Toni Collette

Actress and singer, Toni Collette is a highly successful artist known for her critically praised, character-driven performances in such films as Muriel's Wedding, The Sixth Sense and Little Miss Sunshine. Born in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia in 1972, Collette became interested in performing at a young age and after high school attended the Australian Theatre for Young People and the prestigious National Institute for the Dramatic Arts (NIDA). She began working professionally in the early '90s and got her first big break in director P.J. Hogan's 1994 film Muriel's Wedding, for which Collette earned a Golden Globe nomination and won the Australian Film Institute award for Best Actress in a Lead Role. Since that time, she has continued to work regularly, appearing in such films as 1996's Emma, 1999's The Sixth Sense, 2002's About a Boy, 2005's In Her Shoes, and 2006's Little Miss Sunshine, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy. Also a longtime singer, Collette has appeared on Broadway in the musical The Wild Party, as well as a cabaret performer in the 2004 film Connie and Carla. In 2006, she released her first album Beautiful Awkward Pictures, for which she toured with her band Toni Collette & the Finish which also features her husband, drummer Dave Galafassi. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide