Shari Sebbens

Shari Sebbens — Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life and career of Australian Indigenous actress and director Shari Sebbens—from her early years in Darwin to her breakthrough in The Sapphires, her stage and screen work, her identity and influences, and her most memorable quotes and life lessons.

Introduction

Shari Sebbens is a remarkable Aboriginal Australian actress, theatre director, and creative voice. Born in 1985 in Darwin, she has become known for both her powerful performances on stage and screen and her commitment to Indigenous storytelling and representation. Her breakout role in The Sapphires (2012) brought her to wider attention, but her artistic reach extends far beyond that. Today she is not only a performer, but a director, advocate, and cultural leader.

Her story matters—because she bridges worlds: bridging Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia, bridging stage and screen, bridging performance and leadership. Her journey offers insight into creativity, identity, perseverance, and the power of representation.

Early Life and Family

Shari Sebbens was born on 22 April 1985 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Though she refers to Australian composer and playwright Jimmy Chi as her uncle, they are not blood relations.

Growing up in Darwin, Shari’s childhood environment was shaped by her Indigenous heritage as well as the landscapes and community of the Top End of Australia.

As a child, she dreamed of becoming a paleontologist or an astronaut—but her path shifted when, at age 13, she saw Indigenous actress Deborah Mailman in the film Radiance (1998). That moment planted a seed: she began imagining herself in that world.

Youth and Education

Shari attended Darwin High School, graduating in 2001. SPARK theatre mentorship program (an initiative by the Australia Council for the Arts) at age 19.

She then studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where she completed a one-year course focused on Aboriginal theatre. National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, enrolling in a three-year acting program and graduating in 2009.

Even during her training, she engaged with classic text roles: for instance, she played roles in Measure for Measure and The Importance of Being Earnest while at drama school.

However, entering the industry after graduation brought new challenges: many culturally non-specific roles seemed to vanish for Indigenous actors. As she has reflected, “all of those roles fall away” when one transitions from training to professional work.

Career and Achievements

Early Screen Work and Breakthrough

Shari’s film debut came in 2010, in a short film titled Violet, in which she played Anna. Redfern Now, which tells interwoven stories of Indigenous families in urban settings.

That same year, she starred in The Sapphires, playing Kay McCrae, one of four Indigenous Australian women who travel to Vietnam during the war to entertain troops. The Sapphires was based on a stage show, directed by Wayne Blair, and starred Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Miranda Tapsell, and others. The Sapphires elevated her visibility considerably.

She also continued to appear in television and film roles:

• In Redfern Now she earned a Logie Award for Most Outstanding New Talent and an Equity Ensemble Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble.

• On stage, she took on roles in A Hoax, Radiance, Black is the New White, The Bleeding Tree, Our Town, and City of Gold, among others.

• Her theatre work eventually moved into directing and dramaturgy: by 2021 she was appointed resident director at the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), directing Australian productions including The 7 Stages of Grieving (with a new epilogue calling audiences to “seven actions of healing”) and working as assistant director on Appropriate.

• She has also served as a dramaturg on STC’s production of The Tempest, working closely with established theatre directors.

In 2023, she directed productions at STC, Griffin Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, and Malthouse in Melbourne.

In film and television, recent roles include joining the cast of the Australian adaptation of The Office, playing Greta King. She continues to appear in screen productions while expanding her directorial voice.

Awards and Recognition

Over her career, Shari has been recognized through nominations and awards:

• Sydney Theatre Award nomination (Best Newcomer) for A Hoax (2012)

• Logie Award: Most Outstanding New Talent for Redfern Now

• Equity Ensemble Awards for excellence in ensemble performance

• Richard Wherrett Fellowship (2019–2020)

• Sydney Theatre Award win (2023) for Best Direction of a Mainstage Production

Her recognition reflects not just her talent but her growing influence in Australian theatre and storytelling.

Historical Milestones & Context

Shari’s career sits within a broader movement in Australia: increasing recognition of Indigenous voices in the arts, theatre, film, and television. The early 21st century has seen growing demand for stories by First Nations peoples and for Indigenous actors to have more opportunities beyond stereotyped or token roles.

The Sapphires was a breakthrough not only for Shari, but for Indigenous representation in Australian cinema: it put a story of Aboriginal women front and center in an international context. Her work in Redfern Now also aligned with efforts to tell modern Indigenous lives, not just historical ones.

Meanwhile, her transition into directing and dramaturgy signals a shift: not just performing Indigenous stories, but shaping them from behind the scenes. By directing works like The 7 Stages of Grieving with an activist lens, she forms part of a cultural reckoning where theatre is a space for truth-telling and healing.

Her directorship and dramaturgy also comes at a time when Australian theatre is seeking to decolonize its practices and include more diverse voices. As a resident director at STC, she helps set the tone for future work and mentorship.

Legacy and Influence

Though still in mid-career, Shari Sebbens is influencing a generation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists in Australia. She is:

• A role model for young First Nations actors who see in her a path beyond typecasting.

• An example of shifting from performer to creative leadership—showing that Indigenous voices can claim authority behind the scenes.

• A bridge between mainstream Australian arts institutions and Aboriginal cultural expression, helping to open doors for more inclusive storytelling.

• A voice advocating cultural authenticity: she often speaks about the complexity of identity, not confined to stereotypical expectations of what an Aboriginal Australian “should” look or act like.

Her influence extends beyond performance: in her interviews and public remarks, she challenges the public to expand notions of representation, identity, and belonging.

Personality and Talents

From what she shares and how others describe her, Shari is both grounded and ambitious, creative and reflective.

• Grounded in family and heritage: She often cites her mother as her greatest inspiration, and emphasizes how family is central to her identity.

• Thoughtful about identity: She resists being boxed into narrow definitions of Aboriginality. In the words she’s spoken: “I’ve never been one to bow down to people who try to question my identity because I don’t fit their mould of what an Aboriginal Australian is supposed to be or look like.”

• Driven and passionate: She balances the demands of creative work with a strong regard for family and personal well-being. “It takes a lot of courage as an actor to take time off for family. But family is everything.”

• Humorous, honest, and vulnerable: She speaks with warmth about memories, fears, and aspirations. For instance: “I’m a believer, but an unsettled one … I keep the blanket over my feet at night, no matter how hot it is.”

• Committed to strong female and Indigenous roles: She has expressed attraction to roles that defy conventional definitions of women and identity. “I’m attracted to strong female roles: females that aren’t necessarily defined by their relationships with men.”

These traits make her not only an accomplished artist, but a thoughtful public figure.

Famous Quotes of Shari Sebbens

Here are several quotes that capture her voice, spirit, and reflections:

“It takes a lot of courage as an actor to take time off for family. But family is everything.”

“A lot of my identity as an Aboriginal person is about family.”

“People look at me, and they don’t see what they think is a typical Aboriginal. I always thought I’d be the white person in a black play.”

“I’ve never been one to bow down to people who try to question my identity because I don’t fit their mould of what an Aboriginal Australian is supposed to be or look like.”

“I’m a believer, but an unsettled one. … I keep the blanket over my feet at night, no matter how hot it is.”

“I’m attracted to strong female roles: females that aren’t necessarily defined by their relationships with men.”

“I’ve trained myself not to put too much emphasis on awards, only because I never got into acting to win an award.”

“One of my earliest memories is being backstage at ‘Bran Nue Dae’ in Darwin when I was about eight. … It felt really great and achievable as a career.”

“My mum’s from Broome, so I’m a saltwater person … I always feel much more comfortable in close proximity to the beach …”

These quotes reflect her blend of personal vulnerability, cultural consciousness, and creative resolve.

Lessons from Shari Sebbens

From studying her life and words, we can draw a number of lessons:

1. Embrace complexity of identity
   Shari’s journey shows that identity is not a fixed box. She resists reductive definitions, and leans into her heritage with nuance—demonstrating that one can belong in multiple spaces at once.

2. Strive for leadership, not just participation
   She didn’t stop at acting. Her shift into directing and dramaturgy shows that controlling narrative and making space for others is powerful and necessary.

3. Balance ambition with groundedness
   Her insistence that family is “everything” reminds us that creative careers flourish best when rooted in relationships, stability, and self-care.

4. Use art as activism
   Through theatre, she brings Indigenous stories to stages that often excluded them. Her directorial choices weave in calls to healing and truth-telling.

5. Persist despite narrow expectations
   When roles “fall away” after training, she persisted. When casting stereotypes challenged her, she held her ground. That persistence in the face of systemic barriers is instructive.

6. Lead by example
   By taking roles that push boundaries and stepping into behind-the-scenes influence, she opens pathways for future generations of diverse artists.

Conclusion

Shari Sebbens is more than a talented actress—she is a storyteller, a bridge, a leader, and a cultural force. From her early days in Darwin dreaming of stardom, through her breakthrough in The Sapphires and Redfern Now, to her evolving role as a theatre director and Indigenous creative strategist, her journey is a testament to resilience and purpose.

Her fame may rest partly on her performances, but her legacy is being built through her insistence on authenticity, representation, and transforming cultural spaces. Her words carry heart, her actions carry intention, and her presence invites new voices to be heard.

Explore her work—watch her performances, attend her productions, read her reflections—and consider how her story can inspire not only those in Australia, but anyone seeking to live creatively, courageously, and with integrity.