Alison Bruce
Actor | Director
Alison Bruce is easily one of Aotearoa's most accomplished actors. Beginning her career at Theatre Corporate and the Mercury Theatre in the 1980’s, she has steadily built an impressive array of stage and screen credits, demonstrating her versatility and enduring appeal.
She has acted in suburban driveways with The Rebel Alliance, in The Domain with Arts Festival pyromaniacs, in large arenas for The World of Wearable Arts, on flooded stages and in freezing warehouses. She has worked with Nightsong, Silo Theatre, Massive Theatre Company, Auckland Theatre Company and has been involved with Red Leap Theatre Company since its inception in 2008.
A multi-award winning actress Alison is also a continually sought after presence in the screen industry. Her ability to embody complex characters has earned her numerous key roles on both NZ and international productions, including Mercy Peak, The Worlds Fastest Indian, Top of the Lake, One Lane Bridge, The Gulf, and The Power of the Dog, consistently showing audiences how dynamic and compelling she is as a performer.
Full Biography
Credits
Feature Film
2024 - Tinā - Caroline - Director - Miki Magasiva - Tu Fa’atasi Films
2022 - It's All About You - Harriet (lead) - Director - Mike Smith
2021 - The Power of the Dog - Georgina - Director - Jane Campion - See-Saw Films
2006 - The Tattooist - Charge Nurse - Director - Peter Burger - Touchdown
2005 - The World's Fastest Indian - Doctor - Director - Roger Donaldson - 2929 Entertainment
2003 - Spooked - Sheila Miller - Director - Geoff Murphy - Silverscreen
1999 - Magik & Rose - Magik (lead) - Director - Vanessa Alexander - Kahukura Productions
1990 - An Angel at My Table - Dora - Director - Jane Campion
Television
2024 - The Gone: season 2 - Michaela Armstrong (recurring) - Keeper Pictures
2024 - Shortland Street - Olivia Whitley - South Pacific Pictures
2020 - 2022 - One Lane Bridge: seasons 1 - 3 - Lois Tremaine (core cast) - Great Southern Television
2021 - The Gulf: season 2, 'Denise Aberrnathy (recurring) - Director - Robert Sarkies - Screentime/Lippy Pictures
2020 - Mystic: season 1 - Julia (recurring) - Libertine Pictures
2020 - The Wilds - Coach Ellen Rose (recurring) - Director - Susanna Fogel - Amazon
2019 - 2020 - Golden Boy: season 1 -2 - Carol (lead) - MediaWorks
2019 - Ablaze (telefeature) - Edith Drake - Director - Josh Frizzell - Screentime
2018 - The Gulf: season 1 - Senior Sergeant Denise Aberrnathy (recurring) - Director - Robert Sarkies - Screentime/Lippy Pictures
2018 - The Brokenwood Mysteries: season 5 - Fiona - South Pacific Pictures
2018 - In Dark Places (telefeature) - Dr. Valerie McGinn - Director - Michael Bennett - South Pacific Pictures
2017 - Dear Murderer - Shirley Smith (recurring) - Screentime
2017 - Kiwi (telefeature) - Anne Lupton (supporting) - Rogue Productions
2016 - Dirty Laundry - Delia (recurring) - Filthy Productions
2015 - Hillary - Phyllis Rose - Director - Danny Mulheron - Great Southern Television
2014 - The Kick - Sheryll Donald - Great Southern Television
2012 - Auckland Daze - Glen's Mum - Dir: Kiel McNaughton - Brown Sugar Apple Grunt
2012 - Top of the Lake (mini-series): season 1 - Anne-Marie (recurring) - Director - Jane Campion - See Saw Films
2010 - 2012 - The Almighty Johnsons: season I - II - Agnetha (core cast) - South Pacific Pictures
2009 - 2010 - Legend of the Seeker: season 1 - 2 - Sister Verna (recurring) - The Walt Disney Company (NZ)
2010 - This is not my Life - Jude (core cast) - Desert Road
2010 - Amazon High (telefeature) - Coach Miganov - Disney
2008 - Life's a Riot (telefeature) - Nell Edwards (lead) - Director - Ian Mune - Riot Productions
2007 - Reckless Behavior: Caught on Tape - Grace Leister - IPA Asia Pacific
2006 - Maddigan's Quest - Witch Finder - South Pacific Pictures
2001 - 2004 - Mercy Peak: seasons 1 - 3 - Louise Duval(core cast) - South Pacific Pictures
2000 - 2001 - Being Eve - Viv (core cast) - South Pacific Pictures
2000 - 2001 - Street Legal: season I & II - Judge Ludlam (recurring) - Screenworks
1995 - 2000 - Xena: Warrior Princess - Kahina / Talia / Queen Melosa - Pacific Renaissance Pictures
1998 - 1999 - Young Hercules - Simula (recurring) - Pacific Renaissance Pictures
