Virginia Gay

Virginia Gay (born 16 September 1981) is an Australian actress most known for her work on the Australian TV dramas Winners & Losers (as Frances James), and All Saints (as Gabrielle Jaeger).

Virginia Gay
Born (1981-09-16) 16 September 1981
Sydney, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
OccupationActress
Years active2005–present

Education

Born in Sydney,[1] Gay attended Summer Hill Public School and Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in Sydney as a drama and music student.[2] She studied English literature and performance studies at Sydney University and was a member of the Sydney University Dramatic Society from 2001 to 2003. She left university and enrolled at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).[3]

Career

While still at WAAPA, Gay unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Ricky on All Saints. However, she impressed the directors so much that after graduation in 2006, she was called in to audition for the role of Gabrielle Jaeger.[4] She appeared in the final four seasons of the show, between 2006 and 2009.

In 2008, she appeared with Ian Moss (of Cold Chisel fame) as her professional partner on the reality series It Takes Two and the pair came third.[5][6] Gay and Moss made It Takes Two history, scoring a 10 from judge Ross Wilson in their first performance on the show.[7]

In October 2008, Gay was part of the cast in a concert performance of the musical Breast Wishes in support of Breast Cancer.[8]

In February/March 2009, when Shane Jenek (Courtney Act) injured his leg in a skiing accident, Gay was asked to replace Jenek in the production Gentlemen Prefer Blokes for the Mardi Gras festival.

From March 2011, Gay portrayed Frances James in the TV series Winners & Losers on the Seven Network.[9]

During August 2012, Gay performed her cabaret show Dirty Pretty Songs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in The Famous Spiegeltent.[10]

In 2016, Gay became a regular guest panelist on the ABC's First Tuesday Book Club hosted by Jennifer Byrne. That year Gay also played the title character in Hayes Theatre Co's production of Calamity Jane. It was directed by Richard Carroll with musical director Nigel Ubrihien, choreographer Cameron Mitchell, and producer Michelle Guthrie. The show ran from August 3 to 7.

Controversies

In June 2008, Gay was the victim of a violent assault by two men in the suburb of Marrickville in Sydney. The men then went on to murder chef Daniel Owen.[11][12]

Charity work

In May 2009, Gay was the national ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Australia's annual awareness and fundraising campaign 65 Roses Day.[13] Gay also attends the Good Friday Appeal held in Melbourne every year to support the Royal Children's Hospital.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2005 Once Upon a Time Gabriella Short
2006 Violet Woman in toilet Short
2008 Winners & Losers Alison Atkinson Short
2015 Palindromes Narrator (voice) Short
2017 Mrs McCutcheon Mrs. Clutterbuck Short
2017 Naked Strangers DJ Benny J (voice)
2018 Paper Cut 000 Operator (voice) Short
2019 Judy and Punch Ma

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2006 Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King Fan #1 Episode: "The Road Virus Heads North"
2006 The Team Virginia (voice) TV series
2006–2009 All Saints Gabrielle Jaeger Main role (series 9–12)
2011 Some Say Love Various Episode: "Pilot"
2011–2016 Winners & Losers Frances James Regular role
2019 Preacher Truck driver Episode: "Last Supper"

References
  1. Nunn, Louise (6 June 2013). "Virginia Gay turns tragedy into Cabaret Festival dynamite". The Advertiser. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  2. "Principal's Report", Newtown High School of the Performing Arts Parent Newsletter, Issue 7, September 2006 (358 KB)
  3. Gay, Virginia (20 May 2015). "'It wasn't all kulcha': Virginia Gay remembers her years at the Sydney University Drama Society". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  4. "Virginia Gay Plays Frances James". Prime7. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  5. "Dirty Pretty Songs" review by Lauren Sherritt, Australian Stage, 22 June 2012
  6. "Virginia Gay plays Frances James", Winners & Losers, Yahoo!7
  7. It takes Two episode guide, tv.com
  8. "Breast Wishes: Gala Concert Performance" Archived 18 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay (October 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2009)
  9. Devlyn, Darren (20 September 2010). "Channel 7 hoping for a winner about losers". Herald Sun. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  10. Bell, Jo (21 August 2012). "Virginia Gay – Dirty, Pretty Songs". Edinburghfestival.list.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  11. "All Saints star Virginia Gay bashed in deadly rampage", The Sun-Herald (20 June 2008)
  12. "All Saints star attacked", ABC News (19 June 2008)
  13. "Virginia Gay 65 Roses Day Cystic Fibrosis Ambassador". Melbourne.jollypeople.com. 20 April 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
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