Debra Lawrance

Debra Lawrance (born 1 January 1957) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role on Home and Away, as Pippa Ross, which she played from 1990 to 1998 and in a number of subsequent return appearances, the most recent being in 2009.^[1][2]

Debra Lawrance
Born	Debra Lawrance 1 January 1957 (1957-01) (age 67) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation(s)	Television and film actress
Years active	1976–present
Known for	Home and Away as Pippa Ross (1990–2009) Please Like Me as Rose (2013–2016)
Notable work	Prisoner various characters (1980–1985) Blue Heelers as Grace Curtis (1994–2004)
Spouse	Dennis Coard ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	2

Lawrance is also known for her role as Rose in Please Like Me, for which she won an AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy and a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress.^[1][3][4]

Early life

Debra Lawrance was born in Melbourne, Victoria and was the second youngest of six children. In 1975 Lawrance studied and graduated in 1977 from NIDA alongside such alumni as Mel Gibson, Steve Bisley, Judy Davis, Sally McKenzie and Robert Menzies.

Career

Lawrance has appeared in a number of roles including The Sullivans as Prue Waterman (1976), in Skyways as Sheila Turner, A Country Practice as Kerry Burgess (1982), Bellamy (1981) as Lisa and Sons and Daughters between 1983 and 1984 as Lisa Cook.^[5]

Prisoner, The Last Outlaw and The Fast Lane

Lawrance had a more permanent role in Prisoner from 1985 to 1986 as Daphne Graham, after having had minor roles including as a Nurse and Trainee Prisoner Officer Sally Dean much earlier in the series.^[5]

Lawrance featured in miniseries The Last Outlaw, (1980) a series about Ned Kelly, and feature film Silver City (1984).^[6][7]

Lawrance's big break was a lead role in The Fast Lane, a widely successful ABC comedy.^[8][9] Her success led to her appearance in the film Evil Angels (released as A Cry in the Dark outside of Australia and New Zealand) starring Meryl Streep.^[10] Lawrance also appeared in Two Brothers Running with Tom Conti.^[11]

Home and Away

In July 1990 Lawrance was cast in Home and Away,^[12] taking over the role of Pippa Fletcher (later Ross) from Vanessa Downing.^[2] Lawrance left the main cast in 1998, but has made returning guest appearances over the years, the last being in 2009.^[2] In 2023 Lawrance gave an extensive interview with Talking Prisoner where she revealed that she was still close friends with many of the cast.

Other projects

Lawrance subsequently starred in Blue Heelers in the recurring role as Reverend Grace Curtis, Tom Croydon's ill-fated wife from 2001 to 2004.^[11]

Debra's theatre credits include the London tour of Jack Davis' No Sugar, the role of Vi in the Melbourne Theatre Company production of The Memory of Water, the 2009 tour of Steel Magnolias in the role of M'lyn, the title role in the 2010 tour of Driving Miss Daisy.^[11][13]

From 2019-2022, Lawrance played Minerva McGonagall in the stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.^[11][14][15]

From 2013 to 2016, Lawrance played Rose, the mother of the protagonist Josh Thomas, in the comedy drama Please Like Me appearing in all four seasons of the show, during which her character dealt with divorce and mental illness.^[16][17]

In 2017, Lawrance appeared as a celebrity contestant on Hell's Kitchen Australia.^[18][19] Lawrance won the series, winning $50,000 for her nominated charity Ovarian Cancer Australia.^[20]

In 2018, Lawrance read Charlotte Voake's Ginger on Play School Story Time on ABC Kids.^[21]

She briefly joined the cast of Neighbours in 2018 as Liz Conway, the sister of Susan Kennedy.^[22]

In early 2023, it was revealed Lawrance had joined the cast of a new crime drama on the Nine Network called Human Error.^[23]

From 2 April 2023, Lawrance appeared as a contestant in the ninth season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.^[24] As on Hell's Kitchen Australia, Lawrance's nominated charity was Ovarian Cancer Australia.^[25] Lawrance was eliminated fifth on 23 April 2023.^[26]

Lawrance was named in the cast for channel 9's Human Error in 2022.^[27]

