Julia Morris
| Julia Morris | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Julia Carolyn Margaret Morris |
| Born |
20 April 1968 Sydney, Australia |
| Medium | Stand-up, television |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouse | Dan Thomas (m. 2005) |
| Website | http://www.juliamorris.com/ |
Julia Morris (born 20 April 1968) is an Australian comedian, actress, writer, television presenter and television producer who has worked extensively in Australian television and radio, touring the country with her solo comedy shows. She relocated to the United Kingdom in 2000, appearing on British television, then returned to Australia in 2007.
Personal life
Morris married British comedian Dan Thomas in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve, 2005.[1] The couple have two daughters, Ruby Charlotte and Sophie Rebecca born on 27 November 2008.[2] In 2003, her husband bought her the title "Lady of the Manor of Gosforth" online. Although it has no legal standing, Morris utilises its comic value in her stand-up show, referring to herself as "Lady Julia Morris".[3]
Career
Television
Morris's first television appearance was in 1985 aged 17, as a contestant on the talent show New Faces. She performed "Holding Out for a Hero", a Jim Steinman song made famous by Bonnie Tyler, and tied for first place.[4]
After several years in variety and stand-up, Morris got her big break when she joined the ensemble cast of the hit Australian sketch comedy series Full Frontal in 1995.[3] This led to hosting roles on Great Aussie Bloopers and "The Morris Report" in the live variety series In Melbourne Tonight, as well as regular appearances on The Midday Show, Good Morning Australia, Beauty and the Beast and Who Dares Wins. and the action series Gladiators.[5]
Morris relocated to the United Kingdom in 2000. As well as stand-up, she made appearances on the TV quiz QI, an episode of sitcom Not Going Out playing a successful beautician, and in the sixth episode of season three of Kathy Griffin's My Life on the D-List, offering advice on the British audiences. Since her return to Australia in 2007, she has made appearances on Thank God You're Here, Good News Week, Spicks and Specks, Rove Live, The Singing Office and It Takes Two.[5] She won the third season of the reality singing series It Takes Two, in which she was partnered with opera singer David Hobson.[6] Her winnings were donated to the Emily Tapp Foundation, a charity dedicated to melanoma awareness and prevention.[7] She has also appeared in a series of commercials for All-Bran cereal, which also featured fellow actress and comedienne Helen Dallimore.
She was a contestant on the 2011 series of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia, and won, beating teammate Jason Coleman, model Jesinta Campbell and AFL star Shane Crawford.
Since 2012, she has starred as Gemma Crabb in the Nine Network's Melbourne-made drama series, House Husbands. The show commenced a second season on 8 April 2013.
In April 2013, Morris was announced as the new host of television talent show, Australia's Got Talent, which has switched from the Seven Network to the Nine Network.[8]
Live performance
Morris tours international comedy festivals, appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, South Africa's Vodacom Funny Festival, Montreal's Just For Laughs and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. She won a Herald Angel Award at the 2001 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Time Out magazine's Comedy Performer of the Year Award in 2004.[3] She is a former manager of Sydney's Comedy Store venue.
In 1999 she toured in the critically acclaimed Australian production of the Off-Broadway musical I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.
Television
| Year | Show | Role | Notes | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–1996 | Full Frontal | Various characters | Writer/actor | 26 |
| 2006 | Not Going Out | Ruth | 1 | |
| 2012–present | House Husbands | Gemma Crabb | 23 |
As Herself
| Year | Show | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2002 | Beauty and the Beast | |
| 2003 | QI | 1 |
| 2006–2007 | Spicks and Specks | 2 |
| 2007 | Rove Live | 1 |
| 2007 | Thank God You're Here | 1 |
| 2008 | Melbourne International Comedy Festival | |
| 2008 | It Takes Two | 11 |
| 2008–2012 | Good News Week | 14 |
| 2010 | Bonnie Hunt | |
| 2010 | Just For Laughs | |
| 2010 | Sleuth 101 | 1 |
| 2011 | The Celebrity Apprentice | |
| 2013–present | Australia's Got Talent |
References
- ↑ Morris, Julia l (August 2006). "Julia Morris Blog". JuliaMorris.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ↑ Staff writer l (22 April 2008). "Comic Morris is Australia's top diva". Chortle. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Staff writer (17 June 2008). "Julia Morris is a funny lady". Sunshine Coast Daily Online. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ↑ Gadd, Michael (2 August 2007). "It's time for the anti Straya Nidol". NEWS.com.au. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Julia Morris". Onya Soapbox. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ↑ John, Katelyn (22 April 2008). "Julia Morris wins It Takes Two". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ↑ Staff writer (23 April 2008). "Comedian Julia Morris has laughed her way through to win It Takes Two!". Who Magazine. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ↑ Julia Morris to host channel 9's Australia's Got Talent. Herald Sun 14 April 2013 | Retrieved 14 April 2013
External links
- Official website
- Julia Morris at the Internet Movie Database
- Review at chortle.co.uk
- Review of 2003 Edinburgh Festival show Will You Kids Get Out Of That Pool Please!
- Review of 2004 Brighton Comedy Festival show Lady Julia Morris Live
- Julia Morris biography – It Takes Two website
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