Profile
Ethnicity
European
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Height
159 cm
Age Range
64–74
Career Highlights
Michele has worked extensively in film, television and theatre as an actress, director and acting teacher for over 40 years. Having taught both locally and internationally, Michele is the co-founder of the Bachelor of Performing Screen Arts at Auckland’s Unitec, as well as the Actor Program in Auckland. She has a lengthy and varied list of television credits with roles on "Shortland Street", "Go Girls", "The Almighty Johnsons", "SIS", and "Fresh Eggs." In film she has appeared in US telefeature "Atomic Feature" and more recently Kiwi romance film "Same But Different."
Awards.
| 2021 | Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to performing arts education | ||
| 2010 | Auckland Theatre Award Winner for the role as Jude-The Idea of America | ||
Feature Film.
| 2018 | Same but Different | Margot | Dir. Nikki Si'ulepa |
| 2001 | Atomic Twister | Melissa Mitchell (Support ) | GEFC Twister Productions Dir. Bill Corcoran |
| 1988 | Beyond Gravity | Librarian (Support) | Frameline Dir. Garth Maxwell |
| 1985 | Return to Oz | Wheeler (Support) | Walt Disney Pictures Dir. Walter Murch |
Short Film.
| 2016 | A Storm in a Teacup | The Therapist | Melopy Films Dir. Bertrand Remaut |
| 2011 | T is for Test | Doctor Marshall | Dir. Colin Mitchell |
| 2007 | This Is Her | Evie's Mum | Passenger Films Dir. Katie Wolfe |
| 2006 | Patients | The Mother (Support ) | Occipital Productions Dir. Jeremy Birchall |
| 2005 | Danny Alexander | Evelyn (Lead ) | Tony Wright Productions Dir. Tony Wright |
| 2003 | Rice | Amanda (Support ) | Emmanuel Productions Dir. Anthony & Paul Samuels |
| 2000 | Thankyou For Not Smoking | The Woman (Lead) | Trailblazers Productions Dir. Alistair Crombie |
| 1991 | Christmas Shopping | The Nurse (Support) | Focus Films Dir. Di Rowan |
| 1986 | Diary of an Uneasy Man | Angela (Lead) | Keith Hill Productions Dir. Keith Hill |
Television.
| 2025 | The Brokenwood Mysteries - Season 11 | Ishbel (Guest) | South Pacific Pictures Dir. Various |
| 2024 | Happiness | Dolly (Recurring Guest) | Greenstone TV |
| 2023 | Double Parked | Doctor Jenkins (Guest) | Dir. Chris Parker |
| 2023 | Workmates | Michelle (Guest) | Dir. Curtis Vowell |
| 2021 | The Pact | Jenny (Guest) | Koha Productions Dir. Peter Salmon |
| 2020 | Inside | Mum (Guest) | Luminous Beast Dir. Peter Salmon |
| 2019 | SIS | Janice | Dir. Hanelle Harris |
| 2018 | Fresh Eggs | Jean | Dir. Britta Hawkins, Peter Salmon & Jackie Van Beek |
| 2016 | Common Ground | Elaine Rork | Dir. Sam Shore |
| 2013 | The Almighty Johnson's - Season 3 | Ngaire (Guest) | South Pacific Pictures Dir. Various |
| 2012 | Jono & Ben at Ten | Mediaworks/TV3 Dir. Bronwynn Wilson | |
| 2011 | Hounds | Judge (Guest) | The Downlow Concept Limited |
| 2009 | Go Girls | Core Cast (Carol Duff) | Series 2, 3 & 4 |
| 2002 | Mercy Peak - Season 2 | Jeanie Prescott | |
| 2001 | Shortland Street | Phyllis Trelawney (Regular Recurring) | South Pacific Pictures |
| 1999 | Rangitoto Rescue | Voice of Jean Batten & B Sopworth | 3D |
| 1997 | Shortland Street | Sylvia Olsen | South Pacific Pictures |
| 1992 | Shortland Street | Pamela | South Pacific Pictures |
| 1991 | Away Laughing - Season 1 & 2 | Various (Lead/Core) | |
| 1990 | The New Adventures of Black Beauty | Pepper | Isambard Productions |
| 1989 | Laugh INZ Series | Various (Regular Recurring) | TV3 |
| 1988 | Funny Business | Various (Regular Recurring) | Television New Zealand |
| 1988 | Strangers | Desiree | Television New Zealand |
| 1987 | Dramadillo Guide to Life Special | Jemima (Pivotal Lead ) | Television New Zealand |
| 1987 | Porters | Nurse | Television New Zealand |
| 1983 | Forgotten Phrases | Nidget | Diamond Case Productions |
| 1975 | The Governor | Nurse | NZBC |
Theatre.
| 2022 | North By Northwest | Mrs Thornhill (Supporting) | Dir. Simon Phillips |
| 2019 | Headsand | Co-lead | Dir. Benjamin Henson |
| 2016 | Sham | Meryl | We Three Productions Dir. Conrad Newport |
| 2014 | Gwen In Purgatory | Peg | Dir. Kathy McRae |
| 2013 | Elevator | Bridget | The Basement Theatre Dir. Cameron Rhodes |
| 2012 | "8" | Maggie Gallagher | Maidment Theatre Auckland Dir. Kasey Kelly |
| 2011 | 1000 Hills | Ana | TAPAC Dir. Margaret-Mary Hollins |
| 2011 | The Idea of America | Jude (Lead) | |
| 2011 | The Idea Of America | Jude (Lead) | Bats Theatre, Wellington |
| 2010 | The House of Bernada Alba | Bernada Alba | Phundmi Productions Dir. Margaret-Mary Hollins |
| 2010 | The Vagina Monologues | Chelsie (Solo) | The Basement Theatre Dir. Caroline Bell Booth |
| 2010 | Toys | Teddy | Royale Productions Dir. Cameron Rhodes |
| 2009 | The Idea of America | Jude (Lead) | National Tour Dir. Sam Shore |
| 2007 | Mother/Whaea Tama/Son - A Lethal Set | Mother | Maidment Theatre, Auckland Dir. Heath Jones |
| 2005 | The Return - A Lethal Set | Maureen | Maidment Theatre, Auckland Dir. Heath Jones |
| 1992 | Belladonna | Solo Show | BATS Theatre, Wellington Dir. Marie Adams |
| 1992 | The Hungry City | Mrs Gribic | Watershed Theatre, Auckland Dir. Mike Mizrahi |
| 1990 | Belladonna | Solo Show | International Festival of the Arts Dir. Marie Adams |
| 1990 | Exile | Cicely Darkburn | Maidment Theatre, Auckland Dir. Cathy Denford |
| 1990 | Our Work | Excerpts of Belladonna | Aotea Centre, Auckland Dir. Marie Adams |
| 1990 | Woman Alone | Solo Show | International Festival of the Arts Dir. Murray Lynch |
| 1989 | The Chairs | The Old Woman | Theatre Lab Dir. Murray Lynch |
| 1989 | Woman Alone | Solo Show | Southern Regional Arts Council Tour Dir. Murray Lynch |
| 1988 | Phantom of the Catwalk | Various | Maidment Theatre, Auckland |
| 1988 | Shooting at Paradise | Various | Dramadillo Theatre Company - NZ Tour Dir. Francis Batten |
| 1987 | Dramadillo's Guide to Life | Jemima | Dramadillo Theatre Company Dir. Juliet Monoghan & Nick Blake |
| 1987 | The Lorax | The Lorax | Dramadillo Theatre Company Dir. Juliet Monoghan & Nick Blake |
| 1986 | Absurd Person Singular | Jane | Theatre Corporate Dir. Murray Lynch |
| 1986 | Hedda Gabler | Mrs Elvstead | Theatre Corporate Dir. Paul Sonne |
| 1986 | Oddbods | Mr Pettifer | Theatre Corporate Dir. Michele Hine |
| 1986 | Stretchmarks | Voice Two | Theatre Corporate Dir. Stephanie Smith |
| 1985 | The Lover | Sarah | Maidment Theatre, Auckland Dir. Murray Lynch |
| 1985 | Woman Alone | Solo Show | Theatre Corporate Dir. Murray Lynch |
| 1982 | Mantu | Various | Trickster Theatre CompanyTour of UK, Europe & Japan Dir. Nigel Jameison |
