Aside from being one of the richest countries in the world in terms of flora and fauna, Australia is also known for delivering impeccable talent to the world. Whatever field of entertainment it may be, chances are, there’s at least one Aussie there that’s turning heads. That said, here are five Australian acts who are making a global impact:
Iggy Azalea
Amethyst Amelia Kelly, popularly known as Iggy Azalea, successfully made a name for herself through her chart-topping hit Fancy back in 2014. The swag-drenched hip hop/pop song hit number one on the U.S. “Billboard Hot 100” — making her the fourth solo female rapper to ever land the spot. In that same week, Ariana Grande’s song Problem, which features the rapper, also hit number two. This made her the only other musical act to bag the number one and two spots simultaneously, aside from The Beatles.
The 30-year-old rapper, songwriter and former model was born in Sydney and spent most of her youth in New South Wales, Australia.
Courtney Act
As Australia’s biggest drag export in decades, Courtney Act is exceptional in going above and beyond at everything she does. In addition to her being a stunning drag queen, she’s also a successful singer and television personality who sheds light on some of today’s most pressing issues. She goes on tours and shares her personal stories about gender fluidity and sexuality.
She can also be seen participating in interviews and discussions that touch on a variety of social problems such as diversity and division.
Russell Crowe
Oscar winner Russell Crowe may not have been born and raised in Australia (he’s technically from New Zealand), but he certainly calls it his home — especially as he’s spent most of his life in Australia. As one of the most accomplished Aussie actors, Crowe has won multiple awards throughout his career. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in “Gladiator.” He was also a winner of the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his unforgettable role in the drama “A Beautiful Mind.”
But before these big and exciting roles, and yes, even before his days as a rock singer and guitarist, Foxy Bingo claims that Crowe actually used to work as a bingo caller on Slipper Island, off the coast of Auckland. With a penchant for jokes and strong opinions, Crowe actually got the sack for being rude and for inventing offensive bingo calls.
Hannah Gadsby
More often than not, comedians resort to self-deprecating jokes to make a living — but not Hannah Gadsby. Her award-winning stage-show-turned-Netflix-special, “Nanette,” discusses how women and queer people are often dismissed and silenced in the most comedic and yet thought-provoking ways possible.
After zooming in on feminist humor, Gadsby followed up “Nanette” with another brilliant show, “Douglas,” just last year. The show touches on the Australian comedian’s very own experiences with autism, and aims to help others understand that those on the spectrum can speak for themselves and, ultimately, have confidence and pride in their identity.
Nicole Kidman
When people speak of the most sought-after Australian talents, one of the figures that would most definitely make it on the list is Nicole Kidman. Like Crowe, the famed actress and producer has also been honored with multiple accolades throughout her career. She has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA Award. She’s also the first Australian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress back in 2003.
However, it was actually Kidman’s numerous charitable acts that have made her a talent Australia should be really proud of. Aside from being a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, she supports foundations and charities that raise awareness about breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, genetic disorders, and environmental issues.
I like the array of talents discussed in this article! It was interesting to get some background on these familiar names. When Iggy Azalea’s Fancy came out in 2014, I was in 8th grade, and could not get enough of it. I never followed Azalea further than this though, so it was fun to learn about her success and Australian upbringing.
I had no idea that Nicole Kidman is Australian! She is a well-known actress and I really enjoyed her in “The Undoing,” a show on HBO. I of course know Iggy Azalea, as she was popular when I was younger, but I haven’t heard any of her recent songs. I don’t hear much on Australian talent so this was a nice read.
I loved reading and interacting with this article. I learned more about some of the people listed above. A few were even new to me and I can’t wait to find out more now that I have heard of these new names talented people!
This was so fascinating. It was shocking to read this for I did not realize all these celebrities were Australian. I remember Iggy Azalea’s music being so relevant to my middle school and everyone at the time was so intrigued by this woman’s music. I also had no idea Nicole Kidman would be on this list – it’s refreshing to be further educated on this since pop culture doesn’t always describe celebrities beyond the surface level.
I have never known Russell Crowe is such a huge movie director / actor and I am excited to see how his acting style shines on many of his films. Also, it is interesting to how so many Australians have worked towards to spark a tinder throughout the society for the enlightenment coupled with eagerness to help the society and be a positive influences on the society. I will start watching more movies by Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman and I am sure these actors are truly adept at acting as well as how they convey their emotions out onto the audience in an influential way.
The only one I knew was Australian for sure was Iggy Azalea. I have always admired her and loved her music even beyond the greatest hits. It was interesting to hear about others also making and impact around the world and what they do aside from their main roles – for example, Nicole Kidman’s charitable acts and Hannah Gadsby’s feminist humor.
I have heard about all of these celebrities except for Hannah Gadsby. I thought this was an interesting topic to mention, along with this particular continent. One group I find personally impactful within my own life is the band 5 Seconds of Summer. They have been on international tours but I have noticed that they take a particular liking to Japan. They also spent much of their time in England after starting to become big. Then to Los Angeles once they were going on world tours. Australia seems to have lots of talent and impact coming from it I would say. This was an enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed reading this article and I feel super enlightened. I honestly had no idea that half of these celebrities were even Australian. I think it’s important to recognize where people are from to try and navigate how it has affected their lives and professional careers. On top of this unawareness of their being Australian, I also was only really familiar with Iggy Azalea’s work because of how prominent she was in the top charts at one point. Learning about other Australian success stories was fun and informative for me!
It is very interesting to know so many Australian celebrities. In fact, some of the celebrities in the article I knew before I read the article, but I didn’t notice that they were Australians. I think this is a very interesting article. It introduces celebrities with the theme of nationality, which is a very fresh perspective for readers. I hope to see more similar introductions and learn about celebrities in various countries. Perhaps we can discover the characteristics of different cultures from these celebrities.