Lisa Irene Chappell (born 18 October 1968) is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

actress and musician. She is known for her roles as Chelsea Redfern in '' Gloss'' (1987–90), her acting debut, and as Claire McLeod in ''

McLeod's Daughters ''McLeod's Daughters'' is an Australian drama television series created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton for the Nine Network, which aired from 8 August 2001, to 31 January 2009, lasting eight seasons. It stars Lisa Chappell and Brid ...

'' (2001–03), a performance which earned her two

Logie Awards The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...

, for Most Popular New Female Talent and Most Popular Actress. As one of New Zealand's most prominent theatre performers, Chappell made her stage debut in 1991, having appeared in ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'', which led to numerous roles, including ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

'', ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'', ''

Design for Living ''Design for Living'' is a comedy play written by Noël Coward in 1932. It concerns a trio of artistic characters, Gilda, Otto and Leo, and their complicated three-way relationship. Originally written to star Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt and Cowa ...

'', and '' The Thirty-Nine Steps''. Following the establishment of her own company, Chappell has went on to appearances in more contemporary works, in addition to producing and writing. While maintaining her continued success on screen, Chappell has had also appeared in films, such as ''

Desperate Remedies ''Desperate Remedies'' is the second novel by Thomas Hardy, albeit the first to be published. It was released anonymously by Tinsley Brothers in 1871. Plot summary In ''Desperate Remedies'' a young woman, Cytherea Graye, is forced by pover ...

'' (1993), ''

Jack Brown Genius ''Jack Brown Genius'' is a 1996 New Zealand romantic comedy fantasy film directed by Tony Hiles, produced by Peter Jackson and written by both with Jackson's partner Fran Walsh. Actor Tim Balme, who had earlier starred in Jackson's movie ''Brai ...

'' (1996), and ''

Coffin Rock ''Coffin Rock'' is an Australian melodramatic thriller film directed by Rupert Glasson and produced by David Lightfoot. The movie stars Lisa Chappell, Robert Taylor (Australian actor), Robert Taylor and Sam Parsonson. Plot Rob (Robert Taylor (Au ...

'' (2009), and further television roles, in '' City Life'' (1996–98), ''

The Cult The Cult are an English rock band formed in 1983 in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead singer Ian Astbury's ...

'' (2009), for which she was the recipient of a Qantas Film and Television Award for Best Performance by a Supporting Actress – General Television, and most recently as Michelle Beaufort in the soap opera, ''

Shortland Street ''Shortland Street'' is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera centring on the fictitious Shortland Street Hospital, first broadcast on TVNZ 2 on 25 May 1992. It is New Zealand's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously ...

'' (2020–22).

Early life

Lisa Chappell was born in

Takapuna Takapuna is a suburb located on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. The suburb is situated at the beginning of a south-east-facing peninsula forming the northern side of the Waitematā Harbour. While very small in terms of population, it ...

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

and grew up in

Mairangi Bay Mairangi Bay is a coastal suburb of North Shore, Auckland, located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, on the south-east-facing peninsula forming the northern side of the Waitematā Harbour. Mairangi Bay came under the local governance ...

. She has two older siblings, a brother, Mark, and a sister, Catherine. Chappell studied acting in the 1980s, and was educated at

Rangitoto College Rangitoto College is a state coeducational secondary school, located on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Serving years 9 to 13, Rangitoto has a school roll of as of making it the largest "brick-and-mortar" school in New Zealand (on ...

, where she took drama classes and performed in school musicals, as well as singing and dancing tuition.

Career

Television

Chappell made her on-screen debut in 1987 when she was cast as Chelsea Redfern in the TV2 television drama, '' Gloss'', a series which lasted three seasons. This was followed by a short stint in the

police procedural The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eith ...

series, ''

Shark in the Park ''Shark in the Park'' is a New Zealand police procedural. It revolved around the professional and private lives of a group of officers at a Wellington police station under the command of Inspector Brian "Sharky" Finn. The title came from the i ...

'', and guest roles in shows, such as, soap opera ''

'', ''

Mysterious Island ''The Mysterious Island'' (french: L'Île mystérieuse) is a novel by Jules Verne, published in 1875. The original edition, published by Hetzel, contains a number of illustrations by Jules Férat. The novel is a crossover sequel to Verne's fam ...

'', and multiple roles on ''

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' is an American television series filmed in New Zealand, based on the tales of the classical Greek culture hero Heracles (Hercules was his Roman analogue). Starring Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and Michael Hurst as ...

''. In 1996, she began appearing in a regular role on the short-lived TV2 soap opera, '' City Life'', as Bronwyn Kellett. In 1998, Chappell had relocated to Australia and completed "The Journey" program at the Actors Centre Australia in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, graduating in 2000. After which, she auditioned for the role of Claire McLeod on the

Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...

rural drama series, ''

'', a role which was originally intended for actor

Laurie Foell Laurie Foell (born Laurence Foel on 10 February 1968) is an Argentinian-born Australian actress. She is best known for her portrayal of both Angela "Angie" Russell and her cousin Josie, in the successful Australian television soap opera ''Ho ...

during which Chappell was in the process of establishing a theatre company; she successfully secured the role following her audition. During production of the series, Chappell gained the skills in how to ride a horse and sheering sheep, and also made the decision to become a vegetarian. She appeared in the series for three seasons, from 2001 to 2003, before her character was killed off in a car accident. For her performance, Chappell was nominated for several

, receiving two, for Most Popular New Female Talent and Most Popular Actress in 2002 and 2004, respectively, and has gained a cult following among both Australian and international audiences. Chappell continued in Australian television, and would later appear in a recurring role on the police drama, '' Stingers'', as Constable Megan Walsh for its eighth and final season, the television film, '' Small Claims: The Reunion'', the serial drama ''

'', in a role with earned her a Qantas Film and Television Award, and guest appearances in '' Rescue: Special Ops'' and ''

Cops L.A.C. ''Cops L.A.C.'' (''Cops: Local Area Command'') is a 2010 Australian television police drama, which screened on the Nine Network. The series followed the work of officers at the Seaview Local Area Command, a fictitious police response area of th ...

''. In 2020, Chappell returned to ''Shortland Street'', and was cast in the regular role of Michelle Beaufort.

Theatre

Chappell is a well established theatre performer, having appeared in numerous stage productions for more three decades, and has worked extensively in New Zealand, particularly with the

Auckland Theatre Company Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) is a professional theatre company in Auckland. It was founded in 1992 and since 2016 has been based in ASB Waterfront Theatre in the Wynyard Quarter in central Auckland. History Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) wa ...

. Early in her career, she appeared in classical theatre productions, including

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

'', the musical, ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

'', and

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), ''Death of a Salesman'' ( ...

's ''

All My Sons ''All My Sons'' is a three-act play written in 1946 by Arthur Miller. It opened on Broadway at the Coronet Theatre in New York City on January 29, 1947, closed on November 8, 1949, and ran for 328 performances. It was directed by Elia Kazan (t ...

''. She has also directed and performed in two plays at Auckland's Rose Theatre – ''Up the Garden Path'' and ''Girl Talk'' in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Following her graduation from the Actor's Centre Australia, Chappell has performed as the titular character in ''

Educating Rita ''Educating Rita'' is a stage comedy by British playwright Willy Russell. It is a play for two actors set entirely in the office of an Open University tutor. Commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, ''Educating Rita'' premièred at The Wa ...

'', which toured Australia in 2007, before returning to New Zealand to appear in productions, such as, ''

'', '' The Thirty-Nine Steps'', ''

The Importance of Being Earnest ''The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious ...

'', ''

The Vagina Monologues ''The Vagina Monologues'' is an episodic play written in 1996 by Eve Ensler which developed and premiered at HERE Arts Center, Off-Off-Broadway in New York and was followed by an Off-Broadway run in at Westside Theatre. The play explores cons ...

'', ''The Wizard of Oz'', and ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

''. Chappell has, more recently, appeared in roles in contemporary works, including ''Fallen Angels'', ''The Pink Hammer'', ''That Bloody Woman'', ''Bright Star'', and ''Shortland Street – The Musical'', and three plays which she wrote and produced – ''On/Off'', ''Fred'', and ''Bad Day Insurance''. She is a member of Equity New Zealand.

Singing

Chappell's debut album, '' When Then Is Now'', was released on 1 May 2006.
When Then Is Now
'. Lisa Chappell. itunes.apple.com, Retrieved 13 January 2016 She did some minor touring in Australia and New Zealand to support the album's release.

Book

In 2021, Chappell wrote a children's book, ''Guardian Angel on Purpose Patrol''. It was illustrated by Brad Smith and published by Divine Purpose Publishing. .

Personal life

Chappell met Chris Taylor in August 2001 when they both attended her ''McLeod's Daughters'' co-star,

Rachael Carpani Rachael Ann Carpani (born 24 August 1980) is an Australian actress best known as Jodi Fountain in ''McLeod's Daughters''. Biography Carpani grew up on a property near Dural, in Sydney's Hills District. Carpani has twice been nominated at th ...

's 21st birthday; they married in December 2001, and divorced in 2005. She currently resides in

Puhoi, New Zealand Puhoi is a settlement located approximately 50 km north of Auckland, New Zealand on the banks of the Puhoi River. The name Puhoi is translated as "slow water". (Compare the Māori word , meaning "be slow, sluggish, unhurried.") History I ...

