Penny McNamee

Early and personal life

Penny McNamee was born in Sydney to Peter and Helen McNamee. She has three sisters and a younger brother, Patrick. Her younger sister Jessica McNamee is also an actress.

McNamee married Matt Tooker, Director of a marketing agency, in 2009. They have a son together.

Theatre

In 2014, McNamee played the lead role of Jerusha Abbott in John Caird and Paul Gordon's musical Daddy Long Legs. Based on the book of the same name, Daddy Long Legs played at the Florida Studio Theater from February–April.

McNamee is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Nessarose in the original Australian cast of Wicked for which she won the 2009 Green Room Award for Best Female in a Featured Role. The show opened on 12 July 2008, in Melbourne where it ran for 13 months, closing on 9 August 2009. It then transferred to Sydney from 12 September 2009. She originally starred opposite Anthony Callea runner up of Australian Idol 2004. McNamee played her final performance at the Capitol Theatre on 12 March 2010.

McNamee originated the role of Jennifer Gabriel in Cameron Mackintosh's production of The Witches of Eastwick. The show opened at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne on 15 July 2002. McNamee played opposite So You Think You Can Dance judge Matt Lee - who played the role of Michael Spofford. McNamee was nominated for a Mo Award for Best New Talent.

McNamee portrayed the role of Donna in the Australian Premier of Hurlyburly for the Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney. The show opened in May 2005. McNamee starred alongside Alex Dimitriades.

McNamee has performed in Carols in the Domain for Channel 7, Carols by Candlelight for Channel 9 and on Good Morning Australia.

Film

McNamee completed filming on John Duigan's Australian feature film Careless Love where she played the lead role of Carol. The film is currently in post production and due for release in 2012.

In 2006, McNamee starred as Melissa in the Lionsgate US feature film See No Evil alongside Rachel Taylor.

McNamee was cast in Nash Edgerton's award-winning short film Fuel, which was nominated for the Sundance Film Festival.

Television

Guest roles on various US series including Blue Bloods (CBS), Elementary (CBS) and Political Animals (USA).

in 2010, McNamee played the role of Hope in Tom Hanks' and Steven Spielberg's HBO miniseries The Pacific. McNamee and Isabel Lucas play best friends who fell in love with American soldiers during World War 2.

McNamee was cast in the supporting lead role of Ruth Crockett in the Warner Brothers miniseries Salem's Lot. McNamee starred opposite Rob Lowe and the series was aired on TNT in the USA.

In 2005, McNamee landed a regular role in the Channel 7 series headLand. McNamee played the role of Charlie Cooper.

McNamee won the role of Alice Blakely in the MTV commissioned pilot Hammer Bay. Jacki Weaver played McNamee's mother in the series.

McNamee has played various guest roles in Australian TV series including All Saints, White Collar Blue, Satisfaction and The Harringtons.

McNamee was asked to play opposite award-winning singer/songwriter Ben Lee in the video clip for his hit song "Gamble Everything For Love". Lee went on to win Best Male Artist at the ARIA Awards that year based on this album.

In November 2015, it was announced that McNamee had joined the cast of Seven Network soap opera Home and Away, as Tori Morgan, a doctor at the Northern Districts Hospital. She was introduced on 5 May 2016 during the Caravan Park explosion storyline.