| Merwez Whaleboat | |
|---|---|
| Born | Townsville, Queensland |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Notable work | RAN Remote Area Nurse Mabo |
| Children | 3 |
Merwez Whaleboat is an Australian actress.
Early life
Whaleboat, the eldest daughter of Donald (a pastor and teacher) and Dulcie Whaleboat is a Torres Strait Islander who was born in Townsville. Her native language is Mercian, an Eastern Islands dialect, and she became more articulate at English while studying drama at Heatley High School, Townsville. Prior to that, she attended Currajong State School at primary level.
She left Townsville to "find her feet", but settled on Murray Island, where her parents lived, to raise her three kids and externally study a double bachelor degree in Arts and Education (majoring in drama and literature) at Melbourne's Deakin University, where she is member of the Golden Key National Honour Society. She wrote and performed a one-woman play Dad, Me and Uncle Koiki while studying.
Career
For Whaleboat's performance in RAN Remote Area Nurse she was nominated for the 2006 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama.
Other roles include Warwick Thornton's film The Darkside and the TV productions The Straits (2012), Mabo (2012) and Blue Water Empire (2019).
A big lover of literature, Whaleboat is also a published poet, her poems "King Kebisu" and "Coconut Sails" feature in the anthology book "Mangoes on Fire" launched by the Tropical Writers Group of Cairns. She also wrote the poem "Markai", meaning 'ghost/spirit' (2009).
Personal life
Whaleboat is mother to three daughters, Swana, Tei-ri and Diari.
She became a teacher at Shalom Christian College in Townsville.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Mabo | Maisa Mabo | TV docudrama movie |
| 2013 | The Darkside | Self | Anthology film |
As director
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Uncle Willie | Director | Short documentary film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | RAN Remote Area Nurse | Bernadette Gaibui | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2012 | The Straits | Auntie Lorraine | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2015 | Ready for This | Mrs Ban | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Blue Water Empire | Pamoy / Flora Anosa | TV docudrama miniseries |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | RAN Remote Area Nurse | AACTA Awards | Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama | Nominated |
References
- "Cape York drama a breeze compared with role of motherhood", Townsville Bulletin, 31 January 2006
- Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
- https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/lifestyle/townsvilleborn-actress-merwez-whaleboat-talks-about-ghost-stories-and-her-role-in-the-darkside/news-story/d0a504d60d67d957bdc54bec8b668e55
- Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
- Campbell, Sonia (17 November 2006), "TV role brings remote issue home - Actor nurses award hopes", The Cairns Post
- "Indigenous insight to the spirit world", The Australian, 30 November 2013
- Kellner, Lydia (8 November 2013), "Cape York drama a breeze compared with role of motherhood", Townsville Bulletin
- Armistead, Jane (19 July 2014), "Townsville-born actress Merwez Whaleboat talks about ghost stories and her role in The Darkside", Townsville Bulletin
- Cockrell, Eddie (22 June 2019), "Torres tales set record Strait", The Australian
- Dickie, Madeline (12 June 2019), "A Torres Strait tapestry for the telly", National Indigenous Times
- Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
- https://www.canopyart.com.au/product/2586/
- Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
- https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/lifestyle/townsvilleborn-actress-merwez-whaleboat-talks-about-ghost-stories-and-her-role-in-the-darkside/news-story/d0a504d60d67d957bdc54bec8b668e55
- https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/p/merwez-whaleboat/46351?stxt=