Melissa Jaffer, an accomplished and versatile Australian character actress, has made a lasting impact on the stage and television. With a career spanning numerous decades, Jaffer has won an AFI Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a barmaid in the 1976 film Caddie, which she shared with Jacki Weaver.
Born in the rural town of Gladstone, South Australia, Jaffer was one of two siblings. Her father, a veteran of the Second World War, operated a hotel in Kyneton, Victoria, after his demobilization. Jaffer's mother worked in a munitions factory, providing financial support for the family during the war.
Melissa and her sister, Juanita, were raised in the Catholic faith and attended Loreto College in Ballarat from 1948 to 1950. Following her education, Jaffer obtained her first role on stage as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, thanks to an introduction to William Carr, the head of the National Theatre School and Company in Melbourne.
Throughout her lengthy theatrical career, Jaffer has appeared in numerous classic plays, including Pygmalion, As You Like It, Oliver!, Uncle Vanya, Richard III, Hedda Gabler, and The Glass Menagerie.
Jaffer's screen debut came in 1967 with a role on the Australian soap opera Bellbird. She went on to make guest appearances in iconic shows such as Homicide, Division 4, and Matlock Police. In the 1980s, she starred in the TV drama Kings, opposite Ed Devereaux, and played Thelma O'Keefe, the mother of Johnny O'Keefe, in a 1985 miniseries.
Jaffer has also made repeat appearances as different characters in A Country Practice, Mother and Son, G.P., Grass Roots, and All Saints. Internationally, she is best known for her role as Utu-Noranti Pralatong, an ancient and idiosyncratic mystic, in the sci-fi series Farscape.
A talented actress, Jaffer has consistently delivered memorable performances, often in smaller supporting roles. Her unique ability to bring characters to life has earned her a special place in the hearts of audiences and fellow actors alike.
