Sarah Snook

Early life and education

Sarah Ruth Snook was born on 1 December 1987 in Adelaide, South Australia and grew up in the suburb of Eden Hills. She has two older sisters. Her father, a swimming-pool salesman, and her mother, an aged care provider, divorced when she was young. Her first paying job was as a fairy at children's birthday parties.

In 2008, she graduated from Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art.

Career

2009{{ndash}}2017: Early work

While at NIDA, Snook performed in stage productions of Macbeth and Gallipoli. She subsequently appeared in King Lear with the State Theatre Company of South Australia in 2009. She garnered further success with roles in a string of Australian films, including Sisters of War (2010), Not Suitable for Children (2012), These Final Hours (2013), and Predestination (2014). Snook won two AACTA Awards for her performances in Sisters of War and Predestination. She also earned recognition for starring in the supernatural horror film Jessabelle (2014). Snook then portrayed Andrea Cunningham in Danny Boyle's biopic Steve Jobs (2015), starring Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet. That same year, she acted in Jocelyn Moorhouse's period drama The Dressmaker, also starring Winslet and Judy Davis, for which she was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She appeared in the biopic The Glass Castle (2017), starring Brie Larson and based on the 2005 memoir of the same name.

In 2016, Snook appeared in an episode of the Netflix science fiction anthology series Black Mirror, titled "Men Against Fire", alongside Malachi Kirby, Madeline Brewer, and Michael Kelly. Also that year, she made her West End debut playing the role of Hilde Wangel in a revival of Henrik Ibsen's play The Master Builder opposite Ralph Fiennes at the Old Vic. Paul Taylor from The Independent hailed Snook's performance writing, "Sarah Snook, the young Australian star, is a disarmingly direct, deep-voiced and uninhibited as Hilde in an assured [and] striking performance". Snook returned to the stage in 2018, where she portrayed Joan of Arc in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan. Her performance was hailed by John Sand of the Sydney Morning Herald, who described her performance as "beyond riveting" and said that "Snook catches the untamed bravado of a teenager fired with passion".

2018–2023: Breakthrough with ''Succession''

From 2018 to 2023, Snook gained prominence for her lead role as Siobhan "Shiv" Roy in the HBO drama series Succession. The role earned her widespread critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, and two Golden Globe Awards, the first for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film followed by a win for Best Actress – Television Series Drama.

In 2020, Snook acted in the comedy film An American Pickle, opposite Seth Rogen, and in Kornél Mundruczó's marital drama film Pieces of a Woman. In December 2021, she replaced Elisabeth Moss as the lead in the horror-thriller film Run Rabbit Run, directed by Daina Reid. The film was a critical failure with her performance receiving mixed reviews. Michael Sun of The Guardian wrote, "Snook, of course, is typically excellent, fresh from her turn as *Succession'''s petulant, scheming Shiv Roy in another spiky role here – but even her performance, as it heightens towards a crazed delirium, recalls Toni Collette's in Hereditary". Monica Castillo of Roger Ebert.com, praised Snook's performance describing it as "marvelous departure from *Succession''". For her performance in the film, she received her third nomination for the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

In January 2022, Snook was cast alongside Zach Galifianakis and Elizabeth Banks in the comedy drama film The Beanie Bubble, which was co-directed by Kristin Gore and Damian Kulash. The movie was another critical failure for Snook. Wendy Idle of The Guardian described her as being "underused" in the film. Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Snook displays a softer side than in her celebrated Succession turn with yet another portrayal revolving around a ruthless businessman." In 2022, Snook narrated the Netflix documentary film Kangaroo Valley.

2024–present: Return to theatre

In 2024, Snook returned to the West End portraying all 26 roles in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Arifa Akbar of The Guardian praised Snook on her performance citing the complexity of the role: "It is a juggling act of high order for Snook. She must perform in real time, react to the recorded footage and manipulate the technology herself in some scenes. She speaks in dialogue but also narrates omnisciently. Some scenes require athleticism, others sudden stillness. It demands an exacting synchronicity and she gets it pitch perfect, powering through 26 characters." Snook's performance earned further acclaim upon the play's Broadway transfer at the Music Box Theatre the following year. Naveen Kumar of The Washington Post praised her "extraordinary grasp on the physics of performing for stage and screen, often simultaneously. She can explode like a firework, containing it for the camera while filling the room with sparks." Snook won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance.

