Rebecca Massey is an Australian film, television, and theatre actress. She is best known for her comic roles as Beverley in Utopia, and as Lucy Canon in Chandon Pictures. She has worked in leading roles with major theatre companies nationwide such as The Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir St Theatre, Bell Shakespeare Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, and Griffin Theatre Company. She has performed alongside many Australian actors and actresses including Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, and Barry Otto.
Rebecca Massey was born in Rotorua, New Zealand. She grew up in Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong, before returning to New Zealand to complete her schooling at St Cuthbert's College, Auckland.
After graduating dux of school, Rebecca went on to study law and English at the University of Auckland, graduating with honours. She worked briefly as a lawyer.
After graduating from Auckland University, Massey toured New Zealand with an Australian production of Steaming with Liz Burch, Lenore Smith, and Cornelia Frances.
Her first professional job was in a production of The Crucible with the Mercury Theatre Company (now Auckland Theatre Company). She went on to star in Daughters of Heaven directed by Colin McColl, opening the Auckland Theatre Company after the Mercury Theatre went bankrupt. She was a founding member of Stronghold Theatre company with Peter Evans, whom she married.
After moving to Australia, Massey has worked consistently with the major theatre companies, including Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir St Theatre, Bell Shakespeare Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Malthouse Theatre, and Griffin Theatre Company.
After moving to Sydney, Neil Armfield cast her in The Alchemist, alongside Geoffrey Rush and Hugo Weaving. She worked consistently with Armfield at Company B until Armfield's resignation as artistic director of the theatre in 2010. During that time she was awarded a Glug and a Green Room Award for Best Actress, and nominated for two Helpmann Awards for Best Supporting Actress in Steve Martin's The Underpants and It Just Stopped by Steven Sewell. Much of the time in those years was taken up with touring the world with the epic Cloudstreet, Nick Enright and Justin Monjo's adaptation of Tim Winton's novel of the same name.
Massey has performed alongside many of Australia's great actors and actresses including Cate Blanchett (The Seagull), Geoffrey Rush, Barry Otto, Julie Forsythe, and Jacek Koman. Rebecca opened the new theatre at Belvoir Street together with Catherine McClements and John Woods in It Just Stopped.
After 2010 she worked with the Malthouse Theatre, the State Theatre of South Australia in John Doyle's play, Vere (Faith), the Griffin Theatre Company in Kill Climate Deniers by David Finisgan. For the Sydney Theatre Company she has appeared in Travesties, Vere (Faith), Perplex, After Dinner by Andrew Bovell, Lucy Kirkwood's play Chimerica, and Moira Buffini's play Dinner
Massey has been nominated and won numerous awards for her performances including the Helpmann Award for both Steve Martin's The Underpants (Belvoir) and Steven Sewell's It Just Stopped (Belvoir).
Rebecca Massey's film and television credits include Chandon Pictures (ABC) which won Best Comedy (AFI, ADG, and AWGIES), Best Original Production (ASTRA), Most Outstanding Light Entertainment (Logies), and Utopia (ABC): which won Best Television Comedy Series (AACTA), Most Outstanding Comedy Program (LOGIES).
Other television credits include Lowdown (2010), My Place (2009), Stepfather of the Bride (2006), Deep Water (2016). Film credits she is known for are Son of the Mask (2005), The Black Balloon (2008), Accidents Happen (2009), Backyard Ashes (2013), Bad Girl (2016).