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Rachel Griffiths

Rachel Griffiths

Actor, also director and producer · Born December 18, 1968 (57) · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Golden Globe winner · 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards · Oscar nominee · 1 other major award body

Rachel Anne Griffiths AM (born 18 December 1968) is an Australian film and television actress. She came to prominence with the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in Hilary and Jackie (1998). She is best known for her portrayals of Brenda Chenowith in the HBO series Six Feet Under and Sarah Walker Laurent on the ABC primetime drama Brothers & Sisters. Her work in film and television has earned her a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and three Australian Film Institute Awards. Griffith attended Melbourne University, studying philosophy, before attending the drama department at Victoria School of the Art.  After college, she began working with the touring youth company Woolly Jumpers Theater Company, as well as the Melbourne Theater Company, where she appeared in numerous dramas.   Griffiths made a name for herself in 1991 when she wrote and performed in the short film "Barbie Gets Hip,” which was screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival. She landed a few TV spots before she was cast as Rhonda, Toni Collette's sidekick in P.J. Hogan's "Muriel's Wedding" (1994), winning her an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Supporting Actress. These successes jump-started her career, landing her numerous dramatic and comedic roles in overseas productions, before making her American cinema debut with her second P.J. Hogan collaboration, "My Best Friend's Wedding” (1997). In the fall of 2001, Griffiths accepted her first major television series role and came aboard Alan Ball’s HBO series "Six Feet Under."  Griffith stayed with the show during its five years of critical acclaim, while at the same time, continued to appear an lend her voice to screen and direct-to-video features before returning to telvision to star in "Brothers and Sisters" to much similar acclaim. 

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 18, 1968 (57)
From
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Works as
Actor, also director and producer
Titles
48 on MovieCove · 72 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

What are Rachel Griffiths' films like?

Across their 43 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
25%
Self
23%
Society
13%
Power
12%
Morality
12%
Survival
11%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 13 · Serious 11 · Dark 12

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 21 · Stylized 13 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 9 · Charged 17 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 14 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 7

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 13 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 18 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 17 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 11 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 11

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 25 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

26 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 7 of 26 analyzed roles.

Ally
7 of 26
Hero
6 of 26
Shadow
3 of 26
Shapeshifter
3 of 26
Threshold guardian
3 of 26
Mentor
3 of 26
Herald
1 of 26
Show the 26 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
25
Melancholic
22
Warm
11
Bittersweet
11
Hopeful
10
Other
42

How their films linger

Hopeful20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet26
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Rachel Griffiths' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 29 of their 48 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Rachel Griffiths' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

72 credits, 48 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • When The War Is Over (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 5 episodes · Executive Producer · as Self - Presenter

  • The Idea Of Australia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show Creator

  • Madam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 10 episodes · as Mack Leigh

  • Anyone But You(2023)

    as Innie

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Savage Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Doctor Gabrielle

  • Bring Him to Me(2023)

    as Veronica

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Bali 2002(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Fiona Wood

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Great Southern Landscapes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · Executive Producer · as Self - Presenter

  • The King's Daughter(2022)

    as Abbess

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Finding the Archibald (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · Executive Producer · as Self - Presenter

  • Aftertaste(2021)

    Show 12 episodes · Executive Producer · as Margot

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • The Wilds(2020)

    Show 18 episodes · as Gretchen Klein

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Strangers to the World(2020)

    as Etty Hillesum

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Total Control(2019)

    Show 18 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · as Rachel Anderson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Ride Like a Girl(2019)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Dead Lucky(2018)

    Show 4 episodes · as Grace Gibbs

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Don't Tell(2017)

    as Joy Conolly

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • When We Rise(2017)

    Show 4 episodes · as Diane Jones

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Hacksaw Ridge(2016)

    as Bertha Doss

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Barracuda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 4 episodes · as Samantha Taylor