She also voiced the protagonist in the 2024 stop-motion animated film Memoir of a Snail directed by Adam Elliot. Her voice performance drew praise from critics. Nate Richard of Collider wrote, “Snook gives one of the best voice performances of the year. Never once does she feel like she is haphazardly reading lines into a microphone. She pours so much emotion and soulfulness into Grace, and it pairs perfectly with Elliot’s stunning animation.” Manuel Betancourt of The Los Angeles Times remarked, “The filmmaker is helped by Snook’s oft-deadpan delivery. Her voice makes the many outlandish events she describes feel grounded in a reality that refuses the call to pity. There is a push instead toward empathy, toward imagining and caring for the inner worlds of those we might otherwise disregard.” For her performance, she was awarded her second AACTA award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, marking the first time the award went to a voice performance. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.

In 2025, Snook starred in and served as an executive producer on the Peacock limited series All Her Fault. Her performance drew acclaim from critics, with Karl Quinn of the Sydney Morning Herald writing, “It’s Sarah Snook who anchors everything, and she’s marvelous. She’s in tears almost from beginning to end, but never a victim. She’s terrified, baffled, furious, resolved, and always utterly believable.” She won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. She also received a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, as well as her third nomination for the AACTA International Award for Best Actress in a Series.

In January 2026, it was announced that Snook would receive the Trailblazer Award at the 15th annual AACTA Awards; the award celebrates Australians who are forging unique and influential pathways in the global industry.

Personal life

In 2020, Snook began dating Australian comedian Dave Lawson, whom she married in the backyard of her Brooklyn home in 2021. She gave birth to a daughter in May 2023. Snook is also the godmother of her Succession co-star Kieran Culkin's son.

Acting credits

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Sarah Snook

Snook has received various accolades in her career. In her early career, she received attention and AACTA Awards for her performances in Sisters of War (2010) and Predestination (2014), and additional nominations for Not Suitable for Children (2012), The Dressmaker (2015), The Secret River (2015), and The Beautiful Lie (2015). Snook's breakthrough role as Shiv Roy in the HBO television series Succession (20182023) earned her two Critics' Choice Television Awards (Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2022 and Best Actress in a Drama Series in 2024), two Golden Globe Awards (Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2022 and Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama in 2024), a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2024 (after two nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series), and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2022 and 2024 (also nominated both years for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series). She won a third and fourth AACTA Award for Succession and Memoir of a Snail (2024); the latter win made her the first to receive the Best Actress prize for a voice-over role.

Snook appeared on West End and Broadway as multiple characters in the play The Picture of Dorian Gray, winning respectively the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. As of 2025, she is only the Academy Awardfor which she is yet to be nominatedaway from achieving the Triple Crown of Acting.

