Claudia Karvan on The Secret Life of Us finale that was never filmed

Australian actor Claudia Karvan, a recipient of the Order of Australia, is being celebrated for a career spanning decades in the nation's film and television industry. Her journey began at the age of 10 with a starring role in the 1983 film 'Molly,' and she has remained a prominent figure ever since.

Karvan gained significant recognition early in her career with roles in feature films like 'Redheads' and 'The Heartbreak Kid,' the latter inspiring the popular teen series 'Heartbreak High.' She also earned her first AFI (now AACTA) award in 1996 for her performance in the hospital drama 'GP.' Her role in the groundbreaking Australian drama 'The Secret Life of Us' earned her a Logie Award and marked a pivotal moment when co-creator John Edwards encouraged her to direct episodes, expanding her skillset beyond acting.

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I think I only temporarily believed in God in fifth grade for a little bit. I went to a couple of Christian camps, which was so much fun. We played lots of games, and we read from the Bible, and it all just felt like jolly hockey sticks.

Over the past 15 years, Karvan has diversified her contributions by co-creating three successful shows: 'Love My Way,' 'Spirited,' and 'Bump.' She often took on multiple roles as actor, producer, and screenwriter. Her versatility was recently acknowledged again at the Logies Awards, where she accepted the Best Supporting Actress award for her work in the SBS short-form miniseries 'Homebodies.' Karvan expressed pride in contributing to the first trans-led project to receive a Logie Award.

Currently, Karvan is taking a slightly slower pace with her latest role in SBS's 'The Airport Chaplain.' The workplace drama features an ensemble cast of airport employees and centers on Tobias, an empathetic airport chaplain played by Australian icon Hugo Weaving. Karvan plays a supporting role in the series, which also stars 'The Pitt' breakthrough star Shabana Azeez. Reflecting on her career, Karvan shared insights into her personal life, including a childhood connection to school chaplains and a humorous recollection of her father's reaction to her brief period of religious belief in fifth grade.

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It was the comfort that I needed, but when I told my dad that I was religious, he just laughed, and he went, "Pfft."