Shareena Clanton is an Australian film, television and theatre actress. She is known for her role as Doreen Anderson in the television drama series Wentworth (2013–2017).
Early life and education Clanton was born in Perth, Western Australia. She is of Wangkatha, Yamatji, Noongar, and Gidja descent through her mother and Cherokee, Blackfoot and African-American descent through her father.
She first studied an Aboriginal Theatre course at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2006, before being accepted into the full-time acting course at WAAPA, from which she graduated in 2010.
Career In 2009, before graduating from WAAPA, Clanton had her feature film debut playing Leah in the stoner comedy Stone Bros., before becoming a main cast member in the sketch comedy variety series Ben Elton Live from Planet Earth in 2011.
In theatre, Clanton starred in a main stage performance for the first time in a 2011 production of Alan Ayckbourn's My Wonderful Day at Sydney's Ensemble Theatre. This was followed by playing Adrianna in a season of The Comedy of Errors and Ariel in The Tempest with the Shakespeare WA.
Clanton has starred in numerous television series, including a 2012 episode of Indigenous drama Redfern Now. She then landed an ongoing role in prison drama Wentworth from 2013 to 2017, as Doreen Anderson, an Aboriginal woman from an inner city community wracked by drugs, alcohol and abuse. She was the youngest member of the main cast and her performance saw her nominated for Most Outstanding Newcomer at the Logie Awards in 2014.
In 2019, Clanton made her directorial debut with Ilbijerri Ensemble's production of Conversations with the Dead at Melbourne's Arts Centre.
In 2021, Clanton was announced to appear as Sheila Canning 2 in the soap opera Neighbours. Prior to her first on-screen appearance on the show, Clanton made public her displeasure about working on the show due to racism. According to Clanton, an unnamed cast member taunted her about her ethnicities twice and was not only defended by another cast member, but Clanton's rebuke of the actor resulted in Clanton being told she made the other cast members "uncomfortable". In the weeks that followed, Fremantle Australia began an investigation into these allegations, and at the same time, former cast members Sharon Johal, Meyne Wyatt, Remy Hii, Menik Gooneratne, and Sachin Joab also came forward with allegations of racism. The investigation into the racism scandal was concluded in late 2021, but the findings were not made public.
Clanton appeared as Valerie in seven episodes of 2022 miniseries Joe vs. Carole which was based on the real life story of Tiger King personalities, Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. That same year, Clanton voiced the character of Deb in the animated series Childish Deano.
In 2023, Clanton played the role of Ruby, a ranger who becomes the main character's friend, in the award-winning miniseries The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart on Amazon Prime Video. She subsequently appeared in the 2024 second season of The Twelve on Foxtel. She was later named as part of the cast for 2025 Stan series Invisible Boys. going on to play the role of Karla Hammersmith.
Other activities In February 2018 Clanton appeared on an episode of the ABC Television show Q+A, where she said Indigenous voices deserved a place in parliament.
Recognition and awards Year Work Award Category Result Ref 2011 My Wonderful Day Sydney Theatre Awards Best Newcomer 2012 Redfern Now AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama 2014 Wentworth Logie Awards Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Newcomer Wentworth ASTRA Awards Best New Talent 2025 Shareena Clanton Solid Screen Awards Solid Contribution to Screen Culture Award
Credits
Film Year Title Role Notes Ref 2009 Stone Bros. Leah Feature film 2010 On a Break Donna Short film 2015 Last Cab to Darwin Sally Feature film 2017 Mrs McCutcheon Ange Short film 2018 30 Minutes of Danger Police Detective Short film
Television Year Title Role Notes Ref 2011 Rescue: Special Ops Prisoner 1 Season 3, episode 12: "Break Out" 2012 Redfern Now Lilly Season 1, episode 1: "Family" 2013 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Lena Season 2, episode 1: "Murder Most Scandalous" 2013–2017 Wentworth Doreen Anderson 53 episodes (main role) 2016 Ash vs Evil Dead Deputy Polly Season 2, episode 5: "Confinement" 2016–2018 Nowhere Boys: Two Moons Rising Sonia Jarra 14 episodes (supporting role) 2017 Aussie Rangers Regina Miniseries 2017; 2018 True Story with Hamish & Andy Officer Miles / Nurse Alex 2 episodes 2018 The Cry Detective Lorna Jones Miniseries, 4 episodes (main role) 2019 Rosehaven Suzanne Season 3, 2 episodes Glitch Elena Triggs Season 3, episode 3: "First Times" 2021 Neighbours Sheila Canning 2 18 episodes (guest role) Fires Aunt Rose 2 episodes2022Joe vs. Carole Valerie Miniseries, 7 episodes Childish Deano Deb (voice) Animated series, 2 episodes 2023 The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart Ruby Miniseries, 3 episodes 2024The Twelve Kora Gardner Season 2, 6 episodes Last Days of the Space Age Djinda 2 episodes 2025Invisible Boys Karla Hammersmith 7 episodes
Other appearances YearTitleRoleNotesRef 2011Ben Elton Live from Planet Earth Self 3 episodes 2016An Audience with the cast of Wentworth Self TV special2018The Good Thief Self Podcast, 1 episode Q+A Panelist 1 episode 2019Smart Arts Self Podcast, 1 episode 2020MTC Audio Lab: The Age of Ignorance is Over Self Podcast, 1 episode
Theatre
As performer Year Title Role Notes Ref 2011 My Wonderful Day Laverne Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2012 The Comedy of Errors Adrianna Shakespeare WA The Tempest Ariel Shakespeare WA 2013 White Rabbit, Red Rabbit Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2014 Hipbone Sticking Out Mavis Playhouse, Melbourne with Big hART 2015 Battle of Waterloo Sissy Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 2017 Macbeth Lady Macduff / Witch 2 Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2021 York Rosy Heath Ledger Theatre, Perth with Black Swan Theatre Co & WA Youth Theatre Co
As director Year Title Role Notes Ref 2019 Conversations with the Dead Director Arts Centre Melbourne with Ilbijerri Ensemble
References
External links
Shareena Clanton at AusStage