References

References

1. Salie, Faith. (16 March 2025). "Sarah Snook on her multifaceted performance in "The Picture of Dorian Gray"". CBS News.
2. Miller, Julie. (5 August 2018). "Succession: The Real-Life Tragedy That Inspired the Finale's Twist".
3. "72nd Emmy Awards Complete Nomination List". [[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]].
4. (7 August 2020). "Middle names with Sarah Snook and Dave Lawson". [[The Saturday Paper.
5. Late Night with Seth Meyers. (12 August 2020). "Sarah Snook is ready to tape the third season of Succession".
6. (27 December 2021). "Facts About Sarah Snook's Height, Parents, And Net Worth".
7. Lehmann, Megan. (21 February 2020). "You can take the girl out of Adelaide...". The Weekend Australia.
8. "NIDA Alumni: Graduates from 2000-2009".
9. Harris, Samela [http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/arts/king-lear/story-fn503imo-1225795704704 "King Lear" (review)], ''AdelaideNow'', 9 November 2009; accessed 11 January 2016
10. Wilson, Mike. (2 March 2015). "[Review] Hope Is Found Within 'These Final Hours'".
11. Godfrey, Alex. (17 February 2015). "Sarah Snook: 'I'm gonna sit and learn'".
12. Clark, Nick. (2016-02-01). "Sarah Snook has been cast in Ibsen's 'The Master Builder' to give Ralph Fiennes a 'run for his money'". [[The Independent]].
13. (4 February 2016). "The Master Builder, Old Vic, theatre review: Ralph Fiennes gives compelling study of a man going out of his mind".
14. (9 May 2018). "Sarah Snook is a Joan of Arc for our times at Sydney Theatre Company".
15. "Saint Joan". STC.
16. (10 June 2018). "St Joan review: Savage dares to remake Shaw's play in Joan's image". The Sydney Morning Herald.
17. Shand, John. (2018-06-10). "St Joan review: Savage dares to remake Shaw's play in Joan's image". Sydney Morning Herald.
18. Dean, Flannery. (2023-05-17). "Shiv's on fire! Why Siobhan Roy is Succession's greatest character". The Guardian.
19. Wiseman, Andreas. (2 December 2021). "'Succession' Star Sarah Snook Takes Over From Elisabeth Moss In Horror Movie 'Run Rabbit Run'".
20. "Run Rabbit Run".
21. (10 June 2023). "Run Rabbit Run review – Sarah Snook fails to spook".
22. "Run Rabbit Run movie review".
23. Cain, Sian. (2023-12-08). "Aacta awards 2024: The Newsreader, Deadloch and Colin from Accounts lead TV nominations". The Guardian.
24. (11 January 2022). "Apple Lands Feature Film 'The Beanie Bubble' Starring Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Snook And Geraldine Viswanathan".
25. "The Beanie Bubble".
26. (29 July 2023). "The Beanie Bubble review – understuffed tale of a fluffy fad".
27. (20 July 2023). "'The Beanie Bubble' Review: Zach Galifianakis and Elizabeth Banks in a Fun but Familiar Tale of a '90s Toy Craze".
28. Ritman, Alex. (2023-06-22). "Sarah Snook to Play All 26 Roles in 'Dorian Gray' Adaptation in London's West End". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
29. (15 February 2024). "The Picture of Dorian Gray review – Sarah Snook plays 26 characters in dazzling, dangerous solo show".
30. Bamigboye, Baz. (2024-05-10). "Breaking Baz: Sarah Snook Signs for 2025 Broadway Run of Her West End Hit 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'".
31. Huston, Caitlin. (2024-10-02). "Sarah Snook to Star in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' On Broadway This Spring".
32. Paulson, Michael. (2024-10-02). "Sarah Snook to Make Broadway Debut in One-Woman 'Dorian Gray'".
33. (2025-03-28). "Review {{!}} Sarah Snook takes on Oscar Wilde in a dazzling Broadway debut". The Washington Post.
34. "Olivier Awards".
35. Evans, Greg. (1 May 2025). "''Buena Vista Social Club'', ''Death Becomes Her'' And ''Maybe Happy Ending'' Lead Tony Awards Nominations: Full List".
36. (9 February 2024). "Sarah Snook To Lead Voice Cast In Stop-Motion Movie 'Memoir of a Snail'; Anton & Charades Release New Image Ahead Of EFM".
37. Richard, Nate. (2024-10-23). "'Memoir of a Snail' Review: Sarah Snook's Stop-Motion Drama Packs a Strong Emotional Punch".
38. Betancourt, Manuel. (2024-10-25). "Review: Get under its shell and you'll be charmed by 'Memoir of a Snail' and its unique loner".
39. "Winners Announced at the 2025 AACTA Awards Ceremony".
40. Nordyke, Hilary Lewis,Kimberly. (2025-01-23). "Oscars: Full List of Nominees".
41. Quinn, Karl. (2025-11-05). "It feels like Big Little Lies, but Sarah Snook’s domestic thriller is so much more".
42. Nordyke, Kimberly. (2026-01-05). "Critics Choice Awards: Full Winners List".
43. Moreau, Brent Lang,Jordan. (2025-12-08). "Golden Globes 2026 Nominations: ‘One Battle After Another’ Tops Films With Nine Nods, ‘White Lotus’ Leads TV With Six".
44. X. (2026-01-07). "The full list of 2026 Actor Awards nominations".
45. Pedersen, Erik. (2025-12-18). "‘One Battle After Another’ & ‘Hamnet’ Lead Australia’s AACTA International Awards Nominations".
46. "Sarah Snook To Receive the AACTA Trailblazer Award".
47. Cartwright, Lexie. (17 October 2021). "Sarah Snook reveals secret wedding to Australian comedian Dave Lawson". news.com.au.
48. (13 July 2023). "Sarah Snook shares sweet photo with baby after Emmys nomination".
49. "Succession: Above the Garage Podcast: Succession - Interview with Peter Friedman aka Frank Vernon in Succession on Apple Podcasts".
50. (21 March 2023). "'Succession' star Sarah Snook pregnant with 1st child". Associated Press.
51. Kaur, Brahmjot. (19 December 2024). "''Succession''{{'}}s Kieran Culkin Reveals Costar Sarah Snook Is Godmother to His Son".
52. (May 29, 2013). "Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg to 'Sell Out' for Sony (Exclusive)".
53. (3 June 2024). "'Succession' Alum Sarah Snook to Lead Peacock Thriller Series 'All Her Fault'".
54. "S-27".
55. Evans, Greg. (21 October 2024). "'The Picture Of Dorian Gray' With Sarah Snook Sets Spring Broadway Opening Date, Venue – Update".