Anna Torv (born 7 June 1979) is an Australian actress. Her performance as Olivia Dunham in the Fox science fiction series Fringe (2008–2013) earned her four consecutive Saturn Awards for Best Actress on Television, a record for any performer. She portrayed psychologist Wendy Carr in the Netflix period crime drama Mindhunter (2017–2019) and Tess in the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us (2023). Her work on The Last of Us garnered her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She is known in Australia for the ABC drama The Newsreader, for which she won three consecutive AACTA Awards. She starred in the Netflix drama series Territory, set in Australia's Northern Territory, which premiered in October 2024.
Early life Torv was born in Melbourne on 7 June 1979, the daughter of Susan (née Carmichael), of Scottish descent, and Hans Arvid Torv (Tõrv), a property developer and radio presenter of Estonian ancestry. At age six, she moved with her mother and younger brother to the Gold Coast, where she grew up, attending Benowa State High School, from which she graduated in 1996.Anna Torv's story , perthnow.com.au. Retrieved 20 April 2015. As of 2008, Torv had been estranged from her father for many years.
Torv's paternal aunt, journalist Anna dePeyster, was married to media mogul Rupert Murdoch for 31 years. Through that marriage, Torv is a cousin of Elisabeth, Lachlan, and James Murdoch.
Following her high school graduation, Torv relocated to Sydney, New South Wales, where she had been accepted into the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) at the age of 17. As she was too young to get an electricity account on her own, or to go to pubs, she decided to take a "gap year", during which she worked as cafe and bar staff. She graduated with a performing arts degree in 2001.
Career
In 2003, Torv played the role of Ophelia with the Bell Shakespeare Company in John Bell's production of Hamlet.Info re Torv and Bell Shakespeare Company, The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 June 2003. Retrieved 20 April 2015. In 2004, she joined the cast of Australia's acclaimed television drama The Secret Life of Us, playing Nikki Martel.
In 2005, Torv recorded a series of audio books for Scholastic Australia's Solo Collection, including the titles Little Fingers, Jack's Owl, Spike, and Maddy in the Middle, and later did voice work and performance capture for the role of Nariko in the 2007 video game Heavenly Sword.Fussman, Cal. Anna Torv Is a Woman We Love, Esquire, 8 February 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
She then appeared in the BBC series Mistresses in 2008. From 2008 to 2013, Torv played Agent Olivia Dunham in the American television series Fringe. She received an Australians in Film Breakthrough award in 2009. She has been nominated five times for the Saturn Award for Best Television Actress from 2009 to 2013, winning a total of four times. Torv appeared as Virginia Grey on HBO's mini-series The Pacific and later starred in a CollegeHumor Original video as a tyrannical traffic cop. In 2014, Torv reprised her role as Nariko in the film adaptation of Heavenly Sword.
In March 2016, Torv was cast in the role of Dr. Wendy Carr, an FBI consultant, in the Netflix drama Mindhunter.
In July 2021, Torv was cast in the role of Tess in the HBO post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us. The show premiered in January 2023; despite being a guest role, Torv's performance was seen as an early highlight, with Bernard Boo of Den of Geek writing: "With just about an episode and a half, the terrific Anna Torv leaves an indelible impression as Joel's no-nonsense ride-or-die Tess before literally exiting the series with a bang [...]". For the series, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, marking her first ever Emmy nomination.
Torv played newsreader Helen Norville in the ABC series The Newsreader, released in August 2021, which was set in an Australian TV newsroom in the mid-1980s. The series returned for a second season in November 2023. Torv won the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series three times for her performance as Norville, once for each season. For the first season, she won the 2022 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actress, and the series also won the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Drama Series. She was nominated for a second Logie for the second season.
In 2021, Torv also appeared in the television series Fires, produced by the ABC Television network, about the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, in which megafires devastated Australia.
In October 2024, Torv appeared in the Netflix series Territory.
On 20 November 2025, Torv was named a lead in the new ABC series Dustfall.
Personal life In December 2008, Torv married American actor Mark Valley, with whom she co-starred in Fringe.Dos Santos, Kristin. "Fringe Stars Anna Torv and Mark Valley Married!" E!, 2 February 2009. In April 2010, it was reported that the couple had separated several months previously.
Torv lived in Los Angeles for over a decade, up until shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. During her time there, she became a mother and bought a house. She then sold her home and returned to Australia's Gold Coast in early 2020, where she stayed with her mother before moving to Melbourne to film The Newsreader.
, Torv does not use social media. , Torv lives in northern New South Wales.
Filmography Film Year TitleRoleNotes2003Travelling LightDebra Fowler2006The Book of RevelationBridget / Gertrude2014Heavenly SwordNariko (voice)Love Is NowVirginia Grey2015The DaughterAnna2017StephanieJane2023ScarygirlThe Keeper (voice)2024Force of Nature: The Dry 2Alice Russell
Television YearTitleRoleNotes2002White Collar BlueNeighbourTelevision filmYoung LionsIrena NedovRecurring role (series 1)2004McLeod's DaughtersJasmine McLeod2 episodes2004–2005The Secret Life of UsNikki MartelRecurring role (series 4)2007FrankensteinITU nurseTelevision film2008MistressesAlexRecurring role (series 1)2008–2013FringeOlivia DunhamMain role2010The PacificVirginia GreyEpisode: "Peleliu Landing"2011The Cleveland ShowHerselfEpisode: "A Short Story and a Tall Tale"CollegeHumor OriginalsOfficer AliaEpisode: "Can I Give You a Ticket?"2014OpenWindsorEpisode: "Pilot"2015Deadline GallipoliGwendoline ChurchillMain role; miniseries2016–2019Secret CityHarriet DunkleyMain role2017–2019MindhunterWendy CarrMain role2021FiresLally Robinson2 episodes 2021–2025The NewsreaderHelen NorvilleMain role2023 The Last of UsTess3 episodes2024NautilusRevna1 episodeTerritoryEmily LawsonMain roleSo Long, MarianneCharmian CliftMain role2026DustfallTig PollardMain role
Theatre YearTitleRoleVenueNotes1986The Night Before ChristmasBessRoman Scandals Theatre Restaurant1998–2001Undiscovered CountryUnknownUnknownCredited from playbill of the 2003 production of HamletBodyline: Time's UpRichard IIIBasic Burlesque2001PlentySusan TraherneNIDA Theatre2 April 2001Language of the GodsAlicia5 May 2001Ring Round the MoonCapulatNIDA Studio27 June 2001Goodnight Children EverywhereAnn28 September 2001Kiss Me, KateChorus GirlParade Theatre17 October 20012002The Credeaux CanvasAmeliaSBW Stables TheatreIn association with the Griffin Theatre Company2003HamletOpheliaBell Shakespeare2005The Cherry OrchardAnyaSydney Theatre Company
Video games Year Title Role Notes2007Heavenly SwordNariko (voice)Also motion capture
Awards and nominations
YearAwardCategoryWorkResult 2008NAVGTR AwardsLead Performance in a DramaHeavenly Sword2009Saturn AwardsBest Actress on TelevisionFringeTeen Choice AwardsChoice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-FiFringeScream AwardsBreakout Performance – FemaleFringe2010Saturn AwardsBest Actress on TelevisionFringe Scream AwardsBest Television PerformanceFringe Teen Choice AwardsChoice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-FiFringe 2011Saturn AwardsBest Actress on TelevisionFringeInternational Online Cinema AwardsBest Actress in a Drama SeriesFringeScream AwardsBest Science Fiction ActressFringeCritics' Choice Television AwardsBest Actress in a Drama ActressFringeTeen Choice AwardsChoice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-FiFringe2012Saturn AwardsBest Actress on TelevisionFringeIGN AwardsBest TV ActressFringeTeen Choice AwardsChoice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-FiFringe2013Saturn AwardsBest Actress on TelevisionFringe2016AACTA AwardsBest Supporting Actress The Daughter2017Logie AwardsMost Outstanding ActressSecret City2019AACTA AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Television DramaSecret City2021AACTA AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Television Drama The Newsreader2022Logie AwardsMost Popular Actress The NewsreaderLogie AwardsMost Outstanding Actress The NewsreaderEquity Ensemble AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series The Newsreader2023Online Film & Television AssociationBest Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Last of UsInternational Online Cinema AwardsBest Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Last of UsGold Derby AwardsDrama Guest Actress The Last of UsTV Scholar AwardsBest Guest Performance in a Drama The Last of UsMTV Movie AwardsBest Kiss The Last of Us2024Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Last of UsCinEuphoria AwardsMerit - Honorary Award Shared with the cast The Last of UsAACTA AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Television Drama The NewsreaderLogie AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Drama The Newsreader2025AACTA AwardsBest Actress in a Leading Role Force of Nature: The Dry 2AACTA AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Television DramaTerritoryLogie AwardsBest Lead Actress in a DramaTerritory2026AACTA AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Television Drama The Newsreader
References
External links