Elizabeth Debicki

Early life and education

Debicki was born on 24 August 1990 in Paris, France to a Polish father and an Australian mother of Irish descent. Her parents were both ballet dancers, who met while performing in a show together. When Debicki was five, the family moved to Glen Waverley, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The eldest of three children, she has a sister and a brother.

Debicki became interested in ballet early in life and trained as a dancer until deciding to switch to theatre. A student at Huntingtower School in eastern Melbourne, she achieved two perfect study scores in Drama and English and was the school's dux when she graduated in 2007. In 2010, Debicki completed a bachelor's degree in drama at the Victorian College of the Arts of the University of Melbourne. In August 2009, she was the recipient of a Richard Pratt Bursary for outstanding acting students in their second year of training.

Career

Career beginnings (2011–2016)

Debicki made her feature film debut in the 2011 Australian film A Few Best Men, with a brief appearance as a secretary. This was her first role after graduating from drama school. After seeing her audition reel, director Baz Luhrmann, who was casting for his upcoming film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, flew her to auditions in Los Angeles, where she screen tested with actor Tobey Maguire. In December 2012, Debicki was the subject of a photo shoot for Vogue Australia.

From June to July 2013, Debicki played Madame in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Jean Genet's play The Maids, with Cate Blanchett starring as Claire and Isabelle Huppert as Solange. Around this same time, Debicki also starred in a 13-minute short film called GÖDEL, incomplete and made an appearance as a guest star in the third season of the Australian television series Rake.

In 2015, Debicki played supporting roles in three major motion pictures. She played the villain in Guy Ritchie's film adaptation of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015), learning to drive on set. The following year, she starred as Mona Sanders alongside Mark Strong and Hope Davis in the world première stage adaptation of Georges Simenon's novel The Man on the Bench in the Barn titled The Red Barn by David Hare at the National Theatre's Lyttelton Theatre in London. The play ran from October 2016 to January 2017.

In 2016 Debicki played major roles in two television shows. She played the lead role of Dr. Anna Macy in the eight-part Australian television series The Kettering Incident, which was largely shot on location in Tasmania.

Breakthrough (2017–present)

Following the success of The Night Manager, Debicki landed a supporting role in the Marvel Studios film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, in which she portrayed Ayesha, leader of the Sovereign people. She returned for its sequel and the final installment in the film series, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In June 2017, she was added to the cast of director Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in an undisclosed voice-over role. The film arrived in theatres around two months later, at which time her role was revealed to be that of Emperor Haban-Limaï. 2017 also saw Debicki as Eva in Australian actor Simon Baker's directorial debut Breath, for which she received an AACTA Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film garnered five additional AACTA Award nominations, including Best Film, and won Best Supporting Actor and Best Sound at the 8th AACTA Awards.

In 2018, Debicki appeared in five films. She played the role of Jensen in The Cloverfield Paradox, the third instalment in the Cloverfield franchise. The film was released on Netflix in February 2018, directly after Super Bowl LII. Following this, she appeared as Mrs. G in the critically acclaimed HBO film The Tale. In November 2018, she played the role of Alice in Steve McQueen's heist film Widows. Upon the film's release, she received some of the best reviews of her career, with many critics stating how impressed they were that she managed to stand out among such a crowded cast, which included the likes of Viola Davis and Liam Neeson. The same year, Debicki also starred as Virginia Woolf in Vita & Virginia and was the voice of Mopsy Rabbit in Peter Rabbit. She returned for the 2021 sequel, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway.

Debicki had a leading role in the 2019 thriller The Burnt Orange Heresy, in which she starred opposite Claes Bang and Mick Jagger. The following year, she starred in Christopher Nolan's spy film Tenet (2020) as Kat, the estranged wife of Kenneth Branagh's character. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian thought that she had "the most recognisable human emotions here, shouting, crying and even smiling in a way that no one else quite does" but added that her role was similar to the one she played in The Night Manager. In an interview with The Hindu, Debicki recalls, "Playing Kat, I understood the harrowing scenes are important to show the audience the threats to her existence — physical and psychological — she faced."

