Mandy McElhinney (born 9 September 1970) is an Australian actress best known for playing Rhonda in AAMI insurance advertisements. She appeared on the sketch comedy television series, Comedy Inc., from 2003 to 2006. She appeared as Gina Rinehart in the telemovie The House of Hancock, alongside Sam Neill in 2015. McElhinney played Jackie Walters, federal agent and team leader of the Australian Federal Police Counter-Terrorism Unit in the television drama thriller series Hyde & Seek that premiered on the Nine Network in October 2016.
Early life McElhinney was born in Perth, Western Australia, to Rosemary and Andrew, and raised in Leeman. She has a younger sister, Hayley, who is also an actress. They both took drama and dance lessons as teenagers. McElhinney was bullied for her red hair as a child and so she became somewhat of a class clown making people laugh. Her "stupid" impersonations as a child have in some way given her the desire to entertain. McElhinney studied at Stella Maris Presentation College in Geraldton, which is now Nagle Catholic College.
Personal life McElhinney married Carlo, an Italian, in Sicily on 28 December 2017.
Roles McElhinney is known for appearing in many Australian television series and films, including a recurring role in 2002 and 2003 on MDA, small roles in various crime and medical dramas, and a guest role as a shop assistant in Kath & Kim. She also appeared in the film The Bank. She is also a regular in stage productions, including with the Melbourne and the Sydney Theatre Companies. She starred as Rhonda in the AAMI Safe Driver rewards series of commercials. The ad and her character's love story within it, consequently became a major part of Australian popular culture. She stars as strict Matron Frances Bolton in the Australian drama series Love Child. She played the role of mining magnate Gina Rinehart in Nine's 2015 telemovie The House of Hancock.
In 2023, McElhininey appeared in Home and Away as Margot Dafoe.
In 2024 she played advice columnist Sugar in the Sydney, Australia, Belvoir St Theatre’s adaption of Tiny Beautiful Things.
In May 2024, McElhinney was named in the cast for Stan Australia feature film Nugget Is Dead?: A Christmas Story.
In April 2025, she was cast in the Australian adaptation of the British sitcom, Ghosts, where she plays Eileen, an Irish potato famine survivor with 13 children.
Filmography +Television appearancesYear TitleRoleNotes 2025 Ghosts Eileen 8 Episodes2023Home and AwayEsther Lawrence/Margot Dafoe8 episodes2021Wakefield (TV series)Linda Crowley8 episodes2020Halifax: RetributionMinister Nolan2 episodes2018-19SquintersBridget12 episodes2019Bad MothersMaddie8 episodes2017-18True Story with Hamish & AndyLinda / Rosemary2 episodes2014-17Love Child (TV series)Matron Frances Bolton36 episodes2016Hyde & SeekJackie Walters8 episodes2016The Legend of Gavin TannerRaelene1 episode2015House of HancockGina Rinehart2 episodes2013Paper Giants: Magazine WarsNene King2 episodes2012A Moody ChristmasLinda1 episode2012Howzat! Kerry Packer's WarRose Mitchell2 episodes2011At Home with JuliaNewsreader1 episode2010-11Bed of Roses (TV series)Tamara Denning3 episodes2005-08All Saints (TV series)Corinne Davies / Natalie Haplin2 episodes2003-06Comedy Inc. (Australian TV series)Various75 episodes2005The AliceCheryl Wilson1 episode2002-03MDAHelena Lewis8 episodes2003Welcher & WelcherSonja Cohen2 episodes2002Stingers (TV series)Norma McClyment 1 episode2002Kath & KimNovelty Shop Assistant1 episode1999Water Rats (TV series)Lisa Bell1 episode1996-99Blue HeelersVanessa Mackay / Deslee Arnold2 episodes1998Cody: The Wrong StuffSarahTV Movie1996Naked; Stories of MenKate1 episode1994Ship to ShoreSocial Worker1 episode
Film appearances +YearTitleRoleNotes2001The BankDiane2002The Real ThingKylie2003Ned Kelly (2003 film)Jerildere Woman2016HiccupHiccuperShort2018Sherbert Rozencrantz, You're BeautifulMumShort2020Not A WalliflowerMrs ThornShort2024Nugget is DeadAunty RosFeature film
Awards McElhinney starred as Kerry Packer's down-trodden personal assistant, Rose in Channel Nine's TV mini-series Howzat! Kerry Packer's WarNews.com.au for which she won the AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama and was nominated for the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actress in a Series and as the new Editor-in-Chief of Packer's newly acquired Woman's Day magazine, Nene King, in series 2 of ABC1's Paper Giants mini-series Magazine Wars.
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