Anna Samson Explained

Anna Samson
Birth Name:Anna May Samson
Birth Date:23 November 1989
Birth Place:England, United Kingdom
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2007–present

Anna May Samson (born 23 November 1989) is a British-born Australian actress who has performed extensively in theatre, film and television. Since graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts, Samson has appeared in numerous theatre productions. Her theatre credits include Bliss for Belvoir and Malthouse Theatre; The Master and Margarita for Belvoir; Skylight, Birdland, The Sublime and The Heretic for Melbourne Theatre Company; Pompeii L.A at Malthouse Theatre; LOVE for Darlinghurst Theatre; Anatomy of a Suicide for The Old Fitz and Seymour Centre; Consent at the Seymour Centre; A Hotel, Evening, Ruben Guthrie and Wet House for Red Stitch; Arden V Arden for The Hayloft Project; and The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant for Theatre Works. On screen Anna made her television debut in the 2012 miniseries Conspiracy 365, and has gone on to appear in various dramas, including Jack Irish. She also received a Helpmann Award nomination for her role in Birdland. Samson starred in feature film What If It Works?, SBS drama Dead Lucky, and miniseries Wake in Fright as Michaela "Mick" Jaffries. From 2021 until 2022, she played Mia Anderson in the soap opera Home and Away. She will portray DI Mackenzie Clarke in the upcoming Death in Paradise spin-off Return to Paradise.

Early life

Samson was born in England, but she spent her early years living in Nigeria.[1] Her family later relocated to Sydney, Australia.[2] Samson attended the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, and graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2010.[3] During her time at the VCA, Samson received the John Tallis Award for Excellence. She then joined the Red Stitch Actors Theatre and appeared in productions of Ruben Guthrie and Day One, A Hotel, Evening.[3] Roles in The Heretic for the Melbourne Theatre Company and After All This for the Elbow Room followed.[3]

Career

Samson has appeared in numerous theatre productions,[1] including Alice Dreaming, Innocence – The Life and Death of Caravaggio, Gulf War, Ghetto and O'Horo – The Dance of Death.[4] Samson co-devised and performed the 2009 play Womb Division.[4] She made her television debut in the 2012 series Conspiracy 365.[3] She has had supporting roles in television dramas Jack Irish, Winners & Losers, and .[1] [5]

In 2016, Samson appeared in Trudy Hellier and Maria Theodorakis's Australian webseries Little Acorns, a comedy set in a childcare centre.[6] Samson made her feature film debut in Andrew O'Keefe's Crime & Punishment, an adaptation of Dostoevsky's novel of the same name.[7] [8] She also starred in the horror short Tanglewood, which was shown at Monster Fest.[9] For her role in Simon Stephens' play Birdland, Samson was nominated for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play at the 16th Helpmann Awards.[10]

Samson stars alongside Luke Ford in the 2017 film What If It Works? from writer-director Romi Trower, for which she received an Ozflicks Independent Film Award for Actress in a Leading Role. Samson plays Grace, an artist who has Dissociative Identity Disorder. The film premiered at the Cinequest Film and VR Festival.[11] That same year, Samson appeared in an episode of The Leftovers, and the four-part SBS drama series Dead Lucky.[12] She also starred in the two-part miniseries Wake in Fright as Michaela "Mick" Jaffries.[13] The series is a television adaptation of the 1971 film of the same name and Samson's character was billed as "a contemporary reinvention" of the role originally played by Jack Thompson.[13] To prepare for the part, Samson watched MMA fights, lifted weights and took up boxing.[13] In 2018, Samson starred in the indie romance film 36 Questions alongside James Mason.[14] She also appeared in the 2020 remake of Children of the Corn.[15]

Samson joined the main cast of Australian soap opera Home and Away as Mia Anderson in February 2021.[16] She was introduced alongside Sam Barrett, who plays Mia's daughter Chloe Anderson. The pair were given an instant connection to the other characters through Mia's relationship with Ari Parata (Rob Kipa-Williams).[17] Following her casting announcement, Samson received criticism about her appearance on social media, leading her to release a statement calling out those that had sent her the comments.[1] Just over a year later, Samson departed the serial in April 2022.[18] She then starred as Margarita in Eamon Flack's 2023 production of The Master and Margarita at the Belvoir St Theatre.[19]

Anna has received numerous award nominations including a Green Room Award for Best Female Actor for Wet House and a Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Best Performance in a Leading Role in an Independent Production for Consent. Anna also received a Glug Award nomination for LOVE. Anna is a previous Australian Counsel for the Arts grant recipient and is currently a Masters student at The University of Sydney.

In April 2024, the BBC confirmed Samson would be playing DI Mackenzie Clarke in the Death in Paradise spin-off Return to Paradise.[20] Her casting makes her the first female lead detective in the "Paraverse".[20] The Australian-set series is filmed in Sydney and Illawarra.[20] It centres on Mackenzie's return to her home town of Dolphin Cove, after she is forced to leave London and her job with the Met.[20]

Personal life

Anna was subpoenaed to give evidence in the defamation proceedings brought by Craig McLachlan against the ABC and Christie Whelan-Browne, as a result of an incident which occurred on set while she was shooting an episode of the Doctor Blake Mysteries. Mr McLachlan discontinued the proceedings before Anna was called to give evidence.

Filmography

Film roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2016Crime & PunishmentSonya Marmelade
2016TanglewoodSarahShort
2017What If It Works?Grace
201836 QuestionsGabrielle
2020Children of the CornSheila Boyce
Television roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2012Conspiracy 365NatalieEpisode: "February"
2013 OffspringClaireEpisode: "The Things We Do For Love"
2014Winners & LosersHayley BaxterRecurring
2015The Doctor Blake MysteriesWendy SmithEpisode: "By the Southern Cross"
2016HuntersSteph Le GuinRecurring
2016Little AcornsAnnaWebseries
2017The LeftoversYoung Woman with BeretEpisode: "It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World"
2017Wake in FrightMichaela "Mick" JaffriesMiniseries
2018Jack IrishKendra RaspovicRecurring
2018Dead LuckyAnna JamisonMain cast
2020SmithyEpisode "1.3"
2021–2022Home and AwayMia AndersonMain cast
2024Return to ParadiseDI Mackenzie ClarkeTV series: 6 episodes
Stage roles
YearProductionRoleCompany/theatre
2007Alice DreamingAliceAustralian Theatre for Young People
2009Innocence – The Life and Death of CaravaggioLenaVictorian College of the Arts
2010GhettoLina The DummyVictorian College of the Arts
2010O'Horo – The Dance of DeathAchillesVictorian College of the Arts
2011Ruben GuthrieZoyaRed Stitch Actors Theatre
2011After All ThisPerformerMelbourne Fringe Festival
2011Day One, A Hotel, EveningRose DarbyRed Stitch Actors Theatre
2012The HereticPhoebeMelbourne Theatre Company
2012Pompeii LAMake-up ArtistMalthouse Theatre
2013Arden v ArdenThe Hayloft Project
2014The Bitter Tears of Petra von KantKarinTheatre Works
2014The SublimeAmberMelbourne Theatre Company
2015Wet HouseKerryRed Stitch Actors Theatre
2015BirdlandMarnie/Lucy/Sophie/NicolaMelbourne Theatre Company
2016SkylightKyra HollisMelbourne Theatre Company
2018BlissHoney BarbaraMalthouse Theatre
2018 Love TanyaDarlinghurst Theatre
2019Anatomy of a SuicideCarol Old Fitzroy Theatre
2022Anatomy of a SuicideAnnaThe Reginald Theatre
2023The Master and MargaritaMargaritaBelvoir St Theatre

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Home and Away actor loves that whānau feeling. Harvey. Kerry. 21 April 2021. Stuff. 20 April 2024.
  2. Web site: Home and Away's Anna Samson's romance with co-star Lee Jones and online abuse away from Mia Anderson role. Bannon Ward. Shauna. 9 March 2022. RSVP Live. 20 April 2024.
  3. Web site: Pompeii L.A. Program. 3 May 2013. Malthouse Theatre. 21 April 2024. Issuu.
  4. Web site: Alumni – Anna Samson. Red Stitch Actors Theatre. 30 April 2024.
  5. Web site: Home And Away's new cast member has been identified and the story behind her character promises huge drama. Hockey. Maddison. 17 January 2021. TV Week. 26 April 2024.
  6. Web site: Women behaving badly on Little Acorns. Knox. David. 3 September 2016. TV Tonight. 21 April 2024.
  7. Web site: Crime & Punishment. Screen Australia. 28 April 2024.
  8. Web site: Made In Melbourne Film Festival – Crime and Punishment. 2016. We Are Moving Stories. 28 April 2024.
  9. Web site: Horror For The Homeless. 11 March 2017. Monster Fest. 28 April 2024.
  10. News: Helpmann Awards 2016: Matilda The Musical gives grown-ups the slip in nominations. Cuthbertson. Debbie. Rugendyke. Louise. 21 June 2016. The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2024.
  11. Web site: Luke Ford, Brooke Satchwell starrer 'What If It Works?' to bow at Cinequest. 27 January 2017. IF Magazine. 20 April 2024.
  12. Web site: Rachel Griffiths to head the cast of SBS' 'Dead Lucky'. 21 August 2017. IF Magazine. 20 April 2024.
  13. News: Anna Samson exposes Australia's ugly side in Ten miniseries Wake in Fright. Saw. Amelia. 7 October 2017. The Daily Telegraph. 22 April 2024.
  14. News: Game Finn drops hints. Dennehy. LukeEpsteinJackieTe KohaNui. 15 April 2014. Herald Sun. 25 April 2024. Gale. subscription.
  15. Web site: Children of the Corn. Abrams. Simon. 3 March 2023. RogerEbert.com. 28 April 2024.
  16. News: New TV shows and faces to watch in 2021 in Australia. Woolford. Lisa. Byrnes. Holly. 3 January 2021. The Daily Telegraph. 13 January 2021.
  17. Web site: Home and Away teases new characters Mia and Chloe as Ari's backstory is explored. Kilkelly. Daniel. 7 February 2021. Digital Spy. 20 April 2024.
  18. Cullen. Tamara. 30 April – 6 May 2022. Going home. TV Week. 18. 5.
  19. Web site: Anna Samson tackles her fears in The Master and Margarita. Weber. Kris. 11 November 2023. Theatre Matters. 28 April 2024.
  20. Web site: Death in Paradise's Australian spin-off confirms cast as filming begins. Cormack. Morgan. 9 April 2024. Radio Times. 21 April 2024.
  21. Web site: Anna Samson – Actor. Shanahan. 20 April 2024.