Toni Collette

The eldest of three children, Sydney, Australian native Toni Collette dropped out of school at age 16 to study drama at Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art. She gained experience on stage starring in such plays as Away, Summer of the Aliens, Blue Murder and the title role of Sonya in the 1992 production of Uncle Vanya. Later on in the year, she was given the Sydney Critics' Circle Award.

She made her film debut opposite Anthony Hopkins in Spotswood (1991). But Toni is best known for her performance as the dumpy, shy and plain girl who would do anything to get married in Muriel's Wedding (1994). In real life, willowy Australian actress Toni looks nothing like the character of Muriel Heslop. To play the part, she gained 40 pounds in seven weeks with the help of a dietitian. She also allowed herself to be photographed in various unflattering angles, a fairly courageous act for a leading lady.

In 1996, Toni received the Australian Film Institute Award for her supporting role in Lilian's Story (1995). In 1998, Toni played the ex-wife of a fallen rock star in Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine, which won the "Artistic Achievement" award at that year's Cannes Film Festival. In 1999, she played mother to Haley Joel Osmont's Cole Sear in The Sixth Sense, garnering her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

She has continued to work steadily since then, winning several awards for her role in The Hours (2002) and a Film Critics Circle of Australia award for Best Actor in Japanese Story (2003). In 2010, she won her first Golden Globe award for her role on the TV series United States of Tara. Since then she's continued to take on a film roles like Fright night (2011) and Jesus Henry Christ (2012).

She starred in Enough Said (2013) alongside James Gandolfini and lent her voice to the animated film The BoxTrolls (2014). She also starred in the drama Imperium (2016), the action sequel xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), the comedy Madame (2018) and the horror film Hereditary (2018).

In 2019, she was part of the all-star ensemble cast of Rian Johnson’s murder mystery Knives Out. She starred alongside Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, and Jamie Lee Curtis. That same year, she joined the cast of the critically acclaimed miniseries Unbelievable with Merritt Wever and Kaitlyn Dever. Toni was nominated for an Emmy and won the Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series.

The following year, she appeared in Dream Horse (2020) and I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020) with Jesse Plemons and Jessie Buckley.

In 2021, Toni was seen in Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-nominated film Nightmare Alley alongside Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, and Rooney Mara. In 2022, she played Kathleen in the miniseries The Staircase where she was once again nominated for an Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

In 2024, she co-starred with Nicholas Hoult and J.K. Simmons in Juror #2 from director Clint Eastwood.

Next up, she appeared in Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi film Mickey 17 (2025) alongside an all-star cast that included Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, and Mark Ruffalo.

Toni married Dave Galafassi on January 11, 2003. Their daughter Sage Florence was born January 9, 2008 and their son Arlo Robert was born on April 22, 2011.

Filmography:

Mickey 17 (2025)
Juror #2 (2024)
Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken (2023)
Mafia Mamma (2023)
The Estate (2022)
Nightmare Alley (2021)
Stowaway (2021)
I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Dream Horse (2020)
Knives Out (2019)
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
Birthmarked (2018)
Hearts Beat Loud (2018)
Hereditary (2018)
Madame (2018)
xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
Imperium (2016)
Krampus (2015)
Miss You Already (2015)
The Boxtrolls (2014)
Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014)
Tammy (2014)
The BoxTrolls (2014)
Enough Said (2013)
Hitchcock (2013)
Mental (2012)
Jesus Henry Christ (2012)
Fright Night (2011)
Foster (2011)
Mary and Max (2009) (voice)
Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger (2008)
Towelhead (2008)
The Black Balloon (2007)
Evening (2007)
The Dead Girl (2006)
Like Minds (2006)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
The Night Listener (2006)
In Her Shoes (2005)
The Last Shot (2004)
Japanese Story (2004)
Connie and Carla (2004)
The Last Shot (2004)
Dirty Deeds (2002)
The Hours (2002)
About a Boy (2002)
Changing Lanes (2002)
The Magic Pudding (2000) (voice)
Hotel Splendide (2000)
Shaft (2000)
The Sixth Sense (1999)
8 1/2 Women (1999)
Dead by Monday (1999)
Hotel Sordide (1999)
Velvet Goldmine (1998)
Diana & Me (1997)
The James Gang (1997)
Clockwatchers (1997)
The Boys (1997/I)
Emma (1996)
The Pallbearer (1996)
Cosi (1996)
Arabian Knight (1995) (voice)
Lilian's Story (1995)
Muriel's Wedding (1994)
This Marching Girl Thing (1994)
Spotswood (1991)