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Elizabeth Debicki: A Career Overview

Elizabeth Debicki: A Career Overview

Biography3 min readAugust 10, 2026
Key Takeaways & Facts
  • Elizabeth Debicki was born in Paris, France, and raised in Melbourne, Australia.
  • She won the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby (2013).
  • She is the first Australian actress to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
  • Her portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales, in The Crown earned her both a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Elizabeth Debicki is an Australian actress known for her versatile performances across film, television, and theatre. Since her professional debut in 2011, she has garnered international acclaim for her ability to portray complex, emotionally resonant characters in both blockbusters and independent productions.

Elizabeth Debicki at a film event
Elizabeth Debicki during an early career promotional event.

Early Career and Breakthrough

Born in Paris and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Debicki studied at the Victorian College of the Arts. Her first professional screen role was in the 2011 comedy A Few Best Men. She achieved significant recognition in 2013 when she was cast as Jordan Baker in Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Her performance earned her the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film.

In 2013, she also demonstrated her range on stage in the Sydney Theatre Company production of The Maids, starring alongside Cate Blanchett and Isabelle Huppert. Her performance was noted for its commanding stage presence and nuance.

Television and Film Success

Throughout the mid-2010s, Debicki balanced high-profile film roles with television work. She appeared in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) and Macbeth (2015). In 2016, she starred in the Australian miniseries The Kettering Incident, which won her the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama. That same year, she played Jed Marshall in the BBC miniseries The Night Manager, a performance praised for its depth and emotional complexity.

Elizabeth Debicki at a red carpet premiere
Elizabeth Debicki attending a film premiere.

Debicki continued to expand her filmography with roles in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Widows (2018), and Christopher Nolan's Tenet (2020). Her portrayal of Alice in Widows was particularly noted for its grounded, multidimensional nature, marking a departure from her previous more glamorous roles.

Portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales

From 2022 to 2023, Debicki portrayed Diana, Princess of Wales, in the final two seasons of the Netflix series The Crown. This role required her to navigate the public history and private pressures surrounding the late princess during the 1990s. Her performance was widely lauded for its vulnerability and attention to physical mannerisms.

Elizabeth Debicki in character
Elizabeth Debicki portraying Diana, Princess of Wales in The Crown.

For her work in the final season of The Crown, Debicki received numerous accolades, including the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. This achievement made her the first Australian actress to win in that specific Emmy category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Her first major screen role was as Jordan Baker in the 2013 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann.