Sarah Snook
Australian actress

Sarah Snook

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Australian actress
Gender:
Female
Places:
Birth:
1987(Adelaide, South Australia, Australia)
Education:
National Institute of Dramatic Art
St John's Grammar School
Family:
Spouse(s):
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The details
Biography

Introduction

Sarah Ruth Snook (born 1 December 1987) is an Australian actress. She is known for her starring role as Shiv Roy in the HBO drama series Succession (2018–2023), for which she won two Golden Globe Awards and earned nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards.

Snook won two AACTA Awards for her leading roles in the films Sisters of War (2010) and Predestination (2014). She also appeared in the films Not Suitable for Children (2012), These Final Hours (2013), Jessabelle (2014), The Dressmaker (2015), Steve Jobs (2015), The Glass Castle (2017), An American Pickle (2020), Pieces of a Woman (2020), Run Rabbit Run (2023), and The Beanie Bubble (2023).

Early life

Sarah Ruth Snook was born on 1 December 1987 in Adelaide, South Australia, and grew up in the suburb of Eden Hills. She has two older sisters. Her father, a swimming-pool salesman, and her mother, an aged care provider, divorced when she was young. She attended St John's Grammar School in Belair and won a drama scholarship to Scotch College in Torrens Park. Her first paying job was as a fairy at children's birthday parties.

In 2008, she graduated from Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art.

Career

Sarah Snook
Snook at the premiere of The Sapphires in 2012

While at NIDA, Snook performed in stage productions of Macbeth and Gallipoli. She subsequently appeared in King Lear with the State Theatre Company of South Australia in 2009. She garnered further success with roles in a string of Australian films, including Sisters of War (2010), Not Suitable for Children (2012), These Final Hours (2013), and Predestination (2014). Snook won two AACTA Awards for her performances in Sisters of War and Predestination. She also earned recognition for starring in the supernatural horror film Jessabelle (2014). Snook then portrayed Andrea Cunningham in Danny Boyle's biopic Steve Jobs (2015), starring Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet. That same year, she acted in Jocelyn Moorhouse's period drama The Dressmaker, also starring Winslet and Judy Davis, for which she was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She appeared in the biopic The Glass Castle (2017), starring Brie Larson and based on the 2005 novel of the same name.

In 2016, Snook appeared in an episode of the Netflix science fiction anthology series Black Mirror, titled "Men Against Fire", alongside Malachi Kirby, Madeline Brewer, and Michael Kelly. Also that year, she made her West End debut playing the role of Hilde Wangel in a revival of Henrik Ibsen's play The Master Builder opposite Ralph Fiennes at the Old Vic. Paul Taylor from The Independent hailed Snook's performance writing, "Sarah Snook, the young Australian star, is a disarmingly direct, deep-voiced and uninhibited as Hilde in an assured [and] striking performance". Snook returned to the stage in 2018, where she portrayed Joan of Arc in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan. Her performance was hailed by John Sand of the Sydney Morning Herald, who described her performance as "beyond riveting" and that "Snook catches the untamed bravado of a teenager fired with passion".

Sarah Snook
Snook at the AACTA Awards in 2012

From 2018 to 2023, Snook gained prominence for her lead role as Siobhan "Shiv" Roy in the HBO drama series Succession. The role earned her widespread critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, both in 2022, as well as two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

In 2020, Snook appeared in the comedy film An American Pickle, opposite Seth Rogen, and in Kornél Mundruczó's marital drama film Pieces of a Woman. In December 2021, she replaced Elisabeth Moss as the lead in the horror-thriller film Run Rabbit Run, directed by Daina Reid. In January 2022, Snook was cast alongside Zach Galifianakis and Elizabeth Banks in the comedy drama film The Beanie Bubble, which was co-directed by Kristin Gore and Damian Kulash. In 2022, Snook narrated the Netflix documentary film Kangaroo Valley.

In 2023, it was announced that Snook would be returning to the West End portraying all 26 roles in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in January 2024.

Personal life

In 2020, Snook began dating Australian comedian Dave Lawson. They married in 2021, in the backyard of Snook's Brooklyn home. Snook gave birth to a daughter in May 2023.

Filmography

Key
Denotes projects that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2010 Crystal Jam Crystal Short film
2011 The Best Man Isla Short film
Sleeping Beauty Flatmate
2012 Not Suitable for Children Stevie
2013 These Final Hours Mandy's Mother
2014 Predestination Jane / John
Jessabelle Jessie Laurent
2015 The Dressmaker Gertrude "Trudy" Pratt
Oddball Emily Marsh
Holding the Man Pepe Trevor
Steve Jobs Andrea "Andy" Cunningham
2017 The Glass Castle Lori Walls
2018 Winchester Marian Marriott
Brothers' Nest Sandy
2020 An American Pickle Sarah Greenbaum
Pieces of a Woman Suzanne
2023 Run Rabbit Run Sarah Also executive producer
The Beanie Bubble Sheila Warner

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009 All Saints Sophie Episode: "Curve Balls"
2010 Sisters of War Lorna Whyte Television film
2011 Packed to the Rafters Jodi Webb 2 episodes
Blood Brothers Debbie Franklin Television film
My Place Minna Muller Episode: "Henry 1878"
Spirited Antonia 10 episodes
2013 Redfern Now Officer Sarah Donaldson Episode: "Dogs of War"
2014 The Moodys Louise Episode: "Happy Anniversary Kevin & Maree"
2015 The Secret River Sal Thornhill Main role; 2 episodes
The Beautiful Lie Anna Main role; 6 episodes
2016 Black Mirror Medina Episode: "Men Against Fire"
2018–2023 Succession Siobhan "Shiv" Roy Main role; 39 episodes
2019 Robot Chicken Rose the Horse / Midge (voices) Episode: "Snoopy Camino Lindo in: Quick and Dirty Squirrel Shot"
2020 Soulmates Nikki Episode: "Watershed"
2023 Koala Man Vicky (voice) Main role; 8 episodes

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue Ref.
2009 King Lear Cordelia State Theatre Company of South Australia
2016 The Master Builder Hilde Wangel Old Vic, West End
2018 Saint Joan Joan of Arc Sydney Theatre Company, Australia
2024 The Picture of Dorian Gray Performer Theatre Royal Haymarket, West End

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2014 AACTA Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Predestination Won
AFCA Awards Best Actress Nominated
FCCA Awards Best Actress Won
2017 New Renaissance Film Festival Best International Actress The Ravens Won
2019 Satellite Awards Best Ensemble: Television Succession Won
2020 Critics' Choice Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2022 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Won
AACTA International Awards Best Actress in a Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Won
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Critics' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Won
Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Drama/Genre Series Won
Best Ensemble: Television Won
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2023 Dorian TV Awards Best TV Performance — Drama Won
Television Critics Association Awards Individual Achievement in Drama Nominated
Astra TV Awards Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama Pending
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Pending
2024 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Television Series Drama Won
Critics' Choice Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series Pending
AACTA Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Run Rabbit Run Pending
AACTA International Awards Best Actress in a Series Succession Pending
Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Drama/Genre Series Pending
Best Ensemble: Television Won