Vanessa Downing

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Vanessa Downing
Born (1958-05-05) 5 May 1958 (age 63)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Other namesVanessa Ryan
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
Occupation
  • Actress (stage, television and film)
  • singer
  • recording artist
  • voice artist
  • lawyer
Years active1976–present
Spouse(s)Rodney Fischer (Director/writer)

Vanessa Downing (born 5 May 1958) is an Australian character actress of theatre and screen; she has also done recordings including singing and voice-over. She was educated in Sydney, attended the Australian theatre for young people, and after leaving school took a master's degree in English literature from the University of Sydney.

Downing was appearing with singing group The Madgrials , an accapella group who were performing at the Sydney Opera House, when she was given the role of matriarch foster mother Pippa Fletcher in Home and Away[1]

She graduated as a lawyer in 2006, and now juggles a law career with firm Craddock Murray Neumann and her acting roles, mostly on the stage[2]

Career[]

Theatre roles include Three a Penny and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. She is a well-known and prominent stage actress and has featured in many productions[3]

Television roles including All Saints, classic '80s soap opera Sons and Daughters, G.P., Water Rats, HeadLand and Packed to the Rafters. She had a role in the Kingswood Country re-boot series Bullpitt!, she has appeared in numerous mini-series and made for TV films.

Home and Away[]

She is best known however for her more regular role as an original cast member of the television soap opera Home and Away playing a role many years her senior as foster mother Pippa Fletcher, replacing Carole Willesee, the wife of newsreader Mike Willesee, at short notice. The casting news hit the headlines at the publicity launch of the soap. The role had been auditioned by future Neighbours star Jackie Woodburne

When Downing left the series in 1990, the part was recast, and taken over at short notice by Debra Lawrance who went on to play the character from 1990 to 1998, with subsequent guest appearances. After Lawrence took over the role, the character remarried to Michael Ross (played by Lawrence's husband Dennis Coard) and now known as Pippa Ross was awarded a fictitious OAM for her services as a foster parent.

Post-Home and Away[]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Reflections Mrs. O'Brien
2013 Felony Manny Summer
2015 Stationery Penny Wilkins Short
20?? The Immortal Lucy (age 50) Short, completed

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Sons and Daughters Cheryl Ryan Episodes: "1.44", "1.60"
1983 The Disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain Mrs. Lowe TV film
1986 Funeral Going Patricia TV film
1986 Double Sculls Sister Cathy TV film
1988 Melba Evie Doyle TV miniseries
1988–1990 Home and Away Pippa Fletcher Regular role; 361 episodes
1991 A Country Practice Fiona Farrell Episode: "For the Good Times: Part 1"
1993 G.P. Pam Preston Episode: "Close to Her Chest"
1994 Mary: The Mary MacKillop Story Flora MacKillop Documentary
1997 Water Rats Margaret Hobbs Episode: "The Messenger"
1997 Big Sky Danielle Morgan Episode: "The Right Thing"
1997–1998 Bullpitt! Muriel Johnstone Main role
1998, 2002 All Saints Helen Lancaster, Claire Hobson Episodes: "Live Now, Pay Later", "Slings and Arrows"
2006 headLand Pamela Martin Episodes: "1.50", "1.51", "1.52"
2008 Packed to the Rafters Shirley Episode: "Removing the Block"
2014 The Moodys Robin Benson Episode: "Australia Day"
2019 Mr Inbetween Lorraine Episode: "I Came from Your Balls?"
2020 Black Comedy (TV series) Guest Cast
2020 The Immortal Lucy at 50

References[]

  1. ^ Oram, James "Home and Away:Behind the Scenes"}}
  2. ^ "Home and Away flashback! The original cast reunited". 10 May 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Vanessa Downing". AusStage.

External links[]


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