Deborah Mailman AM is making history as the first Indigenous person to be inducted into the Logie Awards Hall of Fame.
The actor, 54, who has already won six Logie Awards, was inducted on August, 16, 2026, and is the sixth female recipient of the award since its introduction in 1984.
On the same night, A Country Practice and Andrew Denton were also inducted into the Hall of Fame.
With decades in television under her belt, the Bidjara woman has helped redefine the way Australian stories are told.
When she took to the stage, she dedicated the award to her parents, who listened to her dream to be an actor with “nothing but love and encouragement”.
“It would take me a very, very long time to thank the people that I need to thank, the people who have shaped who I am today,” she tearfully said.
“You know who you are. And I hope you know how grateful I am for the role that you’ve played in my life. I’m overwhelmed with pride to be the first Aboriginal person to receive this honour,” she continued, which was met with applause.
“As I look around the room, I’m so thrilled to see so many of our mob being celebrated tonight,” she added.
She then went on to thank her husband, Matthew Coonan, and her children Henry and Oliver.
What is Deborah Mailman known for?
She rose to fame in the groundbreaking film, Radiance, where she became the first Aboriginal woman to win Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Australian Film Institute Awards (AACTA Awards).
Kelly Lewis in The Secret Life of Us, where she won a Logie for Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2002 and 2004.
Her role in Bonita Mabo earned her the Logie for the Most Outstanding Actress in 2013, and she won the same award for Redfern Now in 2016.
Three years later, she was recognised as the Most Popular Actress for Bite Club / Mystery Road, and won Best Lead Actress in a Drama in 2024 for Total Control.
But her legacy on TV extends far beyond her achievements.
Her work in The Sapphires, Rabbit-Proof Fence, and Bran Nue Dae have cemented her as a legend on our screens.
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