Ruby Rees (born Ruby Rees-Wemyss in 1995)[1] is an Australian actress, director and writer. She is best known for playing “Edith” a main character in Picnic at Hanging Rock, in 2018, alongside Natalie Dormer and Samara Weaving.

Education edit

Rees attended De La Salle College, Malvern[2] before furthering her acting education first at the Larry Moss Masterclass at the 16th Street Actors Studio in Melbourne, Australia[3] then as a full-time student at HB Studio in New York City.[3][1]

Career edit

Rees first appeared on screen as a baby in the 1996 Australian movie River Street (film).[citation needed] From 2010, Rees starred in a number of short films Warhead, Once, A Frigid Night, Bracelet , Good Boy, Harvey and The Hunt, as well as appearing on television in The Saddle Club in 2008 and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries in 2012.[3] Rees starred as “Edith” a main character in Foxtel's Picnic at Hanging Rock, in 2018, alongside Natalie Dormer and Samara Weaving.[4]

In 2020, Rees performed for Bolinda an unabridged narration of Anthea Bell's English translation of Erich Kästner's 1949 German children's novel The Parent Trap,[5] the basis for Disney's 1961 film adaptation of the same name starring Hayley Mills and its 1998 remake starring Lindsay Lohan.

Writing and Directing edit

Rees has written and directed the award-winning play Serpents,[3] which was performed at the St Michael's theatre, Melbourne, Australia in 2010. Rees directed the play Neighbourhood Watch, directed and screenwrote the short film Alien about a young girl, dealing with racism, which was shortlisted for the Tropfest short film festival, Australia, in 2014.[6]

In 2014, she moved to New York City, where she continued to write and direct plays with The Manhattan Repertory Theatre, her play “Kaston” debuting there in 2015.[3] wrote the play Bad religion in 2016, and wrote and starred in the short film “Harvey.[3]

In 2022, she directed her sister Eva Rees in the latter’s stage writing debut, “he/r (or, remember tomorrow when everything was ok)”, A Fairly Lucid Production, which was staged at Fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne.[7]

Filmography edit

Year Title Role
1996 River Street (film) Baby
2010 Warhead (Short) Joe
2011 Once (Short) Self-Consciousness
2012 Bracelet (Short) Danielle
2012 A Frigid Night (Short) Amy
2013 Good Boy (Short) Sophia
2014 Alien (Short) Writer and director
2018 The Hunt (Short) [8] Rose
2018 Harvey (Short) Revengeful little girl

Television edit

Year Title Role
2008 The Saddle Club Lily (1 episode)
2012-2013 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Jane (8 episodes) [9]
2018 Picnic at Hanging Rock Edith (6 episodes) [4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Performance Lab – Design for Living". hbstudio.org. 15 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Ruby Rees Wemyss". facebook.com. 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Theatrical Resume". cpmgt.com.au. 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Picnic at Hanging Rock - Ruby Rees (Edith Horton)". bbc.co.uk. 2018.
  5. ^ Kästner, Erich (1 December 2020). "The Parent Trap". Bolinda.
  6. ^ "Alien - Short Film". mezzaninefilms.com.au. 2017.
  7. ^ "her (or, remember tomorrow when everything was ok)". fortyfivedownstairs.com. 2021.
  8. ^ "Projects coming 2018". hollyhargreaves.net. 2018.
  9. ^ "Who says crime doesn't pay? Jane - Ruby Rees". abc.net.au. 2018.

External links edit