Celia Pacquola

Summary

Celia Pacquola (born 12 February 1983[1]) is an Australian comedian, writer, presenter and actor who performs predominantly in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Celia Pacquola
Black-and-white photo of Celia Pacquola standing onstage, speaking into a microphone
Pacquola in 2013
Born (1983-02-12) 12 February 1983 (age 41)
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actor
  • writer
  • presenter
Years active2006–present
PartnerDara Munnis
Children1
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life edit

Pacquola is a third child, and her parents separated when she was eighteen.[2] She is a descendant of John Rae.[3]

Career edit

She began doing stand-up comedy in 2006.[4]

Radio edit

Pacquola has written and appeared on Australian and British radio,[5][6] presenting Red Hot Go and Fox Summer Breakfast on Fox FM and The Comedy Hour on ABC Radio. She has written for and appeared on BBC Radio 4 shows, including Shappi Talk, What's So Funny?, It's Your Round, The Headset, The Unbelievable Truth, and Britain Versus the World.

Television edit

Pacquola has written for and performed in Good News Week and Laid.[7] She appeared in and co-wrote the first episode of the second season of It's a Date.[8] She has made acting appearances in ABC TV series Utopia[citation needed] as well as The Beautiful Lie,[9][10] winning an AACTA Award for "best guest or supporting actress in a television drama".[11] In 2016, she and Luke McGregor wrote and performed in Rosehaven.[12] Rosehaven won the 2017 AWGIE Award for Best Comedy script.

In 2020, Pacquola won the seventeenth season of Dancing with the Stars Australia and received A$50,000 for her charity, the Safe Steps Family Violence and Support Centre.[13]

Other shows she has performed in, both in Australia and the UK, include Rove,[14] The Project, Sleuth 101, Celebrity Name Game, Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, The Hundred with Andy Lee, Would I Lie to You? Australia, Spicks and Specks, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, Have You Been Paying Attention?, Hughesy, We Have a Problem, The Rob Brydon Show, Russell Howard's Good News, Live At The Apollo, and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

In 2021, Pacquola was the subject of the first episode of the twelfth season of the SBS documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?, which explored her family's ancestral history.[15] From 2023, Pacquola will host a second revival of Thank God You're Here on Network 10, replacing Shane Bourne.[16]

Live performances edit

Pacquola has written and performed live shows since 2007.[citation needed] Her 2009 show Am I Strange?[17] was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where it won Best Comedy and Critics Award for Best Australian Act. She performed in 2009 at the Sydney Opera House with This Was The Year That Was. The following year, she showcased Flying Solos[18] at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe[19][20] and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and in 2012, returned with Delayed.[21][22][23]

She has been nominated for and won a number of awards, including best first-time entrant (Raw Recruit Prize) at the Raw Comedy Awards in 2006.[24]

In 2016, Pacquola hosted the Oxfam Gala for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.[25]

In 2018, she won the Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer for her stand-up comedy show All Talk.[26] In 2019, Pacquola appeared as J. G. (Jenny) Milford in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Oriel Gray's The Torrents.[27] At the 2020 ARIA Music Awards, she was nominated for Best Comedy Release for her album All Talk.[28][failed verification]

Film edit

Pacquola's first movie role was in the 2018 New Zealand romantic comedy The Breaker Upperers alongside Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek, both of whom wrote and directed the film.[29]

Personal life edit

Pacquola openly talks about her anxiety and depression.[30]

She gave birth to her first child, with partner Dara Munnis, in 2022.[31][32][33]

Selected filmography edit

Acting edit

List of film and television appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
2011–12 Laid EJ Griggs 12 episodes
2013–14 Offspring Ange Navarro 18 episodes
2013–14 It's a Date Cynthia 2 episodes
2014–15 Kinne Various 9 episodes
2014–23 Utopia Nat Russell
2015 The Beautiful Lie Dolly Faraday 6 episodes
2016–21 Rosehaven Emma Dawes 40 episodes
2017–19 Mustangs FC Narrator 39 episodes
2018 The Breaker Upperers Anna Feature film
2021 The Truth About Anxiety[34] Self Documentary
2021, 2023 Love Me Sasha 12 episodes
2022 Shut Up Syballa 6 episodes
2023–present Thank God You're Here Host

Production/writing edit

List of production/writing work, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
2008–10 Good News Week Writer 17 episodes
2012 Laid Additional material writer 6 episodes
Warehouse Comedy Festival Writer
2014 It's a Date Writer 1 episode
2016-21 Rosehaven Writer; producer 40 episodes
2017 One Night Stan Writer 1 episode
2020 Australia's Funniest Stand up Specials Writer Special
2021 Celia Pacquola: Let Me Know How It All Works Out Writer Special
2022 Nude Tuesday Writer Film
2023 Love Me Writer 1 episode

References edit

  1. ^ "Celia Pacquola in The Looking Glass". Herald Sun. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  2. ^ Who Do You Think You Are?, retrieved 22 November 2022
  3. ^ Rocca, Jane (8 June 2021). "Celia Pacquola on Acknowledging Her Family's History". T: The New York Times Style Magazine Australia. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  4. ^ Pacquola, Celia. "On Women's Safety". Marie Claire. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Full credits: Celia Pacquola". PBJ Management. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Celia Pacquola" (PDF). Token Artists. September 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022. Curriculum vitae
  7. ^ The Age "Celia Pacquola's EJ on ABC1's Laid, is the best friend every woman wants" 26 April 2012.
  8. ^ "Stars come out for It's a date". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  9. ^ "A career was never part of comedian Celia Pacquola's plan". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  10. ^ Pacquola, Celia (9 June 2015). "Acting Showreel". Celia Pacquola. Retrieved 9 July 2022 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ Maddox, Garry (8 December 2016). "AACTA Awards: Celia Pacquola surprises with win for dramatic role in A Beautiful Lie".
  12. ^ "Tasmanian comedian Luke McGregor scores comedy series gig with ABC TV". The Mercury. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  13. ^ Whitehead, Mat (29 March 2020). "Celia Pacquola Wins Dancing With the Stars 2020". 10 Daily. 10 Daily. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  14. ^ Pacquola, Celia (9 November 2008). "Celia Pacquola on Rove". Paul Ferrett. Retrieved 9 July 2022 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "Comedian Celia Pacquola features in the season return of Who Do You Think You Are?". TV Blackbox. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  16. ^ Knox, David (2 April 2023). "Thank God You're Here returning to 10". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  17. ^ The Telegraph “Celia Pacquola in Am I Strange?” 7 August 2009.
  18. ^ Chortle “Celia Pacquola in Flying Solos” Archived 30 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine 1 April 2010.
  19. ^ Neil, Gabriel (14 August 2010). "Celia Pacquola: Flying Solos Review". Edinburgh Guide. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  20. ^ The Guardian "Celia Pacquola Fringe Review", 12 August 2009.
  21. ^ Bennett, Steve (8 April 2012). "Celia Pacquola: Delayed : Review". Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 July 2022. Reviewed at: Melbourne International Comedy Festival
  22. ^ Melbourne International Comedy Festival "Celia Pacquola - Delayed Listing" "Celia Pacquola – Delayed | Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2012". Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) 2012
  23. ^ ScotsGay Magazine: Fringe “Celia Pacquola: Delayed” Archived 30 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ Chortle "Celia Pacquola"
  25. ^ "Profile: Celia Pacquola". Token Artists. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  26. ^ Jefferson, Dee (17 July 2018). "Helpmann Awards: Sydney Theatre Company the biggest winner across split ceremony at Capitol Theatre". ABCNews. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  27. ^ Glance, Vivienne (21 June 2019). "Why revive a forgotten Australian classic? Oriel Gray's The Torrents remains relevant today". The Conversation. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  28. ^ "And the 2020 ARIA Awards Go To…". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  29. ^ "The Breaker Upperers". www.imdb.com. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  30. ^ "Exclusive: Celia Pacquola opens up about putting her mental health first even if it's "selfish"". Now To Love. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  31. ^ Couros, Faye. "Celia Pacquola reveals her burgeoning baby bump on Have You Been Paying Attention". Now to Love. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  32. ^ "Celia Pacquola flaunts her baby bump". MSN. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  33. ^ "Aussie celebs are losing it at comedian Celia Pacquola's pregnancy announcement!". Bounty Parents. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  34. ^ "Airdate: The Truth About Anxiety". tvtonight.com.au. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2023.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Celia Pacquola at IMDb