Zoe Terakes

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Zoe Terakes
Born (2000-03-22) March 22, 2000 (age 21)
NationalityAustralian
OccupationActor
Years active2017-present

Zoe Terakes is an Australian actor who most notably played Reb Keane in Wentworth.

Life and Career[]

Terakes is non-binary trans masculine and came out to the acting industry at age 19.[1]

Terakes attended SCEGGS Darlinghurst for High School.

They completed their HSC whilst appearing on stage in A View from the Bridge, a theatre production in Sydney from director Iain Sinclair.[2][1] This production led them to receive Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production, and as joint winner, the Best Newcomer Award.[3] The production also scored Terakes a Helpmann Award nomination.[4][5]

Terakes had not considered acting as a career, until their grade 11 drama teacher recommended visting an agent who ended up securing them work.[6]

At the age of 17, Terakes made their on-screen debut in the role of Pearl Perati, a homeless teenager, in ABC's Janet King alongside Marta Dusseldorp.[1][7][8][9]

Other theatre credits of Terakes include Metamorphoses and The Wolves for The Old Fitz and Henrik Ibsen's theatre production of A Doll's House Part 2 at the Melbourne Theatre Company.[8][3]

Terakes played transgender man Reb Keane in season eight of Australian TV series Wentworth, the critically acclaimed reboot of Prisoner. About the experience of obtaining the role, Terakes stated: "I really fought for it. I emailed the producers to let them know how important it was to have a trans person telling this story. It was also terrifying, because suddenly I had the role and I felt the weight of the trans community on my shoulders. I didn't want to get it wrong."[10] Their character, Reb, was a trans man (assigned female at birth) and was terrified of being sentenced to prison after a robbery goes wrong.[11][12]

In 2020, the feature film Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) was released where Terakes plays the title role of Abbie.[13][14] In the same year, Terakes appeared in the Foxtel drama about euthanasia titled The End.[5]

In 2021, Terakes played wellness retreat worker Glory alongside Nicole Kidman, Asher Keddie and Melissa McCarthy in Nine Perfect Strangers.[1][15]

Controversy[]

In 2020, the Australian production of ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ was postponed after a petition highlighted the lack of LGBTQ representation in the show and expressed “disappointment” over the casting of actor Hugh Sheridan in the lead role of Hedwig, whom many believe to be a transgender character.[16][17] On Instagram, Terakes shared an open letter to the Sydney Festival penned by a group of people including Daya Czepanski, David Campbell and Michaela Banas, explaining why trans representation is vital when telling the story of a trans character.[17][16] The letter also called for the recasting of Sheridan, who stated they are attracted to both men and women but avoids labelling their sexuality.[16] In response to the letter, the American creators of Hedwig, John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask, issued a statement saying they did not believe that Hedwig was transgender, and that anyone could play the role however the Australian producers, Showtune Productions, cancelled the show.[18] Sheridan shared with the Sydney Morning Herald how this letter, and the following cyber bullying from Terakes and the trans community, shocked them and caused them serious mental health issues including considering harm twice.[18] This controversy has caused the acting community, encouraged by Wesley Enoch, the then director of the Sydney Festival, to re-think how cancel culture works, and what indeed acting is if a person is only allowed to portray who they are in real life.[18]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Janet King Pearl Perati
2020 The End Scarlet
2020 Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) Abbie Film
2020 Bondi Slayer Kristy Web series
2020-2021 Wentworth Reb Keane
2021 The Moth Effect Employee
2021 Nine Perfect Strangers Glory

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d McManus, Bridget (2021-08-21). "As Wentworth closes up for good, new doors open for star Zoe Terakes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  2. ^ Moran, Jonathon (2017-10-19). "Juggling HSC with a debut in Miller play". dailytelegraph. Retrieved 2021-08-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b "Zoe Terakes". WEAR IT PURPLE. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  4. ^ "How actress Zoe Terakes juggled the HSC with her stage debut". 7NEWS. 2019-07-16. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  5. ^ a b Williams, Sue (2019-10-02). "My travel life: Zoe Terakes". Traveller. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  6. ^ Groves, Don (2019-08-04). "Zoe Terakes proudly represents her community on stage and screen". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  7. ^ "Zoe Terakes lands a career-defining role in 'Wentworth'". IF Magazine. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  8. ^ a b "Non-Binary Actor Zoe Terakes Brings Authenticity to 'Wentworth's Reb". Distractify. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  9. ^ Groves, Don (2019-08-04). "Zoe Terakes proudly represents her community on stage and screen". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  10. ^ "Wentworth's Kate Box and Zoe Terakes: "It's not over for us"". Now To Love. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  11. ^ "Zoe Terakes lands a career-defining role in 'Wentworth'". IF Magazine. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  12. ^ "Non-Binary Actor Zoe Terakes Brings Authenticity to 'Wentworth's Reb". Distractify. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  13. ^ Piccoli, Dana (2020-08-29). "Outfest 2020: "Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt)" is a teen rom-com with a serious side". Queer Media Matters. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  14. ^ "The Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) trailer comes out". Cinema Australia. 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  15. ^ Walsh, Savannah; Puckett-Pope, Lauren (2021-05-18). "Hulu's Star-Studded 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Will Premiere in August". ELLE. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  16. ^ a b c "Hedwig Postponed Over Casting Of Hugh Sheridan As Trans Lead". HuffPost. 2020-11-18. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  17. ^ a b "Australian production of 'Hedwig - The Musical' cancelled". OUTInPerth | LGBTQIA+ News and Culture. 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  18. ^ a b c Button, James (2021-11-19). "'They cancelled me as a human': What nearly killed Logie winner Hugh Sheridan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
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