Jill Forster

Jill Forster (born 30 November 1936),^[1] is an English-born Australian retired actress. She became well known for her roles in TV series, but also appeared in films and telefilms.

Originally from Twickenham, Middlesex in the UK,^[2] Forster established herself as a model in London, before relocating to Australia in 1964 with her first husband, a TV producer.^[3] After appearing in a television commercial, she was quickly scouted by Crawford Productions and from there, her acting career took off.^[4]

Forster's first role was in the Crawford Productions Australian espionage adventure series Hunter, filmed on location in Woomera, South Australia for six weeks. After the experience, she decided she wanted to act full time.^[4]

Forster has primarily appeared in small cameo roles, although she is well known as the second actress to portray Helen Sheriden Sellers in soap opera Number 96,^[4] from 1973 to 1974, replacing original actress Carmen Duncan.^[5] She also had prominent roles in several other soap operas including Motel, in 1967, playing Gaye Gillian,^[6] The Box^[4] from 1976 to 1977, as Enid Parker and The Restless Years^[4] from 1977 to 1979, as Heather Russell.

She also hosted the 1970 Freaky Black Friday Spook Special and ATN 7's 1972 series Creature Features as Vampira.^[2]

In 1984, Forster had a recurring role in cult prison drama Prisoner^[4] as Kerryn Davies. The same year, she also appeared in biographical cricket miniseries Bodyline, opposite Hugo Weaving and Gary Sweet.

Forster then played Mrs Haversham in the 1987 period drama miniseries Great Expectations: The Untold Story, earning a nomination for an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.^[4]

She also had a five-year stint on Beauty and the Beast.^[4]

She later played the regular role of Meredith Monahan in television drama SeaChange from 1998 to 2000,^[4] winning the 1999 AFI Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.^[7]

Forster has had guest roles in numerous other Australian television dramas, including Skippy the Bush Kangaroo,^[8] Division 4, Homicide, Spyforce,^[8] Catwalk, A Time for Love, Birds in the Bush, Boney, Matlock Police, Ryan, Silent Number, The Evil Touch,^[8] Bellamy,^[9] Cop Shop,^[8] Holiday Island, The Sullivans,^[8] Carson's Law, Starting Out, The Power, The Passion,^[4] Special Squad, A Country Practice,^[4] The Flying Doctors,^[4] and The Man from Snowy River.^[4]

She has also appeared in hundreds of television advertisements,^[2] including perfume and rum commercials.^[3]

Forster starred in the 1973 feature film Libido, as Rosaline, receiving an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the role.^[4] The same year, she appeared opposite Graeme Blundell in the hit sex-comedy film Alvin Purple, as Mrs Horwood, wife of Alvin's teacher.^[10]

In 1982, Forster appeared in the science fiction thriller Crosstalk as Mrs. Stollier.^[11] She featured in Beyond Innocence in 1986.^[8] Then in 1989, she starred in Devil in the Flesh as Jill Hansen.^[11]

She starred in the 1993 children's film Say A Little Prayer, which earned her another nomination for the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.^[4]

Later on, she starred in 2006 mystery drama thriller Irresistible,^[8] alongside Sam Neill, Susan Sarandon and Emily Blunt.

Forster married Australian actor and frequent co-star John Stanton^[11] in the mid-1970s, after meeting him while shooting an episode of ABC’s Love Story, They also acted together in the TV series' Matlock Police,^[12] Homicide, The Box^[13] and Bellamy.^[9] She also directed her husband in a 2009 stage production of And When He Falls, at Fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne.^[14]

• Jill Forster at IMDb