1998 - The Chosen - Denise - Communicado
1998 - City Life - Katherine Dwyer (recurring) - Gibson Group
1995 - Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Postera - Pacific Renaissance Pictures
1994 - 1995 - Cover Story - Karen Parker - The Gibson Group
1993 - The Rainbow Warrior (telefeature) - Leslie Holbrook - Bonny Dore Productions
1990 - Shark in the Park - Christina Long - The Gibson Group
1986 - Adventurer - Sovay Banks - Gatetarn
Short Film
2020 - Hot Mother - Naomi (lead) - Director - Lucy Knox
2019 - Memory Foam - Lead - Director - Paloma Schneideman
2018 - The Pact - Sandra - Director - Natalie Medlock
2018 - Sail Away - Margaret - Directors - Ella Becroft and Tama Jarman
2012 - Dotty - Carol - Directors - Mick Andrews & Brett O'Gorman
2005 - Us - Woman - Director - James Blick
Web-series
2022 - Sui Generis - Mother - Director - Roberto Nascimento - Chillbox Creative
Theatre (past 10 years only)
2022 - The Made - Alice - Director - Colin McColl - Auckland Theatre Company
2022 - Stab in the Dark - Anne - Director - Carl Bland - Nightsong
2021 - Everything After - Mary - Director - Shane Bosher - Brilliant Adventures
2020 - Back to Square One - Director - Anders Falstie-Jensen - The Rebel Alliance
2018 - Kororareka: The Ballad of Maggie Flynn - Various - Director - Julie Nolan - Red Leap Theatre Company
2018 - The Cherry Orchard - Louisa (Lulu) - Director - Colin McColl - Auckland Theatre Company
2017 - Julius Caesar - Cassius - Director - Rita Sone - Pop-Up Globe
2017 - World of Wearable Arts - Lucy - Dir: Kip Chapman - World of Wearable Art
2017 - Nell Gwynn - Lady Castlemaine - Director - Colin McColl - Auckland Theatre Company
2014- Sons - Grace - Director - Dave Fane - Auckland Theatre Company
2014 - Angels in America, part two: Perestroika - Oldest Bolshevik / Henry / Hannah Pitt / Ethel Rosenburg - Director - Shane Bosher - Silo Theatre
2014 - Angels in America, part one: Millennium Approaches - Rabbi Isidor Chemelwitz / Henry / Hannah Pitt / Ethel Rosenburg - Director - Shane Bosher - Silo Theatre
2013 - White Rabbit, Red Rabbit - Various (solo show) - Silo Theatre
2024 - Tinā - Caroline - Director - Miki Magasiva - Tu Fa’atasi Films
2022 - It's All About You - Harriet (lead) - Director - Mike Smith
2021 - The Power of the Dog - Georgina - Director - Jane Campion - See-Saw Films
2006 - The Tattooist - Charge Nurse - Director - Peter Burger - Touchdown
2005 - The World's Fastest Indian - Doctor - Director - Roger Donaldson - 2929 Entertainment
2003 - Spooked - Sheila Miller - Director - Geoff Murphy - Silverscreen
1999 - Magik & Rose - Magik (lead) - Director - Vanessa Alexander - Kahukura Productions
1990 - An Angel at My Table - Dora - Director - Jane Campion
Television
2024 - The Gone: season 2 - Michaela Armstrong (recurring) - Keeper Pictures
2024 - Shortland Street - Olivia Whitley - South Pacific Pictures
2020 - 2022 - One Lane Bridge: seasons 1 - 3 - Lois Tremaine (core cast) - Great Southern Television
2021 - The Gulf: season 2, 'Denise Aberrnathy (recurring) - Director - Robert Sarkies - Screentime/Lippy Pictures
2020 - Mystic: season 1 - Julia (recurring) - Libertine Pictures
2020 - The Wilds - Coach Ellen Rose (recurring) - Director - Susanna Fogel - Amazon
2019 - 2020 - Golden Boy: season 1 -2 - Carol (lead) - MediaWorks
2019 - Ablaze (telefeature) - Edith Drake - Director - Josh Frizzell - Screentime
2018 - The Gulf: season 1 - Senior Sergeant Denise Aberrnathy (recurring) - Director - Robert Sarkies - Screentime/Lippy Pictures
2018 - The Brokenwood Mysteries: season 5 - Fiona - South Pacific Pictures
2018 - In Dark Places (telefeature) - Dr. Valerie McGinn - Director - Michael Bennett - South Pacific Pictures
2017 - Dear Murderer - Shirley Smith (recurring) - Screentime
2017 - Kiwi (telefeature) - Anne Lupton (supporting) - Rogue Productions
2016 - Dirty Laundry - Delia (recurring) - Filthy Productions
2015 - Hillary - Phyllis Rose - Director - Danny Mulheron - Great Southern Television
2014 - The Kick - Sheryll Donald - Great Southern Television
2012 - Auckland Daze - Glen's Mum - Dir: Kiel McNaughton - Brown Sugar Apple Grunt
2012 - Top of the Lake (mini-series): season 1 - Anne-Marie (recurring) - Director - Jane Campion - See Saw Films
2010 - 2012 - The Almighty Johnsons: season I - II - Agnetha (core cast) - South Pacific Pictures
2009 - 2010 - Legend of the Seeker: season 1 - 2 - Sister Verna (recurring) - The Walt Disney Company (NZ)
2010 - This is not my Life - Jude (core cast) - Desert Road
2010 - Amazon High (telefeature) - Coach Miganov - Disney
2008 - Life's a Riot (telefeature) - Nell Edwards (lead) - Director - Ian Mune - Riot Productions
2007 - Reckless Behavior: Caught on Tape - Grace Leister - IPA Asia Pacific
2006 - Maddigan's Quest - Witch Finder - South Pacific Pictures
2001 - 2004 - Mercy Peak: seasons 1 - 3 - Louise Duval(core cast) - South Pacific Pictures
2000 - 2001 - Being Eve - Viv (core cast) - South Pacific Pictures
2000 - 2001 - Street Legal: season I & II - Judge Ludlam (recurring) - Screenworks
1995 - 2000 - Xena: Warrior Princess - Kahina / Talia / Queen Melosa - Pacific Renaissance Pictures
1998 - 1999 - Young Hercules - Simula (recurring) - Pacific Renaissance Pictures
1998 - The Chosen - Denise - Communicado
1998 - City Life - Katherine Dwyer (recurring) - Gibson Group
1995 - Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Postera - Pacific Renaissance Pictures
1994 - 1995 - Cover Story - Karen Parker - The Gibson Group
1993 - The Rainbow Warrior (telefeature) - Leslie Holbrook - Bonny Dore Productions
1990 - Shark in the Park - Christina Long - The Gibson Group
1986 - Adventurer - Sovay Banks - Gatetarn
Short Film
2020 - Hot Mother - Naomi (lead) - Director - Lucy Knox
2019 - Memory Foam - Lead - Director - Paloma Schneideman
2018 - The Pact - Sandra - Director - Natalie Medlock
2018 - Sail Away - Margaret - Directors - Ella Becroft and Tama Jarman
2012 - Dotty - Carol - Directors - Mick Andrews & Brett O'Gorman
2005 - Us - Woman - Director - James Blick
Web-series
2022 - Sui Generis - Mother - Director - Roberto Nascimento - Chillbox Creative
Theatre (past 10 years only)
2022 - The Made - Alice - Director - Colin McColl - Auckland Theatre Company
2022 - Stab in the Dark - Anne - Director - Carl Bland - Nightsong
2021 - Everything After - Mary - Director - Shane Bosher - Brilliant Adventures
2020 - Back to Square One - Director - Anders Falstie-Jensen - The Rebel Alliance
2018 - Kororareka: The Ballad of Maggie Flynn - Various - Director - Julie Nolan - Red Leap Theatre Company
2018 - The Cherry Orchard - Louisa (Lulu) - Director - Colin McColl - Auckland Theatre Company
2017 - Julius Caesar - Cassius - Director - Rita Sone - Pop-Up Globe
2017 - World of Wearable Arts - Lucy - Dir: Kip Chapman - World of Wearable Art
2017 - Nell Gwynn - Lady Castlemaine - Director - Colin McColl - Auckland Theatre Company
2014- Sons - Grace - Director - Dave Fane - Auckland Theatre Company
2014 - Angels in America, part two: Perestroika - Oldest Bolshevik / Henry / Hannah Pitt / Ethel Rosenburg - Director - Shane Bosher - Silo Theatre
2014 - Angels in America, part one: Millennium Approaches - Rabbi Isidor Chemelwitz / Henry / Hannah Pitt / Ethel Rosenburg - Director - Shane Bosher - Silo Theatre
2013 - White Rabbit, Red Rabbit - Various (solo show) - Silo Theatre
Training
Being updated
Awards
2021 - Winner - Best Supporting Actress - The Gulf - New Zealand Film and Television Awards
2018 - Nominee - Best Actress in a Feature Film - Life's a Riot - Qantas Awards
2006 - Winner - Performance in a Short Film - Us - NZ Screen Awards
2003 - Winner - Best Supporting Actress - Mercy Peak - New Zealand Television Awards
2002 - Winner - Best Supporting Actress - Mercy Peak - New Zealand Television Awards
2000 - Nominee - Best Actress in a Feature Film - Magik & Rose - New Zealand Film and TV Awards
2018 - Nominee - Best Actress in a Feature Film - Life's a Riot - Qantas Awards
2006 - Winner - Performance in a Short Film - Us - NZ Screen Awards
2003 - Winner - Best Supporting Actress - Mercy Peak - New Zealand Television Awards
2002 - Winner - Best Supporting Actress - Mercy Peak - New Zealand Television Awards
2000 - Nominee - Best Actress in a Feature Film - Magik & Rose - New Zealand Film and TV Awards
Skills
Accents - American (standard) New York, British (various)
Full Drivers Licence
Full Drivers Licence