Sarah Peirse
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Sarah Peirse | |
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| OccupationTemplate:Pluralize from text | Actress, director |
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| Known for | Heavenly Creatures (1994) Rain (2001) |
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Sarah Peirse is a New Zealand actress who works on both screen and stage. She is best known for her roles as Honora Rieper Parker in Heavenly Creatures and as Kate in Rain.
Early life
Peirse studied acting for a year at a drama school associated with Auckland's Theatre Corporate, alongside fellow actors, Donogh Rees and Phillip Gordon.[1]
Career
Following her studies, Peirse acted in theatrical productions such as A Bear Called Paddington and Three Sisters. In 1984, after a year in London, she began directing theatre, starting with Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls at Theatre Corporate.[1]
Peirse’s first screen role was in the 1980 short film Queen Street, followed by a main role in the TV movie It’s Lizzie to Those Close, for which she won a Feltex Best Actress award. She continued to appear in theatre, television and film, and was nominated for an award for her role in the 1985 film Arriving Tuesday, and a Best Supporting Actress award for her role in 1988 fantasy film The Navigator.[1]
In 1989, Peirse spent two years with the Melbourne Theatre Company, before relocating to Sydney for nine years, followed by a three year stint in the United Kingdom.
Peirse briefly returned to New Zealand to star in the 1994 Peter Jackson film Heavenly Creatures, alongside Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey, playing the role of the ill-fated Honora Rieper Parker.[1] Jackson had fallen in love with Peirse's acting when she starred in the film A Woman of Good Character, and regarded her as the only choice for the part of Parker. Peirse also acted as drama coach for Melanie Lynskey on the film.[2]
Peirse again returned to New Zealand, to star in the 2001 coming of age film Rain, playing the role of the disaffected, sophisticated Kate. Her performance earned her two Best Actress awards.[1] That year, she also starred in the 2001 British TV movie Murder Rooms.[1]
Peirse's further New Zealand credits include The Hopes and Dreams of Gazza Snell, Under the Vines, the 2011 TV movie Bliss and an award-winning turn in the TV movie Aftershock.[1] Peirse then starred as Hilda in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy (2012–2014), as well as Dr. Gladys Bell in the American fantasy drama series Sweet Tooth (2021–2023).[1]
Peirse's Australian TV credits include guest appearances in The Flying Doctors, Water Rats and Spirited and 1987 Australian thriller film Went Up the Hill. More recently she has featured in series such as Old School, Hunters, Seven Types of Ambiguity, Offspring, The Letdown and Love Me.[1]
Peirse's stage credits include a 2018 production of Melbourne Theatre Company's The Children,[3] as well as lead roles in Cabaret, Three Sisters, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Molly Sweeney.[1] Peirse spent many years at both Theatre Corporate and the Mercury Theatre in New Zealand. where she eventually became Associate Director. She has also directed at the Adelaide State Theatre.[2]
In 2024, Peirse was named in the cast for season three of Foxtel legal drama The Twelve.[4] On 20 November 2025, Peirse was named in the cast for ABC series Treasure & Dirt.[5]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | A Woman of Good Character | Lizzie |
| 1985 | Sylvia | Vivian Wallop |
| 1986 | My Letter to George (aka Mesmerized or Shocked) | Victoria's mother |
| Arriving Tuesday | Carol | |
| 1987 | Young Detectives on Wheels | Auntie Kim |
| 1988 | The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey | Linnet |
| 1994 | Heavenly Creatures | Honora Parker Rieper |
| 2001 | Rain | Kate |
| 2002 | Unconditional Love | Florist |
| 2010 | The Hopes & Dreams of Gazza Snell | Dr. Riebeeck |
| 2011 | Bliss: The Beginning of Katherine Mansfield | Annie Beauchamp |
| 2013 | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | Hilda Blanca |
| 2014 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | Hilda Blanca |
| 2018 | Mortal Engines | Dr. Twix |
| 2022 | Nude Tuesday | Felicity |
| 2024 | A Mistake | Mary, Head of Surgery |
| Went Up the Hill | Helen | |
| Addition |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | It's Lizzie to Those Close | Lizzie | TV movie | |
| 1984 | Inside Straight | Libby Wilkes | 1 episode | |
| 1987 | Steel Riders | Auntie Kim | 1 episode | |
| 1991 | The Flying Doctors | Elizabeth Samuels | 1 episode | |
| 1996 | Water Rats | Margaret Roberts | 1 episode | |
| Fable | Clarissa | TV movie | ||
| 1998 | Murder Call | Harriet Fratelli | 1 episode | |
| 1999 | Dog's Head Bay | Jenny Grant | 3 episodes | |
| 2001 | Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes | Agnes | Miniseries, 1 episode | |
| 2008 | Aftershock | Angela Flite | TV movie | |
| 2009 | City Homicide | Lucille Neades | 1 episode | |
| 2010 | Spirited | Charlotte | 1 episode | |
| 2011 | Bliss | Annie Beauchamp | TV movie | |
| 2014 | Old School | Margaret McCabe | 8 episodes | [6] |
| Rake | Politicians Commissioner | 1 episode | ||
| 2016 | The Shannara Chronicles | Pyria Elessedil | 2 episodes | |
| Hunters | Finnerman | 12 episodes | ||
| 2016–2017 | Offspring | Marjorie Van Dyke | 13 episodes | |
| 2017 | Seven Types of Ambiguity | Detective Staszic | Miniseries, 5 episodes | |
| 2017–2019 | The Letdown | Verity | 8 episodes | [7][8] |
| 2020 | Stateless | Assistant Secretary Genevieve Mundy | Miniseries, 5 episodes | |
| 2021 | Sweet Tooth | Dr. Gladys Bell | Season 1, 3 episodes | |
| 2021–2023 | Love Me | Christine Mathieson | 8 episodes | [9] |
| 2021–2024 | Under the Vines | Marissa Silverton | 17 episodes | |
| 2025 | The Twelve | Beth Chaplin | Season 3: "Cape Rock Killer", 8 episodes | |
| 2026 | Treasure & Dirt | Template:TBA | TV series | [5] |
Theatre
As actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Streetcar Named Desire | Stella | Mercury Theatre, Auckland | ||
| 1979 | Coming, Ready or Not | Centrepoint Theatre, Palmerston North | ||
| The Daughter-in-Law | Minnie | |||
| The Foursome | Marie | |||
| 1980 | Nativity | Mary | Theatre Corporate, Auckland | |
| The Stationary Sixth Form Poetry Trip | Molly | |||
| 1981 | Who's Randy | |||
| 1982 | Fanshen | |||
| Outside In | Di – Boss | |||
| 1984 | Gulls | |||
| 1988 | South Pacific | Nellie Forbush | Mercury Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1989 | The Secret Rapture | Katherine | ||
| 1990 | The Heidi Chronicles | Susan | Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC | |
| 1992 | The Rose Tattoo | Serafina Delle Rose | Mercury Theatre, Auckland | |
| 1995 | Dead Funny | Eleanor | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC | |
| 1997 | Molly Sweeney | Molly Sweeney | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC | |
| 1998 | Vita & Virginia | Maidment Theatre, Auckland | ||
| 2007 | Enlightenment | Lio | Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC | |
| 2008 | Madness You Can Trust | RNZ National Radio, Wellington | ||
| 2009 | Poor Boy | Ruth Prior | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC / Sydney Theatre with STC | |
| Gethsemane | Meredith | Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney | ||
| 2011 | The Business | Van (Vassa) | ||
| 2012 | Tribes | Beth | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC | |
| The Gift | Sadie | ATC | [10] | |
| 2013 | Fury | Alice | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC | |
| 2014 | Other Desert Cities | Polly Wyeth | Maidment Theatre, Auckland with ATC | |
| 2014–2016 | Switzerland | Patricia Highsmith | Sydney Opera House, Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with STC | |
| 2015 | Endgame | Nell | STC | |
| 2016 | The Golden Age | Queenie Ayre | Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC | |
| 2017 | Mark Colvin's Kidney | Mary-Ellen Field | Belvoir Theatre Company, Sydney | |
| 2018 | A Cheery Soul | Miss Docker | Sydney Opera House with STC | [11] |
| The Children | Rose | Southbank Theatre, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House with MTC / STC | [3] | |
| 2023 | Women of Troy | Hecuba | Theatre Royal, Hobart with Archipelago Productions | |
| Switzerland | Patricia Highsmith | ABS Waterfront, Auckland | [12] | |
| 2025 | Song of First Desire | Camelia / Margarita | Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney |
As director
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Top Girls | Director | Theatre Corporate, Auckland | |
| Wednesday to Come | Director | |||
| 1986 | The Trojan Women | Director | Auckland Domain with Public Works | |
| 1987 | Squatter | Director | Mercury Theatre, Auckland | |
| Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Director | |||
| 1989 | Mrs Klein | Director | ||
| 1991 | A Delicate Balance | Director | Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA | |
| 1994 | Someone Who'll Watch Over Me | Director | Herald Theatre, Auckland with ATC | |
| 1995 | Dancing at Lughnasa | Director | ||
| 1997 | Master Class | Director | ||
| 2003 | A Doll's House | Director | UNITEC Theatre, Auckland | |
| 2004 | The Bach | Director | Herald Theatre, Auckland with ATC |
Awards
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | A Woman of Good Character (aka It's Lizzie to those Close) | Feltex Awards | Best Actress | Won | [15] |
| 1985 | Arriving Tuesday | NZ Listener GOFTA Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | [15] |
| 1989 | The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey | NZ Film & TV Awards | Best Female in a Supporting Role | Won | [15] |
| 1995 | Heavenly Creatures | NZ Film & TV Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Won | [15] |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | [15] | ||
| 1997 | Molly Sweeney | Green Room Awards | Best Female Actor | Won | |
| 2001 | Rain | Nokia New Zealand Film Awards | Best Actress | Won | [15] |
| 2002 | Fantasporto Festival | Best Actress – Directors’ Week Section | Won | [15] | |
| 2003 | Chlotrudis Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | [15] | |
| 2009 | Aftershock | Qantas Film & Television Awards | Best Actress – Television | Nominated | [15] |
| 2012 | Bliss: The Beginning of Katherine Mansfield | NZ Film & Television Awards | Best Performance by a Supporting Actress | Nominated | [15] |
| 2014 | Switzerland | Sydney Theatre Awards | Bear Actress | Won | [16] |
| 2015 | Endgame | Helpmann Awards | Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play | Nominated | [16] |
| 2016 | The Golden Age | Helpmann Awards | Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play | Won | [16] |
| 2018 | Seven Types of Ambiguity | Equity Ensemble Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries or Telemovie | Won | [15] |
| 2024 | Women of Troy | Tasmanian Council Theatre Awards | Best Performance | Won | [17] |
References
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sarah Peirse". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Heavenly Creatures – Sarah Peirse". Tripod Lycos.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Harford, Sonia (18 January 2018). "Sarah Peirse in MTC's The Children, a nightmare vision of the 'quake' to come". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Staff Writer (8 December 2024). "Danielle Cormack, Eryn Jean Norvill, Sarah Peirse join Sam Neill in 'The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer'". IF Magazine. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Knox, David (20 November 2025). "Treasure & Dirt now filming for ABC Drama". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Knox, David (30 May 2013). "ABC announces new crime series, Old School". TVtonight.com.au.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Knox, David (25 October 2018). "Cameras roll on season 2 of the Letdown". TVTonight.com.au.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Knox, David (16 June 2017). "Cameras roll on the Letdown series for ABC, Netflix". TVTonight.com.au.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Knox, David (15 August 2021). "Love Me, new local drama for Binge, Foxtel". TVtonight.com.au.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Theatre: The Gift – Entertainment News". The New Zealand Herald. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Staff Writer. "★★★★☆ A Cheery Soul (Sydney Theatre Company)". Limelight. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Staff Writer. "Actress Sarah Peirse chats about iconic New Zealand films to 'Switzerland' | Articles". www.rova.nz. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sarah Peirse theatre credits". Showcast.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sarah Peirse theatre credits". AusStage.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sarah Peirse Awards". www.nzonscreen.com. 15 December 2017.
- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sarah Peirse". Sydney Theatre Company. 15 December 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2024 Nominees & Winners". Theatre Council of Tasmania.
External links
- Sarah Peirse at IMDb
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