Freya Stafford

Freya Stafford is an Australian actress (born 21 January 1977 in Hobart, Australia) who has appeared in the television programs "Head Start" and "White Collar Blue" as central characters. She also made a guest appearance on Network Ten's "The Lost World". She has also had parts in Network Ten's mini-series "Small Claims", and the Australian movies "Gettin' Square" and "Hell Has Harbour Views".

She showed an interest in acting from an early age, having a supporting role in a local production of "Annie" aged eight, apparently inspired by her older sister Natasha. She attended Mount Stuart Primary School and The Friends' School in North Hobart [cite news
url = http://postoffice.friends.tas.edu.au/aboutus/focus/10.03/Page10.pdf
title = Freya and Ming on screen
format = PDF
last = Rundle
first = Kathy
monthyear = October 2003
work = Focus Newspaper / Friends' Connections
publisher = The Friends' School
accessdate = 2007-09-13] ,before being selected to attend the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) in Sydney, from which she graduated in 2000 [cite web
url = http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,17572685-3462,00.html
title = Tassie trio for NIDA
work = Mercury - The voice of Tasmania
publisher = Davies Brothers Pty Limited
accessdate = 2007-09-13
date = 2005-12-15] .

Whilst at NIDA, she was involved in a number of theatre productions [cite web
url = http://www.nida.edu.au/Pains-of-youth-2000-A3/default.aspx
title = Pains of youth
publisher = National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)
work = NIDA site
accessdate = 2007-09-13] [cite web
url = http://www.nida.edu.au/There-is-no-need-to-wake-up-2000-A3/default.aspx
title = There is no need to wake up
publisher = National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)
work = NIDA site
accessdate = 2007-09-13] [cite web
url = http://www.nida.edu.au/Saturday-Sunday-Monday-2000-A3/default.aspx
title = Saturday, Sunday, Monday
publisher = National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)
work = NIDA site
accessdate = 2007-09-13] , including "Twelfth Night" and "Three Sisters". She also played a cinema usher in silverchair's 1999 "Miss You Love" music video.

Her breakthrough television role was as the bisexual film-maker Basia Lem on ABC-TV's "Head Start" immediately after graduating from NIDA.

After a forty episode season of "Head Start", Freya scored a role on Network Ten's "White Collar Blue", an Australian cop drama, as Detective Senior Constable Harriet Walker. "White Collar Blue" screened for two seasons on Australian television, before being axed by the network whilst the cast and crew were on holiday after wrapping production on the second season.

From here, Freya appeared in Network Ten's first instalment of the mini-series "Small Claims" as Melinda Fehlers, and the Australian crime-comedy "Gettin' Square", which included several internationally well-known actors, such as David Wenham (the Lord of the Rings) and Timothy Spall. Freya played the part of Annie Flynn, parole officer for the central character, Barry Wirth's (Sam Worthington) brother Joey, and also Barry's love interest. In 2003, she was a presenter at the 45th Australian Film Institute (AFI) awards. Freya also appeared in the ABC's adaptation of Richard Beasley's novel "Hell Has Harbour Views" as lawyer Jill Bishop.

In late 2006 Freya starred in Bell Shakespeare's production of The Tempest, as Miranda. She also guest starred in the 2006 episode "Mind Games" of All Saints.

Freya is set to star in US series Them, a sci-fi drama for which a pilot has been ordered by the FOX network. The series is currently in development and is also set to star James D'Arcy (Master And Commander: The Far Side of The World), Reg Rogers (Runaway Bride) and Rachel Nichols (Alias). The pilot is set to air during the US 2007-08 television season and is based on the graphic novel "Six" by Michael Avon Oeming and Daniel Berman. "Them" will be set in Los Angeles.

Freya will also star in Sydney's Griffin Theatre Company's production of Katherine Thomson's King Tide in October-November as Sal, an award-winning investigative journalist who becomes reclusive following the death of her son. "King Tide" is to be directed by Patrick Nolan.

References

* cite web
url = http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,21084203-921,00.html
title = Tassie's A list
work = Mercury - The voice of Tasmania
publisher = Davies Brothers Pty Limited
accessdate = 2007-09-13
date = 2007-01-19
* cite web
url = http://www.knapmanwyld.com.au/wcbcast.html
title = White Collar Blue - Cast
publisher = Knapman Wyld Television
accessdate = 2007-09-13