Judith Lucy
Judith Lucy | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 25, 1968 Perth, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Stand-up comedy, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering |
Judith Mary Lucy (born 25 March 1968) is an Australian actress and comedian, widely recognized for her work in stand-up comedy. In 2019, she became part of the ABC program The Weekly with Charlie Pickering.
Early life
Born and raised in Perth, Lucy’s adoptive parents had migrated from Ireland during the early 1950s. She is the sibling of Australian academic and author Niall Lucy. Lucy pursued theatre studies at Curtin University before relocating to Melbourne at the age of 20.
At 25 years old, Lucy uncovered that she was adopted and subsequently established a positive relationship with her biological mother.
Live comedy
Upon moving to Melbourne, Lucy built a prominent career in stand-up comedy through numerous solo shows such as No Waiter I Ordered the Avocado (1991), King Of The Road (1995), An Impossible Dream (1996), The Show (1998), The Show 2 (1999), Colour Me Judith (2000), I'm Going to Learn How to Fly (2001), I Failed! (2006)—which drew from her brief tenure on the 2Day FM breakfast program—and Judith Lucy's Not Getting Any Younger (2009).
Her 1998 comedy album, titled King of the Road, earned a nomination for an ARIA Award. Additionally, Lucy shared the stage with Denise Scott and Lynda Gibson in the celebrated productions Comedy Is Not Pretty (1999) and its follow-up Comedy Is Still Not Pretty (2003).
In 2009, she embarked on a national tour with Judith Lucy's Not Getting Any Younger, celebrating two decades since her initial stand-up performance in 1989. The tour covered major metropolitan areas as well as regional locations across Australia.
Lucy’s 2012 show, Nothing Fancy, was performed in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, and regional New South Wales. The following year, she partnered with Denise Scott to present The Spiral, which premiered at the Melbourne Comedy Festival before touring nationally.
Her solo production, Ask No Questions of the Moth, inspired by personal hardships including the passing of her brother Niall in 2014, received the best live comedy award at the 2015 Helpmann Awards and toured Australia throughout 2016.
In 2017, Lucy reunited with Denise Scott for the show Disappointments, which toured nationally and appeared at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
In February 2019, Lucy was appointed as one of three Fringe Ambassadors for the Adelaide Fringe, where she performed her show titled Judith Lucy Vs Men.
Film and television
Lucy’s television appearances include roles on programs such as The Mick Molloy Show, Rove, Saturday Night Rove, Studio 10, The Project, and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.
She joined ABC TV’s comedy ensemble on The Late Show in 1993. Lucy co-starred alongside Mick Molloy in films directed by fellow cast member Tony Martin, including Crackerjack (2002) and Bad Eggs (2003). She also featured on the short-lived series The Mick Molloy Show.
In August 2009, Lucy took over from Dave Hughes on Rove, staying until its conclusion in November that year. In 2011, she led the ABC Television documentary series Judith Lucy's Spiritual Journey, directed by Tony Martin.
Lucy served as patron for Perth’s Revelation Film Festival in 2012 and appeared briefly in the film The Sapphires. She co-hosted ABC TV’s film review program At the Movies with critic Jason Di Rosso starting in July 2013.
Her 2015 television series, Judith Lucy Is All Woman, focused on examining women’s roles within Australian society and aired on ABC Television.
In 2019, Lucy joined the cast of The Weekly with Charlie Pickering as a "wellness expert," critiquing products emerging from the wellness market. That August, she resumed her role as a "voice of reason" on Rove McManus's new comedic venture on Network Ten, titled Saturday Night Rove, which was cancelled after only two episodes.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Character | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Thank God You’re Here | Judge (as herself) | Appeared in 1 episode |
| 2023 | Crazy Fun Park | Ms West | Featured in 7 episodes |
| 2022 | One Plus One | Herself | Guest appearance in 1 episode |
| 2019–22 | Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery | Herself | Guest role in 2 episodes |
| 2018–21 | How to Stay Married | Audrey Price | Participated in 10 episodes |
| 2021 | Only the Shit You Love | Herself | Appeared across 6 episodes |
| 2021 | Broad Radio | Herself | Podcast series, 1 episode |
| 2020 | Combat Wombat | CeCe | |
| 2015 | Judith Lucy All is Woman | Herself | Featured in 6 episodes |
| 2013 | Being Brendo | Brandi Abbott | 3 episodes appearance |
| 2012 | The Sapphires (film) | Merle | |
| 2005 | Da Kath & Kim Code | Santa's Helper | Television movie role |
| 2003 | Kath & Kim | Bettina | Single episode appearance |
| 2003 | 'Bad Eggs' | 'Julie Bale' |
Radio
Lucy regularly contributed to Mick Molloy and Tony Martin’s program Martin/Molloy from 1995 to 1998. She subsequently co-hosted several notable radio shows such as Triple J’s The Ladies Lounge alongside Helen Razer in 1997, Today Network’s Foxy Ladies with Kaz Cooke in 1998, The Friday Shout with Peter Rowsthorn in 2003, followed by The Judith Lucy Show and The Arvo, both co-hosted with Peter Helliar in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
Books
In May 2008, Lucy released her debut memoir titled The Lucy Family Alphabet, which recounts her experiences growing up with her Irish-born adoptive parents and learning about her adoption at age 25. The book delivers a witty and insightful look into her upbringing and family life.
Her follow-up publication, Drink, Smoke, Pass Out, came out in October 2012. It was well-received for its honest and compelling narrative about personal struggles, skillfully mixing humor with sincere introspection.
Albums
| Album Title | Details |
|---|---|
| King of the Road |
|
| The Lucy Family Alphabet |
|
Awards and nominations
In recognition of her considerable contributions to the performing arts as an entertainer, Lucy was honored as a Member of the Order of Australia during the 2023 King's Birthday Honours.
ARIA Music Awards
Since their inception in 1987, the ARIA Music Awards have celebrated outstanding achievements and innovation within Australian music.
! |- | 1999 | King of the Road | ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release | |-
External links
- Judith Lucy profile at Token Artists (archived)
- The Lucy Family Alphabet, Author: Judith Lucy
- Transcript from Radio Ha Ha episode featuring Judith Lucy