Filmography

Theatre credits

* ''

'' (Rose Theatre, 1991) * ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

'' (Auckland Operatic, 1992) * ''Up the Garden Path'' (Rose Theatre, 1993) * ''Girl Talk'' (Rose Theatre, 1994) * '' The Lover'' (

The PumpHouse Theatre The PumpHouse Theatre is an artist-led arts centre that presents theatre and other events in the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Historic pumphouse The pumphouse was originally built on the shore of Lake Pupuke as a pumping stations t ...

, 1995) * ''

'' (Maidment Theatre, 1997) * ''

The Herbal Bed ''The Herbal Bed'' (1996) is a play by Peter Whelan, written specifically for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The play is set in the year 1613 and is about Susanna Hall, daughter of William Shakespeare, who is accused of adultery with local haberd ...

'' ( Court Theatre, 1998) * ''

'' (Actors Centre Australia, 2000) * ''

A.R. Gurney Albert Ramsdell Gurney Jr. (November 1, 1930 – June 13, 2017) (sometimes credited as Pete Gurney) was an American playwright, novelist and academic. He is known for works including ''The Dining Room'' (1982), ''Sweet Sue (play), Sweet Sue'' (1 ...

Love Letters A love letter is an expression of love in written form. However delivered, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation and description of feelings. History One of the oldest references to a l ...

'' (2005) * ''

The Homecoming ''The Homecoming'' is a two-act play written in 1964 by Harold Pinter and first published in 1965. Its premières in London (1965) and New York (1967) were both directed by Sir Peter Hall. The original Broadway production won the 1967 Tony A ...

'' (

Auckland Arts Festival Formerly known as Auckland Festival, Auckland Arts Festival or is an annual arts and cultural festival held in Auckland, New Zealand. The Festival features works from New Zealand, the Pacific, Asia and beyond, including world premieres of new wor ...

, 2007) * ''

'' (toured in Australia, 2007) * ''

'' (Maidment Theatre, 2008) * '' The Thirty-Nine Steps'' (Maidment Theatre, 2009) * ''Don't Hold Your Breath'' (Maidment Theatre, 2009) * ''

'' (Maidment Theatre, 2010) * ''

'' ( Basement Theatre, 2010) * ''Mike & Virginia'' (Herald Theatre, 2011) * ''The Wizard of Oz'' (Peach Theatre Company, 2011) * ''The Motor Camp'' (Maidment Theatre, 2012) * ''

'' ( Court Theatre, 2012) * ''

Badjelly the Witch ''Badjelly the Witch'' is a brief handwritten, illustrated story by Spike Milligan, created for his children, then printed in 1973. It was made into an audio and a video version. In 1975, in the planning for an audio version for the BBC "infan ...

'' (

Bruce Mason Centre The English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix, Manche in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of king Robert the Bruce (1274−1329), it has been ...

, 2013) * ''On/Off'' (Bordello Theatre, 2013) * ''Fallen Angels'' (Q Theatre, 2014) * ''Fred'' (

The Basement Theatre The Basement Theatre is an Auckland theatre founded by Charlie McDermott in 2008. The theatre focuses on providing a venue for young people in the performing arts to enter the industry. Their priorities are making theatre accessible for both ...

, 2014) * ''Bad Day Insurance'' (Old 505 Theatre, 2014) * ''

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

'' (

Darlinghurst Theatre Darlinghurst Theatre is an independent theatre company based at the Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst, New South Wales. Glenn Terry established the company in 1993 initially as an inner-city drama school. Darlinghurst Theatre productions were ...

, 2015) * ''Polo'' (Sky City Theatre, 2016) * ''The Pink Hammer'' (

, 2016) * ''

Menopause The Musical ''Menopause The Musical'' is a 2001 musical with book and lyrics by Jeanie Linders which premiered on March 28, 2001 in Orlando, Florida. The musical follows four mature women shopping for lingerie at a Bloomingdale's sale, with lyrics parodying p ...

'' (2016) * ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed ''Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on wh ...

'' (ASB Waterfront Theatre, 2017) * ''Two'' (2017) * ''That Bloody Woman'' (

Centrepoint Theatre Centrepoint Theatre is a theatre and theatre company in Palmerston North in New Zealand. Established in 1973, the theatre has employed more than 2500 actors and produced more New Zealand plays than any other theatre. History The theatre open ...

, 2018) * ''Bright Star'' (Herald Theatre, 2018) * ''Shortland Street - The Musical'' (ASB Waterfront Theatre, 2018) * ''

Six Degrees of Separation Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of "friend of a friend" statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. It is also k ...

'' (ASB Waterfront Theatre, 2019) * ''

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Hamle ...

'' (ASB Waterfront Theatre, 2019)

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

External links

Official Lisa Chappell Site
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chappell, Lisa 1968 births Living people New Zealand stage actresses New Zealand television actresses New Zealand soap opera actresses Logie Award winners 21st-century New Zealand women singers People educated at Rangitoto College 20th-century New Zealand actresses 21st-century New Zealand actresses People from Takapuna