FILMOGRAPHY
2005] The Book Of Revelation
2002] Rabbit-Proof Fence
2001-05] "The Secret Life of Us"
2001] Black Chicks Talking [doco]
2000] The Third Note
2000] The Monkey's Mask
1999] Dear Claudia
1998] Radiance
LINKS
Born 1973 Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia.
Studied drama at the Queensland University of Technology, graduating in 1992.
Deborah is of Aboriginal and Maori heritage.
Youngest of 5 children born to Wally, an accomplished rodeo rider, and Jane Mailman.
Deborah spent 2 years [2000-01] performing on Australia's popular long running kids show "Play School"
Deborah talked on Marie Claire's "What Women Want" tv special
In 1998 Deborah won the AFI Best Actress Award for her role in Radiance which also won her the Film Critics' Circle of Australia Best Actress Award.
Deborah was the first Aboriginal actress to win a AFI Best Actress Award.
Deborah played the same character from Radiance on stage winning her a Matilda Award [South-East Queensland's excellence in theatre awards].
Theatre work includes the all aboriginal Sydney Theatre Company production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Sydney Belvoir Street Theatre production of The Small Poppies alongside Geoffrey Rush and the touring production of Seven Stages of Grieving, As You Like It, Capricornia, Murri Love, King Lear, The Summer of the Aliens, The Cherry Pickers, The Taming of the Shrew and Gigi.
Deborah took her one-woman show, The 7 Stages of Grieving, to the London International Festival of Theatre and Zurich Arts Festival. Also performing it with the Sydney Theatre Company.
Deborah on her Secret Life Of Us character:
"Kelly is beautiful - an absolutely infectious character. She is very curious as to how the world works. She's always asking questions. I just love the fact that whenever something comes along she grabs it.
Deborah on being a presenter on kids program 'Play School':
"Play School is one of the most rewarding jobs ever. It's hard work, but it's so much fun. I am so excited to be a presenter. Waddling like a duck, working with Humpty, making a house out of toilet rolls, I love it all."
Deborah on acting as a career:
"I never perceived acting as a viable career choice. I grew up in Mount Isa where there wasn't a great deal of knowledge about acting as a profession."
Deborah on how she became an actor:
"I really don’t know. My school friends thought I was outgoing and bubbly, but that masked a lot of insecurities, and maybe that’s the reason I chose drama - to build : a bit of self-confidence. I had a great teacher, and I won a few speech and drama competitions, and just fell in love with it."
Deborah on there being no indigenous actors in an ongoing Australian television role in the early 1990's:
"I didn’t see it as a disadvantage; it simply wasn’t in my thoughts. It was a bit naive maybe, but I didn’t believe I would be pushed back because of the colour of my skin."
Deborah on growing up in Mount Isa:
"All of us kids were really smart at school and found it quite easy to make friends, so there wasn't any blatant racism towards us. Certainly Mount Isa was a segregated community in some ways, but we all pretty much had the same opportunities as everyone else. Mum and dad were really respected in both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities."
Deborah on the difference between herself & her TSLOU character Kelly:
"She's much more adventurous than I am. She'll try anything, whereas I'd rather stay at home. Because I've got an AFI award, I feel there is a certain expectation when I walk into a room, you know, that that Deb Mailman must know something! But I'm just as nervous with every experience. I still doubt whether or not I can pull something off. I still think, when is the review going to come along that says Deb Mailman's not very good? It's nerve-wracking, constantly wondering if I'm still watchable."
Deborah on aboriginal actors:
"I think there's a huge gap in casting Aboriginal actors in commercial television. There's Ernie Dingo, who's a presenter, but at the moment I'm the only actor in an ongoing role. Some people think that there aren't many Aboriginal actors around, and if there are, they're not that good. It's stupid. There's such an incredible pool of talent out there and they're still coming out of drama schools. People just need to take a leap of faith. All I can do is keep doing my own work. The great thing about Kelly is that schoolgirls from North Sydney to Fitzroy Crossing can relate to her, and that makes a difference. That's how things start changing in little ways. And that's why I love doing this job."