Ashleigh Cummings

Ashleigh Cummings

Ashleigh Cummings, 2014
Born (1992-11-11) 11 November 1992[1]
Saudi Arabia
Occupation Actress
Years active 2007–present

Ashleigh Cummings (born 11 November 1992) is an Australian actress. She was born in Saudi Arabia and moved to Australia with her family when she was twelve. Cummings joined a performing arts school where she learned dance and acting, before appearing in Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance in 2007. After making appearances in Green Fire Envy and the soap opera Home and Away, Cummings was cast as Robyn Mathers in Tomorrow, When the War Began. The film, based on the book of the same name, earned Cummings a nomination for Best Young Actor at the 2010 Australian Film Institute Awards. In 2012, the actress began starring in ABC1's Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries as Dorothy Williams. That same year, she was cast in the new television adaptation of Puberty Blues.

Early life

Cummings was born in Saudi Arabia, where her parents lived and worked. She moved to Australia when she was 12 years old.[2][3] From the age of two, Cummings trained as a ballet dancer. When she was 14 she joined the Brent Street School of Performing Arts, where she learned dance and acting.[3][4] Cummings then attended Wenona School in North Sydney.[5] She also attended the film and television school Screenwise.[6] Cummings studied philosophy at university between acting roles.[2]

Career

Cummings appeared as a dancer in Darren Ashton's Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance in 2007.[7] She went on to star as Ally Sheppard in Green Fire Envy a project that was produced by the Participate Film Academy.[4][8] Cummings' next projects were a role in the television film Dream Life and a guest stint in soap opera Home and Away.[9]

In September 2009, it was announced Cummings had joined the cast of Tomorrow, When the War Began, a film based on the John Marsden book of the same name.[5] Cummings learned how to ride dirt bikes and operate AK-47 assault rifles before filming began.[5] She also sat her year 11 exams early and missed the first part of year 12, while shooting the film.[5] Cummings earned a nomination for Best Young Actor at the 2010 Australian Film Institute Awards for her portrayal of Robyn Mathers.[10]

From September 2010, Cummings appeared in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Our Town.[2] The actress went on to appear in episodes of Rescue Special Ops, Underbelly: Razor and Dance Academy in 2011.[7] She was then cast as Dorothy "Dot" Williams in ABC1's Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, a drama series based on Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher historical mysteries.[11] Dorothy is "a conservative working-class Catholic" who becomes Phryne's maid.[9]

In March 2012, it was announced that Cummings had been cast as Debbie Vickers in the television adaptation of Puberty Blues.[12] Cummings read the novel before her audition and she revealed that she was surprised at the content. Cummings told Yahoo!7's Darren Cartwright, "In terms of the sexual nature of it, I wasn't aware of a lot of that and I've learnt so much (doing this movie)."[13] To prepare for the role of Debbie, Cummings took surfing lessons.[13] Cummings went overseas for three weeks to work as a volunteer in South-East Asia, before she returned to film the second series of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.[13] For her roles in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and Puberty Blues, Cummings received a nomination for Most Popular Actress at the Logie Awards.[14]

Cummings recorded vocals for Dan Webb's debut album Sandstorm, released in 2014.[15] She also starred in Rhys Graham's first feature film Galore as Billie.[16][17] Cummings received a nomination for Best Performance by a Young Actor at the Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards for her role in Galore.[18] In 2015, Cummings appeared in the television miniseries Gallipoli as Celia.[16]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance Dancer
2008 Green Fire Envy Ally Sheppard
2008 Dream Life Sal TV movie
2009 Home and Away Ali Edmonds
2010 Tomorrow, When the War Began Robyn Mathers
2011 Rescue Special Ops Britney Episode: "The Intervention"
2011 Underbelly: Razor Gracie Episode: "Blood Alley"
2011 Dance Academy Trilby Episode: "Faux Pas De Deux"
2012– Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Dorothy Williams
2012–14 Puberty Blues Debbie Vickers
2013 Galore Billie
2015 Gallipoli Celia Houghton

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2010 AACTA Awards Best Young Actor Tomorrow, When the War Began Nominated
2013 Logie Awards Most Popular Actress Puberty Blues and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Nominated
AACTA Awards Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama Puberty Blues Nominated
2015 Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Performance by a Young Actor Galore Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "Ashleigh Cummings". Lisa Mann Creative Management. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Kalina, Paul (9 August 2012). "Blues sound for a new generation". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 Sams, Christine (12 August 2012). "Blues sisters shine". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Cast – Ashleigh Cummings". Participate Film Academy. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Sams, Christine (13 September 2009). "Young guns shoot to thrill in Aussie film". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "Screenteens Acting Classes – May Intake". Screenwise. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Debbie played by Ashleigh Cummings". Network Ten. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "Feature Film Production Synopsis and Credits". Australian Film Institute. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Dorothy Williams". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  10. ↑ Joyce, James (11 December 2010). "War begins for AFI honours". The Newcastle Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  11. ↑ Meade, Amanda (2 February 2012). "Teaser: Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries". The Australian (News Limited). Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  12. ↑ "Cummings and Harding play Debbie and Sue". Yahoo!7 TV. Yahoo!. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 Cartwright, Darren (7 August 2012). "No Sexual Blues For Young Actress". Yahoo!7 TV. Yahoo!. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  14. ↑ Byrnes, Holly (11 March 2013). "Comic duo Hamish Blake and Andy Lee to battle each other for Gold Logie". The Daily Telegraph (News Limited). Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  15. ↑ "Exclusive Single Premiere: Dan Webb ft. Ashleigh Cummings "Sleep" (2014)". The AU Review. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  16. 1 2 Roach, Vicky (16 June 2014). "Puberty Blues star Ashleigh Cummings travelled solo to the Big Apple at 14". news.com.au. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  17. ↑ Hawker, Philippa (25 July 2013). "Galore a moving story of first love, loss and betrayal set against Canberra bushfires". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  18. ↑ Maddox, Garry (3 February 2015). "Water Diviner and Babadook go head-to-head again". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 October 2015.

External links

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