Debicki portrayed Diana, Princess of Wales in the final two seasons of the Netflix period drama series The Crown. Her performance in the fifth season earned her nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical or Drama, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. In 2024, Debicki won a Golden Globe Award, Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in the sixth and final season of The Crown. Her portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales also earned her a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2025, she returned to the stage acting opposite Ewan McGregor in Lila Raicek's My Master Builder, a contemporary adaptation of Henrik Ibsen play The Master Builder at the Wyndham’s Theatre on the West End.

Acting credits

Film

Television

Theater

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

References

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2. Frater, Patrick. (30 January 2014). "''Gatsby'' Dominates AACTA Film Awards, ''Power'' Charges TV".
3. (11 August 2014). "''The Maids''".
4. "''Everest'' (2015) – Financial Information".
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8. Kroll, Justin. (2 June 2017). "''Valerian'' Adds ''Guardians of the Galaxy''s' Elizabeth Debicki in Voice-Over Role".
9. (11 April 2016). "Elizabeth Debicki Joins Simon Baker's Directorial Debut ''Breath'' (Exclusive)".
10. "2018 AACTA Awards".
11. Owen, Phil Hornshaw and Phil. (2018-02-06). "What Exactly Is the Paradox in 'The Cloverfield Paradox'?".
12. Crucchiola, Jordan. (8 February 2017). "Elizabeth Debicki to Commit Armed Robbery in Steve McQueen's Widows".
13. (24 November 2018). "In the crowded cast of ''Widows'', Elizabeth Debicki is a standout".
14. D'Alessandro, Anthony. (16 June 2020). "Sony Pictures Classics Sets August Release For 'The Burnt Orange Heresy'".
15. (9 July 2020). "''Tenet'' Star Elizabeth Debicki on Her Enigmatic Persona and Keeping the Secrets of Christopher Nolan's Thriller". Variety.
16. (25 August 2020). "Tenet review – supremely ambitious race against time makes for superb cinema". The Guardian.
17. Bhavani, Divya-Kala. (4 December 2021). "'Tenet' actor Elizabeth Debicki insists the film deserves nothing less than a theatrical release". The Hindu.
18. Haring, Bruce. (16 August 2020). "''The Crown'' Adds Elizabeth Debicki As Princess Diana For Final Two Seasons". Deadline Hollywood.
19. Hilary Lewis. (12 July 2023). "Emmys 2023: List of Nominees".
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21. (11 January 2023). "SAG Awards 2023 Nominations: 'Banshees' and 'Everything Everywhere' Tie for Most Nods in History".
22. Wenger, Stephanie. (2024-01-07). "Elizabeth Debicki Is 'Crown'-ed a 2024 Golden Globes Winner for Touching Turn Showing Princess Diana's Final Days".
23. Brathwaite, Lester Fabian. (January 14, 2024). "Oppenheimer, Barbie, The Bear lead 2024 Critics Choice Awards: See the full winners list".
24. Pedersen, Erik. (2024-02-24). "SAG Awards: 'Oppenheimer' Wins Top Film Prize; Cillian Murphy & Lily Gladstone Take Lead Acting Prizes – Full Winners List".
25. Streker, Erin. (2024-09-15). "Elizabeth Debicki Wins Emmy for Playing Princess Diana". indiewire.
26. (20 March 2024). "BAFTA TV Awards 2024: Nominations".
27. "Ewan McGregor, Elizabeth Debicki and Kate Fleetwood: ‘There’s slight snobbery about film actors doing a play’".
28. "My Master Builder in the West End: What to know about this starry new production and how to find tickets".
29. (February 17, 2016). "Marvel Studios Begins Production on Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'".
30. Graceling-Moore, Rose. (2017-06-02). "Valerian Casts Guardians of the Galaxy 2's Elizabeth Debicki in Voice Role".
31. Maddox, Garry. (2016-04-11). "Elizabeth Debicki, Richard Roxburgh join cast of Simon Baker's film Breath".
32. Kroll, Justin. (2016-05-05). "'Night Manager's' Elizabeth Debicki Joins J.J. Abrams' 'God Particle' (EXCLUSIVE)".
33. Kroll, Justin. (2016-09-26). "Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki Join 'Peter Rabbit' Live-Action/Animated Pic (EXCLUSIVE)".
34. Kroll, Justin. (2017-02-09). "Elizabeth Debicki to Co-Star With Viola Davis in Steve McQueen's 'Widows' (EXCLUSIVE)".
35. Grater, Tom. (August 23, 2017). "Elizabeth Debicki replaces Eva Green in 'Vita & Virginia'".
36. Ritman, Alex. (2018-02-15). "Christopher Walken, Elizabeth Debicki Join Neo-Noir Thriller 'Burnt Orange Heresy' (Exclusive)".
37. Lodge, Guy. (2020-08-21). "'Tenet' Review: Christopher Nolan's Grandly Entertaining, Time-Slipping Spectacle Is a Futuristic Throwback".
38. Evans, Greg. (2019-10-17). "'Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway' Trailer: First Look At James Corden's Next Easter Delivery".
39. Wiseman, Andreas. (2022-06-01). "'Suicide Squad' Breakout Daniela Melchior Will Appear In 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3'".
40. Grobar, Matt. (5 April 2023). "'MaXXXine' Adds Lily Collins, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Giancarlo Esposito, Halsey & More To Cast".
41. Squires, John. (11 April 2023). "Filming Underway on Ti West's 'MaXXXine' Starring Mia Goth".
42. Mia Goth Updates. (24 May 2023). ""MaXXXine" starring Mia Goth has wrapped filming!".
43. Petski, Denise. (2015-03-05). "Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander, Elizabeth Debicki Join AMC's 'The Night Manager'".
44. Siegel, Tatiana. (2016-05-14). "Cannes: Laura Dern, Ellen Burstyn, Common Head Up Cast for Jennifer Fox's 'The Tale' (Exclusive)".
45. Bamigboye, Baz. (12 October 2022). "'The Crown' Stars And Creatives "On Edge" As Date Nears For Filming Of Princess Diana's Death In Paris".
46. [http://www.performershub.com.au/Interviews.html "Elizabeth Debicki – A Spotlight Moment"] {{webarchive. link. (24 April 2013 , 22 March 2012, Interview from December 2011)
47. [http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/review-gift.html "Review: ''The Gift''] {{Webarchive. link. (26 April 2013 by [[Alison Croggon]], ''Theatre Notes'', 11 June 2011)
48. [http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/media/1732348/stc_the_maids_media_release.pdf ''The Maids''] {{webarchive. link. (29 July 2013 , media release, [[Sydney Theatre Company]])
49. [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/aug/10/cate-blanchett-isabelle-huppert-the-maids-review "Blanchett and Huppert make ''The Maids'' less a tragedy than a tantrum – review"] {{Webarchive. link. (25 August 2020 by James Camp, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 11 August 2014)
50. "Elizabeth Debicki, Kate Fleetwood and More Join Ewan McGregor in West End Play ‘My Master Builder’".
51. (30 January 2014). "Aacta awards 2014 – as they happened".
52. (2014). "Best Female Newcomer". [[Empire (magazine).
53. [http://www.sydneytheatreawards.com/history/2013 "2013 – Nominations and Winners"] {{Webarchive. link. (21 October 2019 , [[Sydney Theatre Awards]])
54. (11 December 2016). "Critics' Choice Awards: The Complete Winners List".
55. (16 May 2018). "Joe Alwyn, Elizabeth Debicki Receive Trophee Chopard at Cannes Film Festival".
56. (12 December 2022). "Golden Globes 2023: Nominations List".