In June 2024, Lawrance was named as part of the cast for the second season of the Stan series Scrublands.^[28]

Awards

Lawrance's performance on Please Like Me was met with critical acclaim. She won an AACTA Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy at the 4th AACTA Awards in 2015 for her part in a two-hander episode (with Thomas) in the show's second season.^[3]

Lawrance was also awarded a Logie in the peer-voted Most Outstanding Support Actress category at the 2017 Logie Awards.^[4]

Personal life

Lawrance met her husband Dennis Coard when he was cast as Pippa's second husband on Home and Away as Michael Ross.^[11] They married in 1992 and have two children, daughter Grace (born 1992) and son William (born 1999).^[5] Lawrance experienced four miscarriages before their son William was born.^[29]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Type
1982	Next of Kin	Carol	Feature film
	Fluteman	Sally Cooper	Feature film
1984	Silver City	Helena	Feature film
1986	What's The Difference	Angela Burke	TV film
1988	Evil Angels (aka A Cry in the Dark)	Sally Lowe	Feature film
	Two Brothers Running	Pat	Feature film
	The Seanachie	Joanna	Film short
2007	The Jammed	DIMIA Case Officer	Feature film
2012	Jack Irish: Bad Debts	Jack's Secretary	TV film
2016	The Machine	Joan	Film short
2017	And Through The Music Ended, We Danced on Through The Night	Joanne	Film short
2018	Calling	Barbara Helm	Film short
	Jeremy's Cybele Makeover	Bec	Film short
2024	Ricky Stanicky	Mrs Levine	Feature film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref
1976	The Sullivans	Prue Waterman	TV series, 1 episode
1978	Glenview High	Jane	TV series, 1 episode
1978–81	Cop Shop	Various	TV series, 12 episodes
1979	Skyways	Sheila Turner	TV series, 1 episode
	Ride on Stranger	Jenny	TV miniseries, 1 episode
1980	The Last Outlaw	Maggie Kelly	TV miniseries, 4 episodes
1980–85	Prisoner	Nurse / Sally Dean / Daphne Graham	TV series, 58 episodes
1981	Bellamy	Lisa	TV series, 1 episode
	Holiday Island	Michelle Costello / Penny Fuller	TV series, 2 episodes
	I Can Jump Puddles	Nurse Conrad	TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1982	Holiday Island	Guest role:	TV series, 2 episodes
1982; 1986	A Country Practice	Kerry Burgess / Anna Harris	TV series, 4 episodes
1983	Carson's Law	Jessie	TV series, 3 episodes
1983–84	Sons and Daughters	Lisa Cook	TV series, 17 episodes
1985–1986	The Fast Lane	Pat	TV series, 20 episodes
1990–2009	Home and Away	Pippa Fletcher / Pippa Ross	TV series, 937 episodes
1993	At Home	Guest	TV series, 1 episode
1994–2004	Blue Heelers	Reverend Grace Curtis / Deborah Williams	TV series, 26 episodes
2000	The Games	Sponsor	TV series, 1 episode
2008	Satisfaction	Margaret	TV series, 1 episode
2012	Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries	Mrs. Mobbs	TV series, 1 episode
2013	It's a Date	Bron	TV series, 1 episode
2013–16	Please Like Me	Mum	TV series, 29 episodes	[30][31]
2015	House Husbands	Judge Kummerow	TV series, 2 episodes
2016	The Doctor Blake Mysteries	Majorie Gilmore	TV series, 1 episode
	Wentworth	Faith Proctor	TV series, 1 episode
2018	True Story with Hamish & Andy	Aunt Beth	TV series, 1 episode
	Rosehaven	Sandra	TV series, 1 episode
	Play School Story Time	Narrator (Ginger)	TV series, 1 episode
2018–19	Neighbours	Liz Conway	TV series, 14 episodes	[32]
2019	Get Krack!n	Tikki Cheeseman	TV series, 2 episodes
2021	Fisk	May	TV series, 5 episodes
	Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries	Henrietta Osborn	TV series, 1 episode
	Clickbait	Principal Heller	TV miniseries, 1 episode
2022–23	Five Bedrooms	Pam Fitzsimons	TV series, 5 episodes
2022	Shut Up	Marion	TV series, 6 episodes
2023	Class of '07	Sister Bicky	TV series, 5 episodes	[33][34]
	Five Bedrooms	Pam Fitzsimons	TV series, 5 episodes
2024	Human Error	Camille	TV series, 3 episodes
TBA	Scrublands: Sliver	TBA	Post production

