Madeleine West

Madeleine West
Born Melanie Ann Weston
(1980-07-26) 26 July 1980
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation Actress
Years active 2000–present
Partner(s) Shannon Bennett (2005–present)
Children 6

Madeleine West (born 26 July 1980) is an Australian actress. She is known for her television roles, having played Dee Bliss on the soap opera Neighbours from 2000–2003, high-class escort Mel on Satisfaction from 2007 to 2010, Dimity on House Husbands since 2012, Danielle McGuire in Underbelly and later Fat Tony & Co.. In 2016, West joined the cast of The Wrong Girl and reprised her role as Dee Bliss in Neighbours. West has also written a parenting book called Six Under Eight.

Early life

Born Melanie Ann Weston on 26 July 1980, West was raised in Woodend.[1] She attended Woodend Primary School and eight high schools because her family followed her stepfather's engineering work around the country.[1] West began performing in front of family and friends at an early age.[1] In 1992, she entered the New South Wales Talented Child Drama Ensemble and later studied at Swinburne University of Technology, Tamworth Conservatorium of Music, and Riverina Drama Ensemble.[2]

Career

After commencing a degree in Law at Deakin University, West deferred her studies indefinitely to turn to acting.[3] In 1999, West was awarded the 'Be Your Best' Performance Scholarship from the Australian Drug Foundation. West's amateur theatre credits include Arsenic and Old Lace, Night Reflections, Theatre in the Raw, Bye Bye Birdie, and Snow Queen.

West joined the cast of Neighbours as Dee Bliss in 1999. Two years later, she was nominated for the "Most Popular New Female Talent" Logie Award.[4] In March 2003, it was announced West was to leave Neighbours after her contract expired.[5] She filmed her final scenes in early April.[6]

West appeared in crime drama Underbelly as Danielle McGuire in 2008.[7] In 2011, she joined the cast of Winners & Losers in the recurring role of Deidre Gross.[8] West previously turned down a role with the show due to being heavily pregnant with her third child.[8]

In 2013, West appeared in series two of House Husbands as Dimity.[1] West reprised her role of Danielle McGuire in the Underbelly spin-off series Fat Tony & Co..[7] The series focuses on the rise and fall of Tony Mokbel, who also featured in the original series, played by Robert Mammone.[7]

In 2016, West reprised the role of Dee Bliss in Neighbours, and joined the cast of The Wrong Girl as TV host Erica Jones.[9] Her first book titled Six Under Eight was published in March and she has begun writing a second book.[9]

Personal life

West has been in a relationship with Shannon Bennett, a restaurateur, since 2005.[1][8] The couple have six children together; Phoenix (born December 2005), Hendrix (born April 2008), Xascha (born July 2010), Xanthe (born 2012) and twins, Xalia and Margaux (2014). West commented that the Xs in the names did not start out as intentional.[1] In July 2014, Bennett announced that he and West were expecting twins.[10] West gave birth to their daughters Xalia and Margaux in November.[9][11]

In July 2002, West was hit by a bus in Sydney. The actress was also robbed while she was unconscious.[12] West needed reconstructive plastic surgery and had to be written out of Neighbours. She returned to the show a month later.[12]

Filmography

Films

Year Title Role Notes
2014 Predestination Mrs. Stapleton Completed
2012 Save Your Legs! Janine
2011 Faces Rita Short film
2010 Matching Jack Nancy
2007 The Condemned Sarah Cavanaugh
2005 You and Your Stupid Mate Emma

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2014 Fat Tony & Co. Danielle McGuire 8 episodes
2013 House Husbands Dimity 8 episodes
Mr & Mrs Murder Rena Season 1, Episode 11
2012 Lowdown Mark Hardy's Wife Season 2, Episode 5
2011 Winners & Losers Deidre Gross Season 1, Episode 19
2010 Rescue Special Ops Annika Ehrenberg 4 episodes
2009 City Homicide Melinda Jackson Season 3, Episode 9
2008 Canal Road Bianca/Meredith Pearce/Bianca Pearce 2 episodes
Underbelly Danielle McGuire 6 episodes
2007–10 Satisfaction Mel 30 episodes
2007 The Starter Wife Katy 3 episodes
2005 Last Man Standing Janie Season 1, Episode 16
Hercules Hippolyta TV Movie
2004 Big Reef Casey Lane
Stingers Rochelle Season 8, Episode 4
2000-2003, 2016-2017 Neighbours Dione "Dee" Bliss 431 episodes
2016 The Wrong Girl Erica Jones Season 1

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Miller, Megan (1 June 2013). "Madeleine West has the looks of a sex kitten, talks like an academic and has four kids to one of our top chefs". Herald Sun. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Madeleine West". ICMI. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  3. ↑ Brygel, Jackie (9 August 2000). "Law unto herself; FACTfile". Melbourne Herald-Sun. p. H5. Accessed 25 November 2011 via LexisNexis Academic.
  4. ↑ Courtis, Brian (22 April 2001). "Time for hottest show in town". The Age. Fairfax Media. p. 12. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  5. ↑ Randall, Tim (1 March 2003). "Soap gossip...". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  6. ↑ Miller, Kylie (10 April 2003). "Networking". The Age. Fairfax Media. p. 14. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 Bamber, Shaun (2 February 2015). "Playing gangster bride an honour and a challenge". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 Vickery, Colin (26 July 2011). "West's pregnant pause". The Sunday Times. News Limited. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 Dunk, Tiffany (7 October 2016). "The Wrong Girl star Madeleine West on being a working mum of six, wife and her home, 'Chateau Catastrophe'". news.com.au. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "In the kitchen with Shannon Bennett". The Daily Telegraph. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Madeleine West gives birth to twins". new!. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  12. 1 2 "Neighbours star back after being hit by bus". Breaking News.ie. Thomas Crosbie Holdings. 4 August 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
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