Zoe Carides

Zoe Carides (born 19 February 1962) is an Australian actress whose career spans over three decades across film, television, and theatre. Born in Sydney to Greek‑Australian parents, she entered the entertainment industry in the mid‑1980s, first gaining visibility as a presenter on the ABC magazine programme Edge of the Wedge in 1986. Her breakthrough came with the 1991 cult film Death in Brunswick, where she played Sophie opposite Sam Neill, a role that cemented her reputation for delivering nuanced, emotionally resonant performances. She followed this with a celebrated turn in Brilliant Lies, earning an Australian Film Institute nomination, and later appeared in The Kiss, Police Rescue and the independent comedy Beware of Greeks Bearing Guns. Carides became a familiar face on Australian screens, delivering memorable cameo appearances in series such as All Saints, Acropolis Now, White Collar Blue, Crownies, Janet King, Rake and the internationally acclaimed Top of the Lake: China Girl. In the 1980s she also starred in a memorable State Bank of Victoria television advertisement, delivering the line “it’s your money, Ralph,” which entered the Australian lexicon. Her stage work includes a Helpmann Award‑winning performance in David Williamson’s Influence with the Sydney Theatre Company in 2005, and a notable turn as Pia Jones in the BBC‑commissioned soap Out of the Blue (2008). After turning forty, Carides set two personal artistic goals: to hold a solo exhibition of her paintings and to record an album of her own music, achievements realized with a solo painting showcase and the 2018 release of her self‑written album When I was Little. She has also directed two short films, Gifted (2005) and Not even a Mouse (2011), expanding her creative portfolio. Carides’ family ties to the industry run deep: her sister Gia Carides is also an actress, and her late brother‑in‑law was actor Anthony LaPaglia. Balancing a prolific career with motherhood, she raises one daughter while continuing to act, direct, and create music, making her a versatile and enduring figure in Australian cultural life.