Self Appearances/ Interviews

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref
2023	I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here	Herself	TV series, 17 episodes	[35]
	Studio 10	Guest	TV series, 1 episode
	The Project	Guest	TV series, 1 episode	[36][37]
	Today Extra	Guest	TV series 1 episode
	Studio 10	Guest	TV Series 1 episode
2023	Talking Prisoner	Self	Podcast Series 1 episode	[38]
2019	Studio 10	Guest	TV series, 1 episode
2018	Endless Summer: 30 Years of Home and Away	Herself / Pippa Fletcher/Ross	TV special
2017	7th AACTA Awards	Herself	TV special
	Hell's Kitchen Australia	Herself	TV series, 15 episodes	[39]
	The Daily Edition	Guest	TV series, 1 episode	[40]
	Play School	Presenter	TV series, 1 episode
2015	4th AACTA Awards	Herself	TV special
2013; 2017	The Daily Edition	Guest	TV series, 2 episode
2012	The Morning Show	Guest	TV series, 1 episode
2008	Actingclassof1977.com	Herself	TV documentary
2006	Where Are They Now	Guest (with Ray Meagher & Judy Nunn)	TV series, 1 episode
1995	Eleven A.M.	Guest	TV series, 1 episode
	Ten News	Herself	TV series, 1 episode
	Nine News	Herself	TV series, 1 episode
	Seven News	Herself	TV series, 1 episode
	ABC News	Herself	TV series, 1 episode
	The National Sex Appeal Test	Herself	TV special
1994	Denton: The Taste Test	Guest	TV special
	Re-Bjorn Abba '94	Herself	TV special
1994; 1995	Denton	Guest	TV series, 2 episodes
1992	The Main Event	Herself	TV series, 1 episode
	The World Tonight	Herself	TV series, 1 episode (Beauty and the Beast segment)
	In Sydney Today	Guest	TV series, 1 episode
1989	Living with the Law	Guest	TV series, 1 episode
1986	Password	Herself	TV series

