SacAnime Welcomes Melanie Zanetti

SacAnime welcomes Melanie Zanetti to SacAnime Summer 2024. Award winning Australian actress Melanie Zanetti got her start in professional theatre. Zanetti’s critically acclaimed and extensive mainstage theatre credits include Juliet in ROMEO & JULIET, Betty Parris in THE CRUCIBLE; her Matilda Award winning portrayals of Eliza Doolittle in PYGMALION and Ellen in THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED (all for Queensland Theatre Company); and the world premiere adaptation of WUTHERING HEIGHTS in which she played the iconic double role Catherine/Cathy.

For her theatre work the critics have heaped praise on this special talent calling her “a shooting star” “an absolute wonder” “dynamic and a talent of dangerously good proportions” “a knock out” “a sublime portrayal (that) surely steals this production” “enormously talented” and
“it will go down as the night a star was born, Melanie Zanetti just stole the show.”

While making a name for herself in Australian theatre, Zanetti was cast as the lead female Jude in her first feature, Anchor Bay’s BATTLE OF THE DAMNED, opposite Dolph Lundgren. Other feature credits include her first major role in the US, a lead in THE LEISURE CLASS for HBO’s Project Greenlight opposite Ed Weeks; a cameo in TRACKS with Adam Driver; and the lead in GABRIELS trilogy from the books by Sylvain Reynard for Tosca Musk’s Passionflix.

Zanetti can also be seen in dual roles as the touching and humorous voice of the robot Mav1s and on camera survivor Kala in Paramount’s LOVE AND MONSTERS opposite Dylan O’Brien.

Keeping just as busy in television, Zanetti had a fun one season lead role on Jonathan M Shiff’s YA series THE BUREAU OF MAGICAL THINGS playing the villainous elf Orla. She recently had a comedic 2-episode Guest Star on YOUNG ROCK for NBC as Stephanie the clueless but energetic 80s aerobic instructor; and played young Harriet Walter in the critically acclaimed drama THE END for Sky Atlantic starring Frances O’Connor.

Zanetti stars opposite William Moseley and Kate Dickie in the gothic supernatural thriller RAVEN’S HOLLOW which was acquired by Shudder. The film reunited her with director Chris Hatton, who directed her in her first feature. Zanetti can also currently be seen as the female lead in Shout! Studios HEAD COUNT, the twisted Kansas-set Western noir feature debut of the uber talented The Burghart Brothers’ starring opposite Ryan Kwanten.

As successful she is in front of the camera, Zanetti may be best known as the voice of Chilli, the mum, in the Emmy Award winning, animated hit series, BLUEY. It is the number one children’s show in Australia and a giant hit globally making every ‘best of’ list since it premiered and consistently being one of the most watched TV series on Disney+. Now in season 3, children and parents everywhere share their admiration for the joy and truthfulness Zanetti brings to the role.

With a non-stop schedule, this in demand versatile talent keeps accruing those frequent flier miles as she splits her time between US and Australia.