57. (15 December 2022). "2023 AACTA International Awards nominations: 'Everything Everywhere All At Once,' 'The Banshees of Inisherin' lead".
58. (11 January 2023). "SAG Awards: 'The Banshees of Inisherin,' 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Lead Nominations".
59. Schneider, Michael. (January 8, 2024). "'The Boys,' 'Succession' Land Most Honors at Astra TV Awards (FULL WINNERS LIST)".
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62. "2024 Critics Choice Awards winners".
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64. (December 18, 2023). "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards".
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66. Szalai, Georg. (March 20, 2024). "BAFTA TV Awards: 'The Crown,' 'Black Mirror' Lead Nominations".
67. White, Peter. (September 16, 2024). "Elizabeth Debicki Says Playing Princess Diana In 'The Crown' Has Been A "Gift" As She Becomes First Australian To Win In Emmy Category".
68. Fleming, Mike. (11 May 2011). "Newcomer Elizabeth Debicki To Play Jordan Baker In ''The Great Gatsby''".
69. (25 May 2011). "Baz Luhrmann casts VCA graduate Elizabeth Debicki in ''The Great Gatsby''". [[University of Melbourne]].
70. (20 August 2011). "Leo sweeps into Sydney". [[Brisbane Times]].
71. (31 August 2009). "2009 Theatre Scholarships announcement including $20 000 Keith and Elisabeth Murdoch Travelling Fellowship". The University of Melbourne.
72. Bulbeck, Pip. (6 September 2011). "Baz Luhrmann's $125 Million ''The Great Gatsby'' Begins Production in Sydney". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
73. Groves, Don. (7 May 2012). "The tale of two Elizabeths". [[Special Broadcasting Service]].
74. Cantelo, Sigourney. (6 November 2012). "Our fair ladies: how to maintain pale skin". [[Vogue (magazine).
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76. Lehmann, Megan. (11 May 2013). "Her roaring twenties". [[The Australian.
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78. Blake, Elissa. (19 May 2013). "From Paris with love". [[The Age]].
79. (2 November 2012). "Behind-the-scenes at Elizabeth Debicki's ''Vogue Australia'' photo shoot". Vogue Australia.
80. (December 2012). "Elizabeth Debicki in ''Vogue Australia''".
81. Verghis, Sharon. (1 June 2013). "Maids of dishonour, Cate Blanchett and Elizabeth Debicki, unite for STC's Genet". [[The Australian]].
82. Knox, David. (29 July 2013). "Cameras roll on ''Rake''{{'}}s third season". TV Tonight.
83. Kroll, Justin. (31 July 2013). "''Great Gatsby''{{'}}s Elizabeth Debicki Attracted to ''Man From U.N.C.L.E.'' (Exclusive)". [[Variety (magazine).
84. Saxby, John. (21 January 2014). "Oscar on the horizon, but Blanchett misses out for her theatre work". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
85. Hopewell, John. (6 February 2014). "Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard Roll on ''Macbeth''". [[Variety (magazine).
86. (26 July 2014). "''Offspring'' star Matt Le Nevez returns to TV with Elizabeth Debicki in ''The Kettering Incident''". [[news.com.au]].
87. Petski, Denise. (5 March 2015). "Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander, Elizabeth Debicki Join AMC's ''The Night Manager''".
88. (3 August 2015). "New Aussie in Hollywood, Elizabeth Debicki, steals the film in the upcoming spy drama, ''Man from U.N.C.L.E.''". mindfood.com.
89. Bakker, Tiffany. (9 August 2015). "Aussie starlet Elizabeth Debicki almost missed out on her biggest role yet". [[news.com.au]].
90. Marriner, Cosima. (22 April 2018). "Catching her breath: Why Elizabeth Debicki is moving to London". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
91. (13 December 2012). "Godel Incomplete".