References

1. Carmody, Broede (4 August 2017). "From Please Like Me to Hell's Kitchen: Debra Lawrance reflects on 40-year career". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
2. Yeap, Sue (2 September 2014). "We still like Pippa, even if she's Rose". The West Australian. Retrieved 5 April 2023. Lawrance stepped into the role of Pippa Fletcher (later Pippa Ross) when Vanessa Downing left the series in 1990. Although she left the show in 1998, Lawrance continued to make guest appearances as Pippa over the next decade
3. "All the results from the 4th AACTA Awards – And the winners are..." Cinema Australia. 29 January 2015. Josh Thomas's internationally acclaimed PLEASE LIKE ME (ABC2) followed with two wins: Best Screenplay in Television (Episode 2/07: Scroggin), and Best Performance in a Television Comedy (Debra Lawrance)
4. "ABC congratulates its winners at the 2017 Logie Awards". About The ABC. 24 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2023. ...and actress Debra Lawrance took out the Most Outstanding Supporting Actress award for her performance in the series
5. "Your Christmas will be well away with this star studded Cinderella". East Grinstead Observer. 15 November 1995. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
6. "The man behind the myth: Ned Kelly rides again". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 October 1980. p. 14. Retrieved 5 April 2023. Elaine Cusack is outstanding as Mrs Ellen Kelly, mother of Ned, as is Debra Lawrance as Maggie Kelly
7. Baltake, Joe (5 September 1986). "'Silver City': A bit unpolished". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 61. Retrieved 5 April 2023. Debra Lawrance and Gosia Dobrowoiska play immigrants
8. "Busy Aunty rolls up her sleeves". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 March 1985. p. 54. Debra Lawrence plays Pat, a girl from the country who ends up as their secretary.
9. Walsh, Geraldine (4 March 1985). "Life in the fast lane – Fred Dagg style". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 51. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
10. Johnson, Malcolm L. (12 November 1988). "True story 'Cry' almost too grim to watch". Hartford Courant. p. 37. Retrieved 5 April 2023. Sally Lowe...Debra Lawrance
11. "Personality: Debra Lawrance". CBC Program Guide. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
12. "Home and Away "is a completely different show" | TV Tonight". 8 April 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
13. Blake, Jason (3 September 2010). "Driving Miss Daisy". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2023. Debra Lawrance steps into the shoes of brusque Jewish widow Daisy Wertham
14. Lambert, Catherine (14 February 2021). "Melbourne's Harry Potter reopening will be a 'beacon of hope'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Tom Wren as Draco Malfoy, Debra Lawrance as Professor McGonagall...
15. "Debra Lawrence". AusStage.
16. Knox, David (20 March 2012). "Cameras roll on Please Like Me". TV Tonight. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
17. Moran, Rob (8 December 2016). "Josh Thomas tears up as Please Like Me fans praise 'devastatingly raw' episode". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
18. Saw, Amelia (24 March 2017). "The celebrities taking on Marco Pierre White in Hell's Kitchen Australia are named". News.com.au. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
19. Coster, Alice (24 March 2017). "Hell's Kitchen Australia host doesn't know the celebrity contestants". Herald Sun. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
20. Knox, David (6 September 2017). "Debra Lawrance wins Hell's Kitchen and offers to split prize money". TV Tonight. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
21. "Play School Story Time (Debra Lawrance: Ginger – Season 1, Episode 21; Air date: Dec 16, 2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
22. Dainty, Sophie (29 June 2018). "Neighbours confirms Debra Lawrance is joining as Susan's sister Liz Conway". Digital Spy. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
23. "Production begins on Nine's crime drama, Human Error". Mediaweek. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023. Joining the cast are Emily Joy (Fisk, The Housemate), Ethan Lwin (Young Rock, Joe vs. Carol), Debra Lawrance (Clickbait, Please Like Me)...
24. Bond, Nick (2 April 2023). "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here: Full cast revealed". News.com.au. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
25. Moran, Jonathon (3 April 2023). "I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! 2023 cast revealed". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
26. Knox, David (24 April 2023). "Debra Lawrance leaves 10 jungle". TV Tonight. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
27. Knox, David (2 February 2023). "Production begins on Human Error for Nine | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
28. Knox, David (5 June 2024). "Filming underway on Scrublands: Silver | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
29. McLaughlin, Chelsea (4 April 2023). "'I don't want kids for ages.' The comment on I'm a Celebrity that brought Liz Ellis to tears". Mamamia. Retrieved 5 April 2023. ...Lawrance shared her own story. "I had that. I lost four babies before I got [her youngest son] Will... They weren't meant to be... I lost two single babies and then identical twin girls. They were later into the pregnancy, they had a syndrome, and they were never going to survive.
30. "Cameras roll on more Please Like Me | TV Tonight". 17 February 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
31. "Cameras roll on Please Like Me | TV Tonight". 20 March 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
32. Dainty, Sophie (18 July 2018). "Neighbours star Debra Lawrance on Liz Conway's arrival". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
33. Knox, David (15 December 2021). "Class of '07 begins production for Amazon Prime | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
34. Knox, David (21 February 2023). "Airdate: Class of '07 | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
35. Perry, Shane (24 April 2023). "Debra Lawrance latest to leave the jungle". tv blackbox. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
36. Debra Lawrance Will Put A Spell On You With Her Scottish Accent As Professor McGonagall |The Project, 11 February 2021, retrieved 27 January 2024
37. Debra Lawrance On The Truth About The I'm A Celeb Jungle Food, 24 April 2023, retrieved 27 January 2024
38. "Talking Prisoner Cell Block H EP 26 Interview with Debra Lawrance (Officer Dean/Daphne Graham)". 13 January 2022.
39. Carmody, Broede (4 August 2017). "From Please Like Me to Hell's Kitchen: Debra Lawrance reflects on 40-year career". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
40. Debra Lawrance remembers 'Home and Away', 11 February 2016, retrieved 27 January 2024

External links

• Debra Lawrance at IMDb