Celia Ireland


Celia Ireland is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Regina Butcher on the television series All Saints and her Logie award winning role as Liz Birdsworth on the prison drama series Wentworth.

Early life

Celia Ireland was born in Newcastle, New South Wales on 16 May 1966. She lived in Haig Street, Belmont, City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia with a large cast of older sisters and a brother. Celia attended Saint Mary's Catholic High School, Gateshead, City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales and later Saint Anne's/Saint Pius X College, Adamstown, New South Wales, Australia.

Career

Ireland made her television debut in 1992 when she made a guest appearance on the Australian television series Police Rescue. What followed was a number of guesting roles on television series such as A Country Practice, Water Rats and Murder Call, to name but a few and the feature films Dallas Dolls in 1994, which was her film debut; , Floating Life, Idiot Box and Thank God He Met Lizzie, with Cate Blanchett; all of which she appeared in throughout the nineties.
In 1997, Ireland played Rosy's mother Filameena in the Australian children's television series Swinging for ABC TV.
In 1998, Ireland went on to voice Boronia in the Australian children's animated television series Petals for ABC TV and Mrs. Simms in the Australian children's animated television series Seaside Hotel for Seven Network and Yoram Gross EM TV in 2003.
In 1999, Ireland was cast as Regina Butcher on the Seven Network drama series All Saints, first appearing during the series' second season. She left the series in 2005 during season eight.
While appearing on All Saints, Ireland continued to receive guest roles in several series and films; the Australian feature films After the Rain, My Mother Frank, Angst and Australian Rules, in which she received a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role; the popular Nine Network drama series McLeod's Daughters and Don't Blame Me. In 2006, Ireland played a recurring role in the second season of Supernova. Her other television credits include Monster House, Laid, Me and My Monsters, the television comedy-drama series Packed to the Rafters, and a recurring role as Connie Callahan in the Seven Network soap opera Home and Away; the films Rogue, Cactus, Being Venice and Goddess.
In 2012, Ireland received the regular role of Liz Birdsworth on Australian prison drama series Wentworth, a reimagining of the cult classic series Prisoner which aired on Network Ten from 1979 to 1986. Wentworth went to air on SoHo in mid-2013. Ireland has so far appeared as a regular in all three seasons, as a prisoner who gives peer support to her fellow inmates. Her character name is that of the original Prisoner character Lizzie Birdsworth, although Ireland plays a completely different character role to that of Sheila Florance's character, they do however share a similarity as Liz is a functioning alcoholic, Ireland would later exit the series in season 7. After leaving Wentworth Celia joined the filming of Five Bedrooms and Total Control.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes--------------
1992Police RescueLachlan's MotherEpisode: "Sugar"--------------
1993The Comedy SaleVariousSeason 1, 3 episodes--------------
1993A Country PracticeJudy Hallem2 episodes--------------
1996Water RatsSarah Fleetwood2 episodes--------------
1997SwingingFilameenaOne season--------------
1998PetalsBoronia Two seasons--------------
1999Murder CallBarb FerrisEpisode: "Hide & Seek"--------------
1999Dog's Head BayAlice AstassioEpisode: "The Grim Reaper"--------------
2002Home and AwayBernadetteUnknown episodes--------------
2002McLeod's DaughtersMelanie PowersEpisode: "The Bore War"--------------
2002Don't Blame MeSchoolteacherDon't Blame the Koalas
Episode: "Fate Steps In"		--------------
1999–2005All SaintsRegina ButcherMain role, 144 episodes--------------
2003Seaside HotelMrs. Simms Two seasons--------------
2006SupernovaShirlRecurring role, 5 episodes--------------
2008Monster HouseKaren WebbSeason 1, 2 episodes--------------
2011LaidBrendan's MumSeason 1, 1 episode--------------
2011Me and My MonstersPauline TravisEpisode: "The Monster-Sitter"--------------
2013Packed to the RaftersColleen Bourke2 episodes--------------
2013–2019WentworthLiz BirdsworthWentworth Prison
Main role
80 episodes
Nominated - ASTRA for Outstanding Actor
Won- Logie for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress		--------------
2013–2014Home and AwayConnie CallahanRecurring role, 9 episodes--------------
2013Redfern NowNurse EdwardsEpisode: "Where the Heart Is"
2019		Five BedroomsRhonda2 episodes2019Total ControlTracy