Toni Collette

Toni Collette was born on 1st November, 1972 in Sydney, Australia. She is a daughter of Bob Collette and Judy Collette. At 16, with the support of her parents, Toni decided to leave school and enrol at NIDA, the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, on a three-year course.

By age 16, she had left home to work with the Australian Theatre for Young People before enrolling at the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art. Collette landed her first film role as a tomboyish factory worker in the comedy "Spotswood/The Efficiency Expert" (1992).

Collette proved effective as a timid office worker who longed for more than the life of a temporary worker in the ensemble comedy-drama "Clockwatchers" and essayed a British detective trailing jewel thieves in "The James Gang" (both 1997). One of her oddest roles was as an Australian named Diana Spencer who identifies with the British princess of the same name in "Diana and Me" (1997).

She got awards of 1 Golden Globe and 1 Oscar nomination.

A tall, vivacious Australian actress with a chameleonic ability to alter her appearance as the role dictates, Toni Collette shot to international fame at age 22 as the overweight but determined bride-to-be in P J Hogan's blackly comic "Muriel's Wedding" (1994).