  • Mammal(2016)

    as Margaret Brady

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Osiris Child(2016)

    as General Lynex

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Deadline Gallipoli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lady Hamilton

  • Saving Mr. Banks(2013)

    as Aunt Ellie

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Nowhere Boys(2013)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Patrick: Evil Awakens(2013)

    as Matron Cassidy

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Camp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 10 episodes · as Mackenzie 'Mack' Granger

  • Butterflies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Claire

  • Paper Giants: Magazine Wars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dulcie Boling

  • Underground: The Julian Assange Story(2012)

    as Christine Assange

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • House Husbands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 7 episodes · as Belle

  • Burning Man(2011)

    as Miriam

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Beautiful Kate(2009)

    as Sally Kendall

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Comanche Moon(2008)

    Show 3 episodes · as Inez Scull

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Brothers & Sisters(2006)

    Show 109 episodes · as Sarah Walker

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Step Up(2006)

    as Director Gordon

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Angel(2005)

    as Nicole

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • DeKronos - Il Demone del Tempo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Plainsong(2004)

    as Maggie Jonas

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina(2002)

    as Albertine (voice)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • After the Deluge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Annie

  • After the Deluge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2 episodes · as Annie

  • Ned Kelly(2003)

    as Susan Scott

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Land of the Morning Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Roundabout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • The Hard Word(2002)

    as Carol

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Kath & Kim(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Rachel Griffiths

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Rookie(2002)

    as Lorri Morris

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Six Feet Under(2001)

    Show 63 episodes · as Brenda Chenowith

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Very Annie Mary(2001)

    as Annie Mary Pugh

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Blow(2001)

    as Ermine Jung

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Blow Dry(2001)

    as Sandra

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Me Myself I(1999)

    as Pamela Drury

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Hilary and Jackie(1998)

    as Hilary du Pré

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Divorcing Jack(1998)

    as Lee Cooper

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Tanya Rammus

  • Welcome to Woop Woop(1997)

    as Sylvia

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Tulip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Writer

  • Among Giants(1998)

    as Gerry

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Since You've Been Gone(1998)

    as Sally Zalinsky

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • My Son the Fanatic(1997)

    as Bettina / Sandra

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • My Best Friend's Wedding(1997)

    as Samantha Newhouse

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Children of the Revolution(1996)

    as Constable Anna Welch

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • To Have and to Hold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Kate

  • Once a Thief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cosi(1996)

    as Lucy

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Jude(1996)

    as Arabella

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Muriel's Wedding(1994)

    as Rhonda Epinstalk

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Feds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Angelia Braglia

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Police Rescue(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Shelley

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Maggie Jonas

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 72 titles from 1951 to 2025; peak year 2002.

Biggest box office

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

$299M worldwide

Highest rated

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Six Feet Under (2001)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19512025

Peak 2002 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 11 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 1 more milestone

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting63 of 72: 61 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thDirecting5 of 72: 4 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting1 of 72: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing5 of 72: 3 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew2 of 72: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

72 titles, 3 with more than one role.

By decade

1950s1 · acting1990s19 · 18 acting · 1 crew2000s20 · 18 acting · 2 crew2010s19 · 17 acting · 3 crew2020s13 · 9 acting · 5 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 11% of 27 roles
94990414

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Golden Globe and 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards from 15 major nominations, 1999–2009.

WinNomination
  1. 2009
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
  2. 2008
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
  3. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
  4. 2006
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  5. 2005
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  6. 2004
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  7. 2003
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  8. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Show 1 earlier year
  1. 1999
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Rachel Griffiths' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 36; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 48 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

27 of their 48 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser27
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Strangers to the World (2020)

92nd percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 33 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 53. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Rachel Griffiths' work okay for kids?

Across up to 19 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles7–91 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity19 titles18–67 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles17–83 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles27–82 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles8–85 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Rachel Griffiths work with?

People who share at least 2 of Rachel Griffiths' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Sam Neill shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles