Caren Pistorius
Birth date30 September 1990 (age 36)
Birth placeRustenburg, Transvaal, South Africa
OccupationActress
Years active2009–present

Caren Pistorius (born 30 September 1990) is a New Zealand actress. She is known for her performance in the 2015 film Slow West.[1][2]

Early life

Pistorius was born in Rustenburg, South Africa. Her family moved to Auckland, New Zealand, when she was 12. She took drama classes at school.[3] She studied at the Auckland University of Technology.[4]

Acting career

Pistorius began her professional acting career at the age of 19, when she made her television debut in the American television series Legend of the Seeker in the episode "Confession”, playing Luna.[5][6] Pistorius played the role of Chloe in the romantic drama film The Most Fun You Can Have Dying, directed by Kirstin Marcon, which was released on 26 April 2012.[7][8] The same year, Pistorius appeared as Amy in the comedy series Hounds.[9][10]

In 2013, Pistorius appeared as Rose Harper in the crime drama series The Blue Rose. The same year, she was cast in the miniseries Paper Giants: Magazine Wars, playing Beth Ridgeway, as well as the comedy-drama series Offspring, where she played the supporting role of Eloise Ward.[11]

In 2015, Pistorius co-starred with Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn in the Revisionist Western film Slow West, where she played the role of Rose Ross. It premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2015 and was first released on 15 May 2015 in the United States, with a simultaneous release on video on demand.[12][13]

In 2016, Pistorius was cast in the romantic drama film The Light Between Oceans, in which she played the character Lucy Grace Rutherford / Adult Lucy Grace.[14][15] The same year, Pistorius played the role of Laura Tyler in the biographical film Denial.

Pistorius then played Lorraine Cassidy in the 2017 Australian post-apocalyptic horror drama film Cargo. The same year, she was cast in the miniseries Wake in Fright, as Janette Hynes.[16]

In 2018, Pistorius was cast to play the role of Anne in the comedy-drama film Gloria Bell, also starring Julianne Moore.[17] The same year, she appeared in the post-apocalyptic steampunk film Mortal Engines.[18][19]

In early 2020, Pistorius was cast to play the role of Claire in the film High Ground, which premiered at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on 23 February 2020, with the Australian premiere at the Brisbane International Film Festival later that year, and theatrical release in Australia on 28 January 2021.[20][21] Also that year, Pistorius starred with Russell Crowe, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson and Austin P. McKenzie in the action thriller film Unhinged, where she played the role of Rachel Flynn.[22][23][24]

Pistorius was cast in the psychological thriller film The Marsh King's Daughter, where she played the role of Beth, the mother of Helena Pelletier, which was released in the United States on November 3, 2023, by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.[25][26][27]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012The Most Fun You Can Have DyingChloe
2015Slow WestRose Ross
2016The Light Between OceansAdult Lucy-Grace
DenialLaura Tyler
2017CargoLorraine
2018Gloria BellAnne
Mortal EnginesPandora Shaw
2020High GroundClaire
UnhingedRachel Flynn
2023The Marsh King's DaughterBeth

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009Legend of the SeekerLunaEpisode: "Confession”
2012HoundsAmy6 episodes
2013The Blue RoseRose Harper8 episodes
2013Paper Giants: Magazine WarsBeth Ridgeway2 episodes
2013OffspringEloise Ward13 episodes
2013Redfern NowJanine MylesEpisode: “Babe in Arms"
2017Wake in FrightJanette Hynes2 episodes

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2014Equity Ensemble AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Mini-series or TelemoviePaper Giants: Magazine Wars
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama SeriesOffspring
Redfern Now
Logie AwardsMost Popular New TalentOffspring
Most Outstanding New TalentPaper Giants: Magazine Wars
2017Best ActressBest ActressSlow West

References

  1. ^ Lesley Coffin (22 May 2015). "The Mary Sue Interview: New Zealand Actress Caren Pistorius". The Mary Sue. Archived 10 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  2. ^ Chandra, Jessica (2013-06-20). "Who's That Girl? Get to Know Offspring and Magazine Wars Star Caren Pistorius". POPSUGAR Celebrity Australia. Archived 10 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  3. ^ "Kiwi Caren Pistorius' Hollywood coup". Now to Love. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  4. ^ Jenny Hendrix (June 2015). "How Caren Pistorius Won the West". Interview Magazine. Archived 14 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  5. ^ "Confession - Legend of the Seeker (Season 1, Episode 11)". 31 January 2009. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  6. ^ "Legend of the Seeker/Confession". The TV IV. 2022-04-22. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  7. ^ "The Most Fun You Can Have Dying". The Most Fun You Can Have Dying. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  8. ^ "The Most Fun You Can Have Dying review". 3 News. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  9. ^ Philpott, Chris (20 December 2012). "The Best TV of 2012". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  10. ^ Philpott, Chris (18 June 2012). "Is Hounds The Best Kiwi Comedy Ever?". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  11. ^ "The Blue Rose/This Night Has Opened My Eyes". The TV IV. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  12. ^ "Slow West". New Zealand Film Commission. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  13. ^ "Michael Fassbender Saddles Up In First Trailer For Slow West". TheFilmStage.com. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  14. ^ "The Light Between Oceans (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  15. ^ Frosch, Jon (August 30, 2016). "'The Light Between Oceans': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  16. ^ Giroux, Jack (24 September 2016). "'Cargo' First Look: Martin Freeman Stars in the Zombie-Infested Drama". /Film. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  17. ^ "Gloria Bell". Stage6. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  18. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 16, 2018). "'Spider-Verse' Raises $35M+ As 'The Mule' Kicks Up $17M+ In Pre-Christmas Period, But 'Mortal Engines' Breaks Down With $7M+". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  19. ^ McCarthy, Todd (December 5, 2018). "'Mortal Engines': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  20. ^ Gumurdul, Julie Narndal; Rademaker, Laura; May, Sally K. (9 February 2021). "How historically accurate is the film High Ground? The violence it depicts is uncomfortably close to the truth". The Conversation. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  21. ^ "Gan Gan". Colonial Frontier Massacres in Australia, 1788-1930. Centre for 21st Century Humanities, University of Newcastle (Australia). Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  22. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2019-07-15). "Caren Pistorius To Star Opposite Russell Crowe In Solstice Studios' 'Unhinged'". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  23. ^ Riley, Jenelle (2020-08-20). "'Unhinged' Star Caren Pistorius on Returning to Movie Theaters and Working with Russell Crowe". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  24. ^ Groves, Don (2020-07-31). "Caren Pistorius goes toe-to-toe with Russell Crowe in 'Unhinged'". if.com.au. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  25. ^ Hammond, Pete (2023-11-02). "'The Marsh King's Daughter' Review: Daisy Ridley And Ben Mendelsohn Lift A Terrifying Wilderness-Set Father-Daughter Story". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  26. ^ "'The Marsh King's Daughter' Review: Smoke on the Water". The New York Times. 2023-11-02. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  27. ^ "The Marsh King's Daughter: Check out the complete cast of new psychological thriller film". The Economic Times. 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-27.