1. Magdalene Mary Therese Szubanski, known as Magda Szubanski, is an Australian comedy actress, author, singer and LGBT rights advocate.
27 Facts About Magda Szubanski
1. 2.
Magda Szubanski became an activist for LGBT rights and, in 2017, advocated for same-sex marriage in Australia.
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Magda Szubanski was born on 12 April 1961, in Liverpool, England.
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Magda Szubanski's father, Zbigniew Szubanski, came from a well-off Polish family and was an assassin in a counter-intelligence branch of the Polish resistance movement in World War II.
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Magda Szubanski is a cousin of Polish actress Magdalena Zawadzka.
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Magda Szubanski studied fine arts and philosophy at the University of Melbourne and, decades later, in 2016, attained a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Arts.
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Magda Szubanski was one of the creators and performers of the Fast Forward television sketch comedy for the Seven Network, in which she played various characters, including Pixie-Anne Wheatley, Chenille from the Institute de Beaute, Wee Mary MacGregor, Joan Kirner, Michelle Grogan.
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That same year, Magda Szubanski hosted the 37th Australian Film Institute Awards.
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In 1999, Magda Szubanski created, wrote, co-produced and played Margaret O'Halloran in the Dogwoman series of TV films, a detective style show based on the idea an expert "dog-whisperer" who, by treating problem dogs, inadvertently stumbles upon and solves human crimes.
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From 3 September 2018, Magda Szubanski recurred as Jemima Davies-Smythe on Neighbours.
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Magda Szubanski's character officiated the first same-sex wedding on Australian television.
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On 9 March 2021, Magda Szubanski was announced as the host of the Nine Network's revival of The Weakest Link.
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Magda Szubanski performed in the 1995 film Babe as Esme Hoggett.
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Magda Szubanski reprised her role in the 1998 sequel, Babe: Pig in the City.
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In 2007, Magda Szubanski ventured into musical comedy, taking on the role of William Barfee in the Melbourne Theatre Company production of the hit Broadway musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
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In 2020, Magda Szubanski was the painted subject of Wendy Sharpe's Archibald Prize entry, a portrait painting competition held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
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In Sharpe's painting, Comedy and Tragedy, Magda Szubanski is depicted as Sharon Strzelecki, standing amongst flaming buildings during an air raid.
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Magda Szubanski is haunted by her father's traumatic experiences in World War II in the Polish resistance, and by current world events.
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Magda Szubanski became a spokesperson for the dieting company Jenny Craig in November 2008.
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Magda Szubanski later regained weight, then was dropped as a spokesperson for Jenny Craig.
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Magda Szubanski was featured in commercials for Telstra in 2014.
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Magda Szubanski's voice has a light surety, while constantly giving narrative and moral weight to the larger themes of grief, family, migration and finding one's place in the world'.
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Magda Szubanski is the author of "Timmy the Ticked Off Pony", a series of children's books illustrated by Dean Rankine.
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Magda Szubanski has been a vocal campaigner for LGBT rights and for same-sex marriage since coming out publicly in 2012.
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In 2019, Magda Szubanski was involved in a campaign targeting Christian preacher and rugby league football player Israel Folau after he called on homosexuals to "repent of their sins and turn to God".
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Magda Szubanski prominently launched an appeal to fund opposition to Folau.
27.
On 14 February 2012, Magda Szubanski came out in a statement supporting same-sex marriage and stated that she "absolutely identifies as gay" in an interview on Australian TV current affairs program The Project.