Holly Shanahan

Holly Shanahan
Born (1981-11-23) 23 November 1981 (age 43)
New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present

Holly Shanahan (born 23 November 1981) is a New Zealand actress. She is best known for playing Leelee in Power Rangers Mystic Force and Camille in Power Rangers Jungle Fury.

Early life and career

Shanahan grew up in the Taranaki village of Lepperton and attended New Plymouth Girls' High School.[1] She participated in the Sheilah Winn Festival of Shakespeare in Schools, and the New Zealand Schools Shakespeare Production, and from that she was selected to go to the Globe in London as part of the Young Shakespeare Company in 2000.[1] She studied theatre at Victoria University of Wellington.[2]

Shanahan is known for her roles in two entries of the Power Rangers franchise: Power Rangers Mystic Force and Power Rangers Jungle Fury. She also made appearances in television shows The Insiders Guide to Happiness, and Outrageous Fortune.[3] In 2008, she starred in the film, Second Hand Wedding alongside Patrick Wilson, Ryan O'Kane, and Geraldine Brophy.[4] She won a best supporting actress Qantas Film and Television Award for her work in the film.[5][6] In 2011, she played Detective Constable Caroline Derwent in the mini-series, Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud, which was based on the criminal career of New Zealand drug trafficker Marty Johnstone.[3][7]

In 2013, Shanahan settled in New Plymouth, where she began working with young performers.[8] She relaunched the West Coast Youth Theatre in 2014 as a way to help young actors enter the arts.[9] She has since continued to appear in TV series and TV movies, and in 2019 she ran Shakespearian acting workshops for drama students.[10]

Shanahan has also appeared on Australian television, with guest appearances in The Doctor Blake Mysteries and Wanted.

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Wanted Car Rental Agent Cameo Cast Member
2014 CNT Live! Miriam Moonstone-Jones Cameo Cast Member
2013 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Eadie McIntyre Cameo Cast Member
2011 Underbelly NZ: Land Of The Long Green Cloud Detective Constable Caroline Derwent Main Cast Member (6 Episodes)
2008 Power Rangers Jungle Fury Camille 32 episodes
2007 Welcome to Paradise[11] Lucy
2006 Outrageous Fortune Jools Episode: 2.04, "This Two-Fold Force"
Episode: 2.06, "The Affliction of His Love"
Episode: 2.10, "The Indifferent Children of the Earth"
Episode: 2.11, "Get Thee to Bed"
Episode: 2.13, "An Old Man Is Twice a Child"
Episode: 2.14, "Fathers, Mothers, Daughters, Sons"
Power Rangers Mystic Force Leelee Pimvare
2004 The Insider's Guide To Happiness Bride Episode: 1.01, "Is Happiness an Accident?"

Films

Year Title Role Notes
2015 True Crime: Venus and Mars Sandra Garner TV movie
2015 True Crime: How to Murder Your Wife Tracey Lee TV movie
2008 Second Hand Wedding Cheryl Rose Won – Qantas a Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
2007 The Last Great Snail Chase Katie
2024 The Rule of Jenny Pen Madeline Shepard

References

  1. ^ a b "Holly Shanahan (SGCNZ NSSP 1999, SGCNZ YSC 2000) :: Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ". www.sgcnz.org.nz. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  2. ^ Utiger, Taryn (9 June 2013). "Actor follows her dream". Taranaki Daily News. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  3. ^ a b Hurley, Bevan (9 April 2011). "Underbelly to tell story of Mr Asia drug heyday in NZ". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  4. ^ Fergusson, Rachael (25 May 2008). "Second Hand Wedding star puts garage sale trauma behind her". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  5. ^ Drinnan, John (16 September 2008). "'Outrageous' tops N. Zealand Awards". Variety. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Qantas Film and Television Awards". The Big Idea. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Underbelly NZ: Back in the high life". The New Zealand Herald. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  8. ^ Batten, Yvette (14 September 2016). "Youth Shine in New Stage Production". North Taranaki Midweek.
  9. ^ Batten, Yvette (22 April 2016). "Holly Shanahan starts West Coast Youth Theatre for young performers". Taranaki Daily News. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  10. ^ Smith, Alyssa (3 April 2019). "Stratford students to take part in Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Welcome to Paradise: what went wrong?". Sunday Star Times. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2020.