australian television information archive

Katie played by Anna Jullienne

Katie is a part-Mãori artist and owner of the local arts and crafts 'gallery'. She's also a tireless fighter for the rights of the ordinary people of Weld and opponent of big money interests in the region.

Katie is one of the ex-lovers of Zac, with whom she has a child, Billy, who is the absolute love of her life.

Anna Jullienne says her character spends a lot of time with George because Weld is a small town and Katie's son Billy is the same age as George's son Arlo.

"Because Katie has lived in the same town her whole life and raised her son there, she hasn't had a whole lot of fresh starts, so new blood in her community is definitely exciting," she says. "When George and the Turner family rock up, the whole community, especially the women, find this new man quite interesting. Good gossip fodder at least!"

Anna Jullienne

Anna Jullienne was halfway through an arts degree when she was offered the core cast role of nurse Maia Jeffries on New Zealand's Shortland Street. Then 21, Jullienne had already won awards for stage acting and public speaking.

In 2007, the year after her character took part in New Zealand television's first civil union, Anna was honoured with the Best Supporting Actress gong at New Zealand's Screen Awards. Jullienne appeared on Shortland Street for six years from 2004 to 2010.

Following her role in the Kiwi edition of Underbelly: Land of the Long Green Cloud, Anna played a nightmarish PA in the contemporary noir drama The Blue Rose and has had guest roles in the gritty crime series Harry and primetime comedy series Agent Anna.

Well known in New Zealand for her comic timing, Anna has appeared as herself in skits for the hit Friday night comedy show Jono and Ben at Ten as well as the cult hit webseries Auckland Daze.

Anna's theatre roles include playing the title character in Auckland Theatre Company's Anne Boleyn as well as Death of a Salesman and The Vagina Monologues.