| 1982 | Time of Lies | Various | Trickster Theatre CompanyTour of UK, Europe & Japan Dir. Nigel Jameison |
| 1981 | The Body Talk Show | Various | Wayne Pritchett Mime CompanySpice of Life Theatre, Old Bull Theatre, London Dir. Wayne Pritchett |
| 1980 | Macbeth | Narrator/Porter/Witch | SNAP Theatre Company Dir. Andy Graham |
| 1980 | Mechanical Magic | Various | Northern Black Light Theatre |
| 1980 | Origami | Clown | Northern Black Light Theatre |
| 1980 | The Five Senses | Various | SNAP Theatre Company Dir. Andy Graham |
| 1980 | The Home Front | Mother | SNAP Theatre Company Dir. Andy Graham |
| 1977 | The Lover | Sarah | Theatre 87, Wellington Dir. Ralph McAllister |
| 1976 | Coralie Lansdowne Says No | Jill | Unity Theatre, Wellington Dir. Ralph McAllister |
| 1976 | They're Playing Our Song | Jenny | Theatre 87, Wellington Dir. Lewis Rowe |
| 1975 | Peter & the Wolf | Duck | Theatre 87, Wellington Dir. Lewis Rowe |
| 1975 | The Venetian Twins | Rosaura | Unity Theatre, Wellington Dir. Robert Bennett |
| 1974 | Elves & the Shoemaker | Shoemaker's Wife | Theatre 87, Wellington Dir. Lewis Rowe |
| 1974 | Nobodies From Nowhere | Snort | Theatre 87, Wellington Dir. Murray Lynch |
| 1974 | The Good Person of Setzuan | Niece/Understudy Shen The | Downstage Theatre, Wellington Dir. Phillip Mann |
| 1974 | The Two Fingers of Frank Zappa | Sheryl | Downstage Theatre, Wellington Dir. Jean Betts |
| The House of Bernanda Alba | Barnada Alba | Dir. Margaret Mary Hollins |
Voice.
| 2006 | Class Act | Radio New Zealand | |
| 1993 | Times Tables | Spectrum Learning | |
| 1992 | Short Stories | Radio New Zealand | |
| 1991 | Unbearably Beautiful | TV3 | |
| 1989 | ARA Water Conservation Promo | Skylight Pictures | |
| 1989 | Women's Comedy Series | Radio New Zealand | |
| 1985 | Can Youse Play Ten Guitars | Radio New Zealand | |
| 1985 | Moving In | Radio New Zealand |
Web Series.
| 2017 | Retail Therapy | Mrs B | Eight Productions Dir. Angela Bloomfield |
| 2017 | Stand Up Girl | Mum | Dir. Aidee Walker |
Training.
| The Actors' Program - 2011 | |||
| Directors Course - 1990, NZ Arts Council, Wellington | |||
| Professional Actors Refresher Course - 1990, The Actors Space, Auckland | |||
| Tragedy & Comedy Courses - 1987, Ecole Phillippe Gaulier, London | |||
| The Actors Intensive - 1985, NZ Arts Council, Wellingotn | |||
| Associate of the British Drama Board Certificate - 1980, British Theatre Association. London | |||
| Mime & Physical Theatre Course - 1980, The Desmond Jones School of Mime & Physical Theatre, London | |||
| Trained Teachers' Certificate (TTC) - Drama & Music - 1976, Wellington Teachers Training College | |||
| Stage 2 Drama Course - 1975, Victoria University of Wellington |