Rachel Griffiths

Rachel Anne Griffiths AM (born 18 December 1968) is an Australian film and television actress. She gained recognition for her role in the 1994 film *Muriel's Wedding* and her Academy Award-nominated performance in *Hilary and Jackie* (1998). She is best known for her portrayals of Brenda Chenowith in the HBO series *Six Feet Under* and Sarah Walker Laurent in the ABC primetime drama *Brothers & Sisters*. Her work in film and television has earned her a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Australian Film Institute Awards.

Griffiths attended Melbourne University, where she studied philosophy, before enrolling in the drama department at Victoria School of the Arts. After completing her studies, she began working with the touring youth company Woolly Jumpers Theater Company, as well as the Melbourne Theater Company, where she appeared in numerous stage productions.

Griffiths first gained attention in 1991 when she wrote and performed in the short film *Barbie Gets Hip*, which was screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival. She later landed a few television roles before being cast as Rhonda, Toni Collette's sidekick, in P.J. Hogan's *Muriel's Wedding* (1994), for which she won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Supporting Actress. These successes helped launch her career, leading to a variety of dramatic and comedic roles in international productions. She made her American cinema debut with her second collaboration with P.J. Hogan, *My Best Friend's Wedding* (1997).

In the fall of 2001, Griffiths accepted her first major television series role, joining Alan Ball’s HBO series *Six Feet Under*. She remained with the show for its five-year run, during which it received critical acclaim. At the same time, she continued to appear in and lend her voice to film and direct-to-video projects. She later returned to television to star in *Brothers & Sisters*, which also received widespread praise.