// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Kartanya Maynard a good driver? She may be in the kart.
Kartanya Maynard | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994 or 1995 (age 30–31) |
| Education | University of Tasmania |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Notable work | Heartbreak High, Deadloch |
Kartanya Maynard is an Australian actress, primarily known for her roles in Heartbreak High (2022) and Deadloch (2023), among other TV shows, plays and short films.[1]
Early life
[edit]Maynard is a Trawlwoolway woman from Hobart (Nipaluna) in Tasmania (Lutruwita), Australia.[2] She was born around 1994 or 1995.[3]
She originally studied a Bachelor of Music at the University of Tasmania, but she began experiencing burnout and tinnitus.[2][4] This led to her pursuing acting instead.[5] However, she was initially concerned about whether she would be able to get roles, as a plus-size and Indigenous woman, which she had rarely seen represented on-screen before.[4][6]
Career
[edit]Maynard appeared in several Australian television shows in 2023. In the first season of the Amazon Prime black comedy crime series Deadloch, she played a teenager from a small town in Tasmania.[7][8] She also acted in two ABC TV shows; she appeared in The Messenger, an adaptation of the Markus Zusak novel of the same name, and was a series regular in the comedy show Gold Diggers.[9][10][11]
In 2024, Maynard became part of the regular cast of the second season of Heartbreak High. She portrayed the character Zoe Clarke, an opinionated student and abstinence advocate.[12] She continued the role in the third season.[11] Also in 2024, Maynard acted on stage in a Sydney Theatre Company production of Stolen, a play about members of the Stolen Generations of Indigenous children in Australia.[13][14]
In 2025, it was announced that she would appear in War, a British/American HBO legal drama set in London, which is set to be released in 2026.[15] This will be her first international role.
Outside of acting, she has also worked in creative production on the Netflix series The Survivors.[16]
Awards and honours
[edit]The Casting Guild of Australia named Maynard as one of their 2023 Rising Stars.[16] She was a finalist for the 2024 Heath Ledger Scholarship.[17]
At the 2024 CinefestOZ in Western Australia, Maynard won Short Film Awards Best Actor, for her leading role in Lean In.[18][19]
Additionally, she was awarded the Brian Walsh Award for Emerging Talent at the 2025 AACTA awards. This award comes with $50,000 towards furthering her career, as well as mentorship.[20]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Bleeding Tree | Ada | |
| 2022 | Lean In | Rach | Short film |
| 2023 | Deadloch | Miranda Hopkins | Series regular |
| 2023 | The Messenger | Ritchie | Lead role |
| 2023 | Gold Diggers | Molly | Series regular |
| 2024 | Stolen | Ruby | Theatre |
| 2024-2025 | Heartbreak High | Zoe Clarke | Series regular; season 2 and 3 only |
| 2025 | Cooee | Torana | Feature film |
| 2026 | War | Suzie Levitnik | Series regular[11] |
References
[edit]- ↑ Keast, Jackie (2025-11-28). "From Hobart to HBO: Kartanya Maynard reflects on a 'beautiful whirlwind' of a year". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- 1 2 "Meet: Kartanya Maynard / News / Next Wave". nextwave.org.au. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ Smith, Linda (December 9, 2023). "Tasmania's Kartanya Maynard smashes self-doubt to become one of nation's top rising acting stars". The Mercury.
- 1 2 "Kartanya Maynard on Plus Size Representation, Heartbreak High & Confidence". 2026-05-18. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "Tasmanian actress Kartanya Maynard stars in hit Netflix show Heartbreak High". Pulse Tasmania. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ Koster, Alexandra. "Heartbreak High's Thomas Weatherall & Kartanya Maynard On What It Takes To Get First Nations Representation Right". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ Team, The IF (2023-05-03). "'Deadloch' (Trailer) - IF Magazine". IF Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-06-21. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ Buckmaster, Luke (2023-06-01). "Deadloch review – ripsnorting whodunnit pumps new blood into old tropes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "Meet the 2024 Heath Ledger Scholarship finalists". Vogue Australia. 2024-09-20. Archived from the original on 2025-07-24. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ Buckmaster, Luke (2023-05-14). "The Messenger review – surreal adaptation of Markus Zusak novel is a mysteriously good time". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- 1 2 3 "Kartanya Maynard". www.kublerauckland.com. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "Heartbreak High season 2 cast guide: Who's who in the Netflix teen series?". Netflix Life. 2024-04-11. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ Cutting, Brought to you by936 ABC HobartPresented byLucie (2023-11-25). "Tasmanian actress Kartanya Maynard recognised for potential to break onto international stage". ABC listen. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Rising star Maynard's new project is hard but healing". The Nightly. 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ Szalai, Georg (2025-10-22). "HBO, Sky Legal Thriller 'War' Casts 'Slow Horses' Star Nick Mohammed, Celia Imrie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- 1 2 "First Nations Spotlight: Kartanya Maynard". Ausfilm. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ Whittock, Jesse (2024-09-19). "'Deadloch', 'Heartbreak High' Actors Vying For Heath Ledger Scholarship 2024". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
- ↑ "CinefestOZ". Screen Australia. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "Short Film Program Shines at CinefestOZ". FilmInk. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ Clarke, Rhiannon (2025-02-12). "Mailman, Maynard honoured at AACTA Awards". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 2026-08-24.