jane, music journalist and ex-girlfriend of central character, Nash Taylor (played by Josh Mapleston). She became known for her performance as Roo McVie on ABC TV series Laid, from 2011 to 2012, for which she was nominated for an AACTA Award.
After appearing in several television guest roles, Bell played Liz Linton, mother of one of the protagonists in the 2016 drama miniseries Tomorrow When the War Began, an adaptation of the 1993 John Marsden novel of the same name.
From 2017 to 2019, Bell starred in the acclaimed ABC TV series The Letdown, as Audrey, the main character. She also served as co-writer, co-creator, producer and director of the series. She won the AACTA Award for Best Television Comedy Series for both seasons as well as Best Comedy Performer and Best Screenplay. Her role as Audrey also won her the AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy. Additionally, she earned a nomination for Best Director of a TV Comedy or Drama.
Bell featured in 2021 four-part colonial drama miniseries New Gold Mountain for SBS, in the role of Clara, society wife of the Ballarat Commissioner (played by Rhys Muldoon). She then starred as Claire in 2022 ABC TV mystery drama miniseries Significant Others, alongside Jacqueline McKenzie and Rachael Blake.
Bell has also acted for the stage, including a noteworthy performance in Sydney Theatre Company's production of Doubt in 2006, for which she won a Helpmann Award.
Awards Year Work Award Category Result Ref. 2006 Doubt Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play 2007 Green Room Awards Best Female Performer 2008 2007 Body of work: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Sleeping Beauty, The Sook Green Room Awards Best Female Performer 2009 Blackbird Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Green Room Awards Best Female Actor 2011 Laid AACTA Awards Best Performance in a Television Comedy IF Awards Out of the Box Award 2012 Festival de Television de Monte Carlo Awards Outstanding Actress in a Comedy TV Series Old Man Sydney Theatre Awards Best Supporting Actress Tribes Green Room Awards Best Female Actor 2013 Hedda Gabler Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Constellations Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play 2016 The Letdown AACTA Awards Best Screenplay in Television The Letdown AACTA Awards Best Performance in a Television Comedy 2018 The Letdown AACTA Awards Best Television Comedy Series 2019 The Letdown AACTA Awards Best Performance in a Television Comedy The Letdown AACTA Awards Best Television Comedy Series 2026 Much Ado About Nothing Green Room Awards Outstanding Performance
Filmography
Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 Last Man Standing Gen 2 episodes2009 Packed to the Rafters Susannah 2 episodes Rush Anna 1 episode2010 I Rock Jane Humphries 8 episodes City Homicide Kellie Briggs 1 episode 2011 Offspring Louise 2 episodes 2011–2012 Laid Roo McVie 12 episodes 2012 Mrs Biggs Joan Walter Miniseries, 2 episodes 2013 Mr & Mrs Murder Holly Piper Miniseries, 1 episode 2014 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Adeline Campbell 1 episode 2015 House Husbands Fiona Coates 1 episode 2016 Comedy Showroom: The Letdown Audrey TV movie Tomorrow When the War Began Liz Linton Miniseries, 6 episodes Upper Middle Bogan Clara 1 episode 2017 The Leftovers Aggie 1 episode 2017–2019 The Letdown Audrey (main role) Also Writer / Creator 2 seasons, 13 episodes2018 Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You Betsey Cox (uncredited) Miniseries, 1 episode No Activity Leary 1 episode 2020 Amazing Stories Helen Harris Episode: "Dynoman and the Volt" 2021 New Gold Mountain Clara Wright Miniseries, 4 episodes2022 Summer Love Hannah 1 episode Significant Others Claire Miniseries, 6 episodes 2026 Deadloch Detective Wilson 2 episodes
Film Year Title Role Notes 2007 Bookstore Reunion Sarah Short film 2008 Wasting Away Alice Griggs Short film 2009 Further We Search Sue Feature film 2013 The Exchange Mother Short film Purcell Purcell Purcell Purcell Short film 2014 Meeting Susan Jen Short film 2018 Joy Boy Lynn Short film
Theatre Year Production Role Theatre Ref. 2005 King Lear Cordelia and the Fool Melbourne Theatre Company 2006 Doubt Sydney Theatre Company 2008 Blackbird Una Melbourne Theatre Company 2011 As You Like It Rosalind Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney 2012 Tribes Sylvia Melbourne Theatre Company 2013 Hedda Gabler Hedda Gabler State Theatre Company of South Australia Constellations Marianne Melbourne Theatre Company 2015 Betrayal Emma Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia 2017 Three Sisters Olga Sydney Theatre Company 2025 Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice Melbourne Theatre Company
References
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