Claudia Black | |
|---|---|
_cropped.jpg) Black in 2013 | |
| Born | Claudia Lee Black (1972-10-11)11 October 1972 (age 53) Sydney, Australia |
| Citizenship |
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | claudiablackconsulting |
Claudia Lee Black[1] (born 11 October 1972[2]) is an Australian and American actress. She is best known for her portrayals ofAeryn Sun inFarscape (1999–2003),Vala Mal Doran inStargate SG-1 (2004–2007) and Sharon "Shazza" Montgomery in the filmPitch Black (2000).
Black has appeared in numerous television series, particularly those in the science fiction genre. Her roles include Dahlia inThe Originals (2015), Dr. Sabine Lommers inContainment (2016), and Klothow inAhsoka (2023). She has also had prominent voice roles in video games, including Admiral Daro'Xen and Matriarch Aethyta inMass Effect,Chloe Frazer inUncharted,Morrigan inDragon Age, Whitney Chang inThe Amazing Spider-Man, Tess Everis inDestiny, and Samantha Byrne in theGears of War series.[3]
Black was born and raised inSydney,New South Wales.[4] Her father Jules Black is a gynaecologist, and her mother Judy Black (née Henry) is a professor of pharmacology at theUniversity of Sydney.[5] She has an older sister named Georgina.[6] Black is Jewish, and a descendant ofGerman Jews who escaped theHolocaust.[7] She studied at the AnglicanKambala School in Sydney.[1] She has lived in numerous countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.[1]
Black began her acting career in her native Australia. Her first leading role was as Claire Bonacci inA Country Practice. She had a main role in the New Zealand soap operaCity Life, playing the Greek lawyer Angela Kostapas.[1]
In 1999, Black was cast to play Aeryn Sun in the science fiction seriesFarscape, a co-production between the United States and Australia.[8] She gained international recognition for her role in the series, and was nominated for aSaturn Award in the Best Actress category in 2001, 2002 and 2005, winning in the latter. During this time she also appeared in the feature filmsPitch Black andQueen of the Damned.
Despite being planned to run for five seasons,Farscape was cancelled after its fourth season in 2003.[9] Black later reprised her role as Aeryn in the miniseriesFarscape: The Peacekeeper Wars in 2004, which concluded the series' plot. In the same year she appeared asVala Mal Doran in theStargate SG-1 episode "Prometheus Unbound".[10] Her performance was well received and she was invited to reprise her role in a recurring capacity in the show's ninth season, after series regularAmanda Tapping left the series on maternity leave. Black appeared in eight episodes of the ninth season and returned to the series as a regular cast member for the tenth and final season. She also starred inStargate: The Ark of Truth andStargate: Continuum, two direct-to-video films that wrapped up the series' story lines.
In theNBC TV showLife (2007), Black was cast in the supporting role of Jennifer Conover for theinitial pilot.[11] Due to her second pregnancy, the part was recast and the role was given to actressJennifer Siebel when the series was bought by the TV network.
Black has appeared in numerous television series in the United States, including recurring roles inThe Originals andThe Nevers. In 2016, she played the major role of Dr. Sabine Lommers in theCW miniseriesContainment.[12] In 2023, she portrayed the character Klothow in thefirst season of theStar Wars seriesAhsoka. In 2025, she stated that she would not reprise her role in thesecond season.[13] She is currently starring as Cossutia in theStarz seriesSpartacus: House of Ashur.[14] Black's film roles include Joan in the thriller filmTime Now and Karla Grey in the science fiction filmDeus, which she also produced.[15]
Black has also performed in theatre. She playedPortia in a tour ofThe Merchant of Venice.[1] She has had parts inSpotlight on Women,The Picture of Dorian Gray,Loose Ends andPick Ups for theBelvoir Street Theatre andLittle Women andThe World Knot for the Bicentennial Opera.[1]
Since the early 2000s Black has been a prolific voice actress in video games. She has gained particular attention for her work withBioWare'sDragon Age andMass Effect series. Her son Odin Thurkettle voiced her character's son inDragon Age: Inquisition. She also played Chloe Frazer in theUncharted series.[16] In 2016, she appeared inCall of Duty: Infinite Warfare as Engineer Audrey "Mac" MaCallum.[17] She has narrated several audiobooks, includingGeorge R. R. Martin'sDreamsongs.[18] In 2014, she had a voice-over role inRick and Morty as Ma-Sha in the episode "Raising Gazorpazorp".[19] She lent her voice to the character of Sheryl Goodspeed in the animated seriesFinal Space.
Black married her husband, Jamie Thurkettle, in 2004. They have two sons, Odin and Viggo, born in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Black and Thurkettle divorced in 2016.[20] Black currently resides in the United States and is an American citizen.[21] She lives inLos Angeles.[22]
Black has spoken at length about her experiences with personal trauma, which inspired her to become a trauma coach.[23] Although raised Jewish, she has fallen out of touch with the religion and identifies as a lapsed Jew.[24]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Pitch Black | Sharon "Shazza" Montgomery | |
| 2002 | Queen of the Damned | Pandora | |
| 2007 | Stolen Life | Kieru (voice) | |
| 2008 | Stargate: The Ark of Truth | Vala Mal Doran | Direct-to-video |
| 2008 | WarGames: The Dead Code | R.I.P.L.E.Y. (voice) | |
| 2008 | Stargate: Continuum | Vala Mal Doran / Qetesh | |
| 2011 | Rango | Angelique (voice) | |
| 2012 | Justice League: Doom | Cheetah (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | Strange Frame | Parker C. Boyd (voice) | |
| 2012 | The Alchemist Agenda | Ariel (voice) | |
| 2013 | Rain from Stars | Donna | |
| 2021 | Time Now | Aunt Joan | |
| 2022 | Deus | Karla Grey |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Home and Away | Sandra | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Seven Deadly Sins | Extra | Miniseries |
| 1993 | G.P. | Joanna | Episode: "A Thousand Flowers" |
| 1993 | Police Rescue | Julia | Episode: "Double Illusion" |
| 1993–1994 | A Country Practice | Claire Bonacci | 34 episodes |
| 1996–98 | City Life | Angela Kostapas | Main role; 26 episodes |
| 1997 | Amazon High | Karina | Television film |
| 1997 | Water Rats | Beth Williams | Episode: "All at Sea" |
| 1997–98 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Cassandra | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Good Guys, Bad Guys | Jill Mayhew | Episode: "Naughty Bits" |
| 1999 | A Twist in the Tale | Morgana | Episode: "Obsession in August" |
| 1999–2003 | Farscape | Aeryn Sun | Main role; 88 episodes |
| 2000 | Xena: Warrior Princess | Karina | Episode: "Lifeblood" |
| 2001 | BeastMaster | Huna | Episode: "Wild Child" |
| 2002 | Steel Angel Kurumi | Steel Angel Mikhail (voice) | English dub[25] |
| 2004 | Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars | Aeryn Sun | Miniseries |
| 2004–07 | Stargate SG-1 | Vala Mal Doran | Main role; 29 episodes |
| 2007 | The Dresden Files | Liz Fontaine | Episode: "The Other Dick" |
| 2008 | Moonlight | The Cleaner | Episode: "Sonata" |
| 2010 | NCIS | Velvet Road | Episode: "Borderland" |
| 2011 | 90210 | Guru Sona | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | Haven | Moira | Episode: "Magic Hour" Part 1 & 2 |
| 2014–present | Rick and Morty | Mar-Sha, Ventriloquiver (voices) | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | The Originals | Dahlia | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | Containment | Sabine Lommers | Main role; 13 episodes |
| 2019–20 | Roswell, New Mexico | Ann Evans | 5 episodes |
| 2019–21 | Final Space | Sheryl Goodspeed (voice) | 26 episodes |
| 2021–22 | The Nevers | Stripe | 4 episodes |
| 2023 | Ahsoka | Klothow | 3 episodes |
| 2025 | Spartacus: House of Ashur | Cossutia | Main role |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Farscape: The Game | Aeryn Sun | |
| 2003 | Lords of EverQuest | Lady Briana | |
| 2005 | God of War | Artemis | |
| 2005 | Neopets: The Darkest Faerie | Fauna | |
| 2006 | Project Sylpheed | Narrator[26] | |
| 2007 | Conan | A'Kanna | |
| 2007 | Crysis | Helena | |
| 2009 | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | Chloe Frazer | |
| 2009 | Dragon Age: Origins | Morrigan | |
| 2010 | Mass Effect 2 | Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, Matriarch Aethyta, Rachni Envoy | |
| 2010 | Final Fantasy XIV | Narrator | |
| 2011 | TERA: The Exiled Realm of Arborea | Elf Commander Fraya | |
| 2011 | Gears of War 3 | Samantha Byrne | |
| 2011 | Rage | Mel, Sally | |
| 2011 | Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception | Chloe Frazer | |
| 2012 | Mass Effect 3 | Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, Matriarch Aethyta | |
| 2012 | Diablo III | Cydaea, Mistress of Pain | |
| 2012 | The Amazing Spider-Man | Whitney Chang | |
| 2014 | Diablo III: Reaper of Souls | Cydaea, Mistress of Pain | |
| 2014 | Destiny | Tess Everis | |
| 2014 | Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor | Queen Marwen | |
| 2014 | Dragon Age: Inquisition | Morrigan | |
| 2016 | Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | Chloe Frazer | Multiplayer only |
| 2016 | Gears of War 4 | Samantha Byrne | |
| 2016 | World of Final Fantasy | Leviathan | |
| 2016 | Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Audrey "Mac" MaCullum | |
| 2017 | Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | Chloe Frazer | |
| 2017 | Destiny 2 | Tess Everis | |
| 2017 | Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus | Jessica "Silent Death" Valiant | The Diaries of Agent Silent Death DLC |
| 2018 | Killing Floor 2 | Mrs Foster | Mrs Foster Content Pack DLC |
| 2023 | Forspoken | Tanta Olas | |
| 2024 | Dragon Age: The Veilguard | Morrigan |
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