Heather Mitchell

Australian actress
the Australian farmer and community leader

Heather Lee Mitchell (born 1958) is an Australian actress, appearing in Australian productions of stage, television and film. She is a graduate of NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art). She is best known for her leading role in the 1990s television show Spellbinder.

Mitchell is, internationally, well known for her performance as Ashka in the Australian/Polish co productions of Spellbinder (1995), and Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord (1997). The series was a popular children's fantasy program first broadcast in 1995. Other television series include: the miniseries Bodyline (1984), Land of Hope (1986), Embassy (1992) and A Country Practice. In 1998, she starred in the miniseries drama The Day of the Roses, in which she played a victim of the 1977 Granville rail disaster. She has also appeared in episodes of Five Mile Creek (1984), Rake (2010), Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2013), and Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries (2019). In 2021, she played Birdie in The Unusual Suspects.

Mitchell is a foundation director and board member of the Sydney Theatre Company (STC). She first appeared at the STC in 1981 performing scenes of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 with Andrew Tighe for a workshop. She has since appeared in dozens of productions for several Australian theatre companies and has contributed to Terence Crawford's 2005 book Trade Secrets: Australian Actors and Their Craft.

YearTitleRoleNotes1981Cop ShopTV series, 1 episode1981RatbagsVarious charactersTV series, 1 episode1982A Country PracticePeggyTV series, 2 episodes1984Five Mile CreekJocelynTV series, 1 episode1984BodylineMiniseries1986Land of HopeMiniseries1986The Fast LaneEileenTV series, 1 episode1989 95G. P. TV series, 3 episodes1991Boys from the BushJoyceTV series, 1 episode1992EmbassyGillianTV series, 1 episode1993Seven Deadly SinsTV anthology series, 1 episodeA Country PracticeTV series, 2 episodes Clowning Around TV series, season 21994The FeralsCrystalTV series, 1 episodeCody: A Family AffairTV filmCody: The TipofTV filmCody: Bad LoveTV film1995SpellbinderAshkaTV series, 24 episodes1996MercuryMiniseries, 1 episode1997Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon LordAshkaTV series1998FCTV GuestTV series, 1 episodeThe Day of the RosesMiniseriesGood Morning AustraliaGuestTV series, 1 episode2002All SaintsTV series, 1 episode2003SnobsMaryTV series, 1 episode2004JessicaMiniseries2007Rain ShadowTV series main role2008Blue Water HighHeatherTV series, 1 episode2009Rogue NationTV series, 1 episodeChandon PicturesAgentTV series, 1 episodeAll SaintsTV series, 1 episode2010SatisfactionGeorgiaTV series, 1 episodeThe PacificMiniseries, 1 episodeRakeTV series, 1 episode2011Killing TimeTV series, 2 episodesCrowniesTV series, 8 episodesSpiritedTV series, 8 episodes2012Dance AcademyRobynTV series, 1 episodeAgony AuntsHerselfTV series, 3 episodes2013–18A Place to Call HomeTV series, 22 episodes2013Power Games: The Packer Murdoch WarMiniseriesMiss Fisher's Murder MysteriesTV series, 1 episode2014–2017Janet KingTV series, 4 episodes2014–2017 Starting From Now!TV series, 2 episodes2015PypoWeb series, 1 episodeShit CreekHelenWeb series, 2 episodes2016MollyMiniseries, 1 episode2017Newton's LawTV series, 1 episode2018Away TV play2019Ms Fisher's Modern Murder MysteriesTV series, 1 episodeHarrowTV series. 3 episodesReef Break TV series, 4 episodesThe Strange ChoresInspector (voice)TV series, 1 episode2019, 2021UprightTV series2020Grey NomadsIngridWeb seriesThe Secrets She KeepsJennyMiniseries, 3 episodesOperation BuffaloTV series, 2 episodes2021WakefieldTV series, 2 episodesHomespunMiniseriesThe Unusual SuspectsBirdieMiniseries, 4 episodes2022Darby and JoanRosemary TV series, 3 episodes 2022 23Love MeAnitaMiniseries2023News Breakfast Guest TV series, 1 episodeToday ExtraHerselfTV series, 1 episodeAustralian StoryHerselfl TV series, 1 episodeGold DiggersColleen TV series, 3 episodesNews Breakfast Guest TV series, 1 episode Luxury EscapesHerself TV series, 1 episode2024 Fake TV series The Narrow Road to the Deep North

Year Play Role Notes 1975 1 Double D NIDA Theatre 1976 Hay Fever Judith Bliss School production 1978 Gammer Gurton's Needle NIDA Theatre 1979 The Seagull NIDA Theatre 1979 Lower Depths NIDA Theatre 1979 The Caucasian Chalk Circle Sydney Opera House 1979 The Fire Raisers NIDA Theatre 1979 Beyond Mozambique NIDA Theatre 1979 Saved Jane Street Theatre 1980 The Women Pirates Ann Bonney and Mary Read NIDA Theatre, University of Newcastle, Playhouse, Canberra 1980 Strife NIDA Theatre 1981 Henry IV, Part 1 Sydney Theatre Company workshop with Andrew Tighe 1981 Roses in Due Season Nimrod Theatre Company 1981 Rare Words Brave Deeds Sydney Opera House) 1981 The Revenger's Tragedy Court Lady Playhouse, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia 1981 No End of Blame Playhouse, Adelaide 1982 The Suicide Nimrod Theatre Company1982 You Can't Take It with You with Geoffrey Rush; written by George S. Kaufman, Moss Hart; at Sydney Opera House1982 Macbeth Witch with John Bell, Colin Friels, Hugo Weaving; directed by Richard Wherrett; at Sydney Opera House1982 lt=As You Desire Me with Peter Carroll, Hugo Weaving, Geoffrey Rush; written by Luigi Pirandello; at Sydney Opera House1983 The Fields of Heaven with Lex Marinos: written by Dorothy Hewett; at Sydney Opera House1983 The Cherry Orchard Vanya with John Howard; written by Anton Chekhov 1984 The Lady from the Sea Bolette Playhouse, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia 1984 Private Lives Amanda Prynne Araluen Arts Centre & Playhouse, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia1985 The Doll Trilogy: Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Kid Stakes & Other Times Nancy with Harold Hopkins; written by Ray Lawler; at Sydney Opera House & Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne1986 No Worries Wriiten by David Holman; adapted into a film in 1994; at Playhouse, Adelaide 1986 She Stoops to Conquer Kate Hardcastle Playhouse, Melbourne 1986 Pravda Rebecca Foley Playbouse, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia 1987 Hamlet / Henry IV Part 1 Sydney Theatre Company1987 No(h) Exit: No Exit, The Lady Aoi, Hanjo from Five Modern Noh Plays Written by Jean Paul Sartre & Yukio Mishima; at Wharf Theatre 1987 Pericles Wharf Theatre1987 Blood Relations Cathy / Tessa with John Wood; written by David Malouf; at Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company & Playhouse, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia 1988 1841 with Gillian Jones; written by Michael Gow; at Sydney Opera House & Playhouse, Adelaide1989 A Dream Play directed by Göran Järvefelt; written by August Strindberg; at Playhouse, Adelaide & Sydney Opera House 1989 Major Barbara Playhouse Adelaide & Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane1989 All My Sons directed by Gale Edwards; written by Arthur Miller; at Wharf Theatre 1989 Ring Round the Moon Playhouse, Adelaide1990 The Secret Rapture Isobel Glass with Hugo Weaving,Pamela Rabe; written by David Hare; at Wharf Theatre1990 Burn This with Richard Roxburgh; directed by Wayne Harrison: written by Lanford Wilson; at Wharf Theatre 1991 Uncle Vanya Yelena Russell Street Theatre 1991 Morning Sacrifice Miss Gwyn Carwithen Russell Street Theatre 1991 Hay Fever Myra Arundel Playhouse, Melbourne1992 The Homecoming with Richard Roxburgh & Warren Mitchell; written by Harold Pinter; at The Wharf Theatre1993 Two Weeks with the Queen directed by Wayne Harrison; at Playhouse, Adelaide1993 Coriolanus with John Howard; at Sydney Opera House 1995 Scenes from a Separation Nina Moss Fairfax Studio with Melbourne Theatre Company 1997 The Winter's Tale Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House & Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne1998 A Delicate Balance directed by Simon Phillips, with Michael Craig; written by Edward Albee; at Sydney Opera House2000 The White Devil with Hugo Weaving, Angie Milliken; directed by Gale Edwards; written by John Webster; at Theatre Royal, Sydney2001 Bye Bye Birdie Music: Charles Strouse, words: Lee Adams 2003 The Real Thing with Andrew Tighe; directed by Robyn Nevin; written by Tom Stoppard; at Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company2007 Self Esteem with Toby Schmitz; written & directed by Brendan Cowell; at Wharf Theatre 2008 Tender Yvonne The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga & Stables Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre2008 Hamlet Gertrude with Brendan Cowell & Barry Otto; directed by Marion Potts; at Sydney Opera House & Playhouse, Melbourne 2008 Ghosts Helene Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide 2010 A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania Sydney Symphony Orchestra2010 True West Mom directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman; written by Sam Shepard2011 Neighbourhood Watch Christina with Robyn Nevin & Kris McQuade; directed by Simon Stone; written by Lally Katz; at Belvoir Street Theatre2012 Never Did Me Any Harm with Marta Dusseldorp; directed by Kate Champion; devised by Force Majeure2012 Les Liaisons Dangereuses Madame Volanges with Hugo Weaving, Justine Clarke & Pamela Rabe; directed by Sam Strong; written by Christopher Hampton; at Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company 2012 Signs of Life Georgie Jutland Sydney Opera House 2013 The History Boys Mrs Lintott Sydney Opera House2013 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Gertrude written by Tom Stoppard; at Sydney Theatre2014 Strictly Ballroom Shirley Hastings written by Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce & Terry Johnson; at Sydney Lyric Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne & Lyric Theatre, Brisbane2016 Hay Fever Judith Bliss written by Noël Coward; at Sydney Opera House 2016 The Hansard Monologues: Age of Entitlement Seymour Centre, Bruce Gordon Theatre, Wollongong, Glen Street Theatre, Old Parliament House, Canberra2017 Away Gwen directed by Matthew Lutton; written by Michael Gow; at Sydney Opera House & Malthouse Theatre2017 Cloud Nine Edward / Betty directed by Kip Williams; written by Caryl Churchill; at Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company 2017 18 You Animal, You Mum Track 12 at Carriageworks2018 Top Girls Pope Joan / Louise written by Caryl Churchill; at Sydney Opera House2018 Still Point Turning: The Catherine McGregor Story Cate McGregor written by Priscilla Jackman; at Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company2018 The Harp in the South, Part One and Part Two Eny Kilker directed by Kip Williams; written by Ruth Park & Kate Mulvany 2019 20 The Iliad Out Loud Belvoir Street Theatre, Scott Theatre, Adelaide 2020 Escaped Alone Belvoir Street Theatre 2020 Away Online (NSW / VIC) 2021 Playing Beatie Bow Granny Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company2022 RBG: Of Many, One Ruth Bader Ginsburg written by Suzie Miller; at Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company

Mitchell met cinematographer Martin McGrath in 1989, they were engaged in the following year and married in February 1992. The couple have two adult children and reside in Sydney.