Helen Thomson (actress)

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Helen Thomson
EducationUniversity of Southern Queensland (USQ)
Years active1990–present
Known forElvis (2022)
Colin from Accounts
SpouseDavid Roberts (m. 2000)
Children2

Helen Thomson is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Gladys Presley in the biographical film Elvis (2022).

Early life

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Thomson grew up on a farm outside Thangool in central Queensland, as one of five children.[1]

At the age of 14, her mother took her to see a stage production of Steaming at Rockhampton's Pilbeam Theatre, in which Genevieve Lemon’s performance inspired her to become an actor. She went on to study drama at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ).[2]

Career

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Theatre

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When Thomson began her acting career, she was cast as Abigail Williams in a 1991 Queensland Theatre Company production of The Crucible, which she credits with helping launch her career.[1]

Her early stage roles include playing Desdemona in Othello and appearing opposite Geoffery Rush in The Dutch Courtesan, both at the Melbourne Theatre Company, after which time she relocated to Sydney.[2] She went on to appear in numerous productions for the Sydney Theatre Company including Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, a Judy Davis-directed production of The School for Scandal and God of Carnage.

Thomson received a 2011 Helpmann Awards nomination for her performance in In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play).[2] Roles in productions of Ray Lawler’s Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (2012),[2] The Effect (2013), After Dinner (2015), The Harp in the South: Part One and Part Two (2019) and Mary Stuart (2019) also saw her nominated for Helpmann Awards, resulting in a win for After Dinner.[3][4][5][6]

Thomson also featured in Measure for Measure for Belvoir Theatre Company. In 2024, she appeared in Belvoir's production of August: Osage County.[7]

Television

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Thomson has appeared in numerous television shows including A Country Practice, Water Rats, Blue Heelers,[8] Stupid Stupid Man and Bad Mothers. Other credits include Jane Campion's Top of the Lake: China Girl, Fires and playing Prime Minister Angela Sway in season 5 of Rake opposite Richard Roxburgh.[citation needed]

She plays Ashley's mother Lynelle, in multi-award winning Australian dramedy television series Colin from Accounts. Her performance saw her nominated for Best Acting in a Comedy at the 2024 AACTA Awards,[9] while as part of the cast she won a 2023 Equity Ensemble Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.[10]

In 2025 Thomson appeared in Foxtel series The Last Anniversary,[11][12] executive produced by Nicole Kidman and based on the hit novel by Liane Moriarty.

Film

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Thomson's film credits include comedy drama La Spagnola (2002) and A Man's Gotta Do (2004). She received an Australian Film Institute Awards nomination for her role in 2003 comedy crime thriller Gettin' Square, in which she starred opposite Timothy Spall[2] and Sam Worthington.

She portrayed the role of Gladys Presley, the mother of Elvis Presley (played by Austin Butler), in the 2022 Baz Luhrmann biographical film Elvis.[13] She scored the role after Maggie Gyllenhaal was unable to take part,[14] and after one of Luhrmann's assistants had seen her in a stage production of George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs. Warren's Profession.[8]

In 2025, she appeared in comedy film Spit,[15] a spin-off of Gettin' Square.

She has been a frequent collaborator with her husband David Roberts,[16] including in television series Colin from Accounts,[17] the films A Savage Christmas (2023)[18] and Spit (2025)[19] and a stage production of In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play).[20]

Personal life

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Thomson is married to fellow actor David Roberts. Together they have two children and reside at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.[17][21]

Awards and nominations

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Year Work Award Category Result Ref.
2003 Gettin' Square Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated [2][22]
2011 In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Nominated [2][3]
2012 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Best Female Actor in a Play Nominated [4]
2013 The Effect Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Nominated [5]
2015 After Dinner Won [23]
2019 The Harp in the South: Part One and Part Two Nominated [6]
Mary Stuart Best Female Actor in a Play Nominated [6]
2023 Elvis CinEuphoria Awards Best Ensemble – International Competition Nominated
Colin from Accounts Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won [10]
2024 AACTA Awards Best Acting in a Comedy Nominated [9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1990 Bloodmoon Mary Huston
1997 Thank God He Met Lizzie (aka The Wedding Party) Emma
1999 Strange Planet Lulu
2001 La Spagnola Wendy [2]
2003 Kangaroo Jack TV Announcer
Gettin' Square Marion Barrington [2]
The Rage in Placid Lake Teacher 1
Redskin Short film [24]
2004 A Man's Gotta Do Tina [2]
2022 Elvis Gladys Presley [13]
2023 The Rooster Lorraine [25]
A Savage Christmas Brenda Savage [26]
2025 Spit Marion Barrington [15]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
1993 A Country Practice Charlotte O'Neill 2 episodes: "Floating on Air: Parts 1 & 2"
1994 G.P. Janine Episode: "Breaking Out"
1996 Water Rats Anne Harvey Episode: "Pay Back"
1997 Home and Away Claudia Miles Episode #1.2137
Big Sky Tessa Coburn Episode: "You Must Remember This"
1998 Murder Call Chyna Gold Episode: "Dared to Death"
2000 Nowhere to Land Claire Munson TV film
2001 Water Rats Nerida Episode: "Another Man's Poison"
2002 White Collar Blue Rita Calliope Episode #1.4
2002–2003 Bad Cop, Bad Cop Tracy Lafever 8 episodes [27]
2003 Blue Heelers Dr. Tatiana Zylinski 6 episodes
Stingers Selma Katsonis Episode: "Conversations with the Dead"
MDA Nerida Bailey 2 episodes
Kath & Kim Receptionist Episode: "The Moon"
2005 BlackJack: In the Money Sandra Miller TV film
2008 The Informant Lucy Norris TV film
2006–2008 Stupid, Stupid Man Carol Van Dyke 9 episodes
2007 All Saints Sharon Cox Episode: "Smoke and Mirrors"
Bastard Boys Valerie Corrigan Miniseries, 4 episodes [28]
2009 The Jesters Harriet Episode: "Hard Time Getting Soft Time"
30 Seconds Faith O'Callaghan Episode: "A Matter of Trust"
2012 Nick & Seaton's Palace of Sexy Secrets Various 2 episodes
2013 Mr & Mrs Murder Olivia Patterson Episode: "The Art of Murder"
2014 Wonderland Jackie Page Episode: "Monogamy"
2014 Rake Margot Episode #3.2
2015 Catching Milat Dr. Miriam Bentley Miniseries, episode #1.1
2016 Love Child Eleanor Episode #3.4
2016–2017 Doctor Doctor Nora Gunbleton Season 2, 4 episodes
2017 Top of the Lake Felicity 3 episodes
Pulse Lorraine Walsh 2 episodes
A Place to Call Home Gerda Davis 2 episodes
2018 Rake PM Angela Way 3 episodes
2019 Bad Mothers Liz 7 episodes
2021 Fires Yvonne Webber 2 episodes
2022 Irreverent Antoinette 4 episodes
2022–2024 Colin from Accounts Lynelle 9 episodes [29]
2023 One Night Lindy 3 episodes
Wolf Like Me Jackie Episode #2.1
2025 The Last Anniversary Enigma 6 episodes [30][11][12]

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
1990 The Tempest Iris La Boite Theatre, Brisbane [31]
1991 Kaspajack Queensland Theatre Company with Brolgas Youth Theatre [31]
If Only We Had a Cat [31]
On the Verge Alex La Boite Theatre, Brisbane [31]
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Helena [31]
The Crucible Abigail Williams Queensland Theatre Company [1]
The Selection Dora Pettigrew Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC [31][2]
1992 Othello Desdemona Arts Centre, Melbourne with MTC [2]
A Dickens Christmas Miss Zoe Playbox Theatre Company, Melbourne [31]
A View from the Bridge Catherine Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC [31]
1993 The Dutch Courtesan Francheschina [2][32]
Much Ado About Nothing Margaret [31][33]
1994 The Shaughraun Arte O'Neil Sydney Opera House with STC / Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC [31]
Arcadia Sydney Opera House with STC [34]
1995 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Hippolyta / Titania Elston Hocking & Woods [31]
1996 Coralie Lansdowne Says No Coralie Lansdowne Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney [31]
1996–1997 The John Wayne Principle Fiona Ellston / Sarah Stich Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC & Melbourne tour with Playbox Theatre Company [34]
1997 Romeo and Juliet Lady Capulet EHJ Productions [31]
1998 Killing & Chilling of Annabelle Lee Christina Muzy / Various Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney [31]
1999 The Taming of the Shrew Kate EHJ Productions [31]
Popcorn Brooke Picture This Productions [31]
Footprints on Water Lena Neonheart Theatre Company [31]
2000–2001 Troilus and Cressida Helen Melbourne Athenaeum, Playhouse, Canberra, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare [31][35]
2001 The School for Scandal Lady Sneerwell Sydney Opera House with STC [34]
2002 The Virgin Mim Kelly Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [34][31]
2004 Hinterland Winsome Snell Arts Centre Melbourne with MTC [31][36]
2006 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Sydney Theatre Company [31]
2007 The Season at Sarsaparilla Julia Sheen Sydney Opera House with STC [34][37]
The Art of War Hannah Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [34][38]
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Quince Sydney Theatre with STC [34]
2009 God of Carnage Annette Reille Sydney Opera House with STC [34][31]
2010 Measure for Measure Mistress Overdone / Mariana Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [39][31]
2011 In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) Sabrina Daldry Sydney Theatre Company [34]
2011–2012 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Pearl Cunningham Belvoir Theatre Company, Arts Centre Melbourne with MTC [31][40]
2012 Under Milk Wood Rosie Probert / Mrs Pugh / Mrs Dai Bread 1 / Gossamer Beynon / Mrs Cherry Owen Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [41][31]
The Splinter Mother [34][31]
2013 Mrs. Warren's Profession Mrs. Kitty Warren [42]
2014 The Winter's Tale Hermione Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare [31]
Cruise Control Imogen Ensemble Theatre, Sydney [31]
Children of the Sun Melaniya Sydney Opera House with STC [34][31]
2015 After Dinner Monica Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [43][31]
King Lear Regan Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney with STC [34]
Ivanov Zinaida Lebedev Belvoir Theatre Company [44][45]
2016 Hay Fever Myra Arundel Sydney Opera House with STC [34]
2017 Hir Paige Belvoir Theatre Company [46]
Mark Colvin's Kidney Elle Macpherson / others [47]
2018 Top Girls Marlene Sydney Opera House with STC [34][48]
The Harp in the South Delie Stock Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney with STC [49]
2019 Mary Stuart Queen Elizabeth [50][34]
Things I Know to Be True Fran Belvoir Theatre Company [51]
2020 No Pay? No Way! Sydney Opera House with STC [34]
2021 Death of a Salesman Linda Loman Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney with STC [52]
2023 The Importance of Being Earnest Lady Bracknell [53]
2024 August: Osage County Mattie Fae